With game on line, Warriors prevail

WASILLA — It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But with the game on the line, Wasilla found a way to get past rival Colony.

The Warriors erased a seven-point second-half deficit with a late third-quarter run and held on for a 47-43 win over the Knights at Wasilla High on Friday.

Wasilla didn’t hit a field goal during the entire fourth quarter, but scored 10 points at the free throw line to earn the victory and cap the Northern Lights Conference regular season with a perfect 10-0 mark. The Knights finish 5-5 in NLC play with the loss and will have to settle for the third seed in the North Division.

The Warriors were 10 for 13 from the line during the fourth quarter. Senior Alyssa Hutchins, who leads the NLC in scoring, was held to only five points in the game. Three of those points came at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Junior Alexis Imoe, who scored nine in the win, also hit a trio of free throws during the fourth.

Junior Alysha Devine was a perfect 7 for 7 from the line during the game.

Colony built significant leads in the second and third quarters. In the second, the Knights led by five, but Devine completed a three-point play to cut Colony’s advantage to a possession.

Devine went to the basket, drew the foul and completed the free throw to make it a 21-19 game. A long Imoe jump shot tied the game at 21.

Colony’s Izzy Tweed hit a three-pointer to give the Knights the lead, but Devine answered back with a three-pointer of her own to tie the game at 24.

Colony opened the third quarter with a seven-point run, led by Faith Farris’ four points. But the Warriors capped the third with an 11-0 run.

Both teams open NLC conference play Thursday at Wasilla High.

Wasilla 47, Colony 43

Friday, Wasilla High

Colony 13-13-7-10—43

Wasilla 13-13-11-10— 47

Wasilla (47) —Devine 3 7-7 14; Dinkle 3 4-4 10; Imoe 2 5-8 9; Burke 2 2-2 6; Hutchins 1 3-5 5; Koso 1 0-1 2; Brumbaugh 0 1-2 1; Totals 12-46 22-29 47.

Colony (43) —Klapperich 4 2-5 12; Farris 4 0-1 9; Nelson 4 0-1 9; Stefanski 1 3-6 5; Tweed 1 1-3 4; Simmons 2 0-1 4; Totals 16-37 6-17 43.