Staff report

The Kenai Central boys basketball team opened the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond High School on Thursday with a 54-48 victory over Grace Christian.

The Kardinals move into the tournament semifinals against Dimond, 85-18 winners against North Pole, today at 7:30 p.m.

Kenai played from behind for much of the contest, trailing 15-10 after the first quarter, 23-20 at halftime and 36-35 after three quarters. The second half was back and forth, with eight lead changes and three ties.

But Kenai edged ahead late in the fourth quarter and was able to hold the lead due to solid free-throw shooting. The Kards finished 13 for 18 from the line in the game.

With 1 minute, 29 seconds, to play, Kalvin Daniels hit a pair of foul shots for a 46-41 Kenai lead, and with 1:07 left, Tristan Landry stretched the lead to 48-41 with two free throws.

Grace Christian came back with a 3-pointer, but Landry hit 1 of 2 to keep the lead at 49-44 with 49.5 left.

The Grizzlies kept coming, cutting the lead to 49-46, but Josh Jackman calmly tallied a pair of points from the charity stripe for a 51-46 game. Grace would again answer, but Landry was again steady from the line with 19 seconds left for a 53-48 game. Daniels closed it out by hitting 1 of 2 from the line.

Grace’s Tobin Karlberg led all scorers with 27 points. Luke Beiser had 19 points to pace the Kards, while Landry and Jackman each had 12 and Daniels pitched in with 10.

Soldotna boys 55, Lathrop 43

The SoHi boys opened the Joe T. Classic tournament in Fairbanks with a victory over host school Lathrop on Thursday night.

Derek Evans led the way with 22 points for the Stars, while Luke Trammell and Caleb Spence chipped in 10 apiece.

SoHi got off to a hot start, outscoring Lathrop 15-8 in the first quarter, but the Malamutes roared back to take a 24-20 lead at halftime.

The Stars eventually found their way back with a 16-4 third quarter to take a 36-28 lead and held on for the win.

SoHi continues play at the tourney with a Friday matchup against Juneau at 4:40 p.m.

Lathrop girls 39, Soldotna 31

The host Malamutes held on to score a victory over the Stars on the opening day of the Joe T. Classic tournament in Fairbanks on Thursday.

SoHi got nine points from Aliann Schmidt and eight from Brittani Blossom, while Lathrop’s Ella Roberts and Cheyenne Dibert led the way with 12 points each.

Lathrop contained SoHi well in the first half, leading 11-2 after the first quarter and 16-8 at halftime. SoHi only scored 14 points after three quarters, but finally got going in the fourth quarter with 17 points, cutting the lead from 14 to eight points by the end.

The Stars continue on today to play South Anchorage at 3 p.m.

Nikiski girls 44, Houston 23

The host Bulldogs took a 10-3 lead after one quarter in notching a Southcentral Conference victory over the Hawks on Thursday.

Bethany Carstens paced Nikiski with 13 points before fouling out.

Houston boys 59, Nikiski 44

The visiting Hawks received 21 points from Kade Taylor and 18 from big man Ben Bitler in taking down the Bulldogs in Southcentral Conference action.

Jace Kornstad had 16 points for Nikiski before fouling out.

Ninilchik girls 39, Hooper Bay 30

The Wolverines opened the round-robin Christopher Lockwood Invitationa at Unalakleet by topping the Warriors.

DeeAnn White led the way for Ninilchik with 17 points, while Mikayla Clark had 10 points.

Seward girls 47, Redington 31

The host Seahawks notched a Southcentral Conference victory over the Huskies on Thursday.

Ashley Jackson had 16 points, while Coral Petrosius had 10, for Seward, which led 15-5 after the first quarter.

Courtney Crockett had 14 points for the Huskies, while Abbie Fuller added 11.

Seward boys 65, Redington 19

The host Seahawks cruised to a Southcentral Conference victory over the Huskies on Thursday.

Seward led 47-12 at halftime. Jonah Deboard had 14 points for Seward, while Sully Hauze had 12 and Hunter Kratz added 10.

Thursday girls

Wolverines 39, Warriors 30

NINILCHIK (39) — Delgado 5, Koch 2, Kain 3, White 17, Cooper 2, Clark 10.

HOOPER BAY (30) — C. Gump 3, K. Gump 9, L. Gump 12, A. Joe 6, S. Joe 0, H. Mann 0.

3-point goals — Ninilchik 1 (Kain); Hooper Bay 2 (K. Gump, L. Gump). Team fouls — Ninilchik 15, Hooper Bay 11. Fouled out — none.

Seahawks 47, Huskies 31

Redington 5 8 7 11 — 31

Seward 15 11 10 11 — 47

REDINGTON (31) — Koozata 1 1-2 4, Lytle 0 0-0 0, Crockett 5 3-8 14, Smith-Surrote 1 0-0 2, Aparazuk 0 0-0 0, Harris 0 0-0 0, Fuller 4 3-4 11, Kuzmin 0 0-0 0, Horne 0 0-1 0. Totals — 11 7-15 31.

SEWARD (47) — Cinereski 0 0-0 0, Moriarity 3 0-3 6, Hauze 1 2-4 4, Terry 0 0-0 0, Jackson7 2-6 16, Lapinskas 4 1-4 9, Moore 0 2-2 2, Petrosius 5 0-0 10. Totals — 20 7-19 47.

3-point goals — Redington 2 (Koozata, Crockett). Team fouls — Redington 11, Sewarrd 14. Fouled out — none.

Malamutes 39, Stars 31

Soldotna 2 6 6 17 — 31

Lathrop 11 5 12 11 — 39

SOLDOTNA (31) — Houser 0, Miller 2, Blossom 8, A. Schmidt 9, Tuttle 0, Kruse 5, Wells 0, Wurst 0, D. Schmidt 7.

LATHROP (39) — Jordan 0, Tuck 0, Warner 2, Dibert 12, Leles 0, Zanazzo 0, Kraska 5, Odsather 2, John 0, Do 6, Roberts 12.

3-point goals — Soldotna 1 (Blossom); Lathrop 2 (Roberts 2).

Team fouls — Soldotna 14; Lathrop 17. Fouled out — none.

Bulldogs 44, Hawks 23

Houston 3 10 3 7 — 23

Nikiski 10 8 12 14 — 44

HOUSTON (23) — Holms 3 2-5 8, Graham 0 0-0 0, Davis 2 0-0 4, Ruth 2 1-1 5, M. Moore 2 0-0 4, T. Moore 0 1-1 1, Whitted 0 1-1 1. Totals — 9 5-8 23.

NIKISKI (44) — Wik 1 0-0 2, Pitt 2 0-0 4, Vollertsen 2 2-4 6, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Carstens 6 1-1 13, Kornstad 2 1-2 7, Clark 1 3-6 5, Jackson 2 1-2 5, Porter 1 0-0 2. Totals — 17 8-15 44.

3-point goals — Nikiski 2 (Kornstad 2). Team fouls — Hoston 17, Nikiski 14. Fouled out — Carstens, T. Moore.

Thursday boys

Kardinals 54, Grizzlies 48

Grace 15 8 13 12 — 48

Kenai 10 10 15 19 — 54

GRACE CHRISTIAN (48) — Shamburger 2 0-0 6, Wood 0 0-0 0, McGovern 2 1-2 5, Nieder 2 -2 6, Coulombe 0 0-0 0, Karlberg 10 4-4 27, Harriman 2 0-0 4. Totals — 18 7-8 48.

KENAI CENTRAL (54) — Daniels 3 3-4 10, Beeson 0 0-0 0, Hieber 0 1-2 1, Beiser 9 1-2 19, Landry 3 6-8 12, Jackman 4 2-2 12, Felchle 0 0-0 0. Totals — 19 13-18 54.

3-point goals — Grace 5 (Karlberg 3, Shamburger 2); Kenai 3 (Jackman 2, Daniels). Team fouls — Grace 16, Kenai 11. Fouled out — none.

Stars 55, Malamutes 43

Soldotna 15 5 16 19 — 55

Lathrop 8 16 4 15 — 43

SOLDOTNA (55) — Trammell 10, Spence 10, Reutov 0, Sheridan 3, Crowder 0, Tuisaula 4, Evans 22, McElroy 4, Miller 0, Michael 2, Marcuson 0.

LATHROP (43) — Life 4, Handry 7, Martin 1, Reed 15, Noble 0, Belton 5, Wilken 2, King 5, Carlson 1, Cruikshank 3.

3-point goals — Soldotna 2 (Trammell, Spence); Lathrop 2 (Cruikshank, Handry).

Team fouls — Soldotna 22; Lathrop 18. Fouled out — none.

Hawks 59, Bulldogs 44

Houston 10 18 19 12 — 59

Nikiski 11 19 5 9 — 44

HOUSTON (59) — Wyrick 0 0-0 0, Knutson 0 0-0 0, Werts 0 0-0 0, Ka. Taylor 5 9-14 21, Ko. Taylor 3 1-4 7, Ruta 1 2-3 4, Ritter 0 1-2 1, Ross 2 0-0 4, Pelesasa 2 0-0 4, Bitler 9 0-0 18. Totals — 22 13-23 59.

NIKISKI (44) — Johnson 2 1-5 5, Weathers 0 0-0 0, G. Ellis 3 0-2 7, Kornstad 6 0-1 16, Handley 3 0-0 7, B. Ellis 3 3-6 9, DeSiena 0 0-0 0. Totals — 17 4-14 44.

3-point goals — Houston 2 (Ka. Taylor 2); Nikiski 6 (Kornstad 4, G. Elis, Handley). Team fouls — Houston 16, Nikiski 21. Fouled out — Kornstad.

Seahawks 65, Huskies 19

Redington 6 6 3 4 — 19

Seward 21 26 7 11 — 65

REDINGTON (19) — Rogers 1 1-4 3, Scraughn 0 0-0 0, Amirault 5 2-6 12, Rumfelt 0 0-0 0, Brooks 2 0-0 4, Long 0 0-0 0, Scott 0 0-0 0, King 0 0-0 0. Totals — 9 3-10 19.

SEWARD (65) — Kratz 3 1-2 10, Hauze 4 0-0 12, Estes 2 1-2 5, Wilps 3 0-0 6, Spanos 0 0-0 0, Sieverts 1 1-2 4, Jarvis 1 0-2 2, Deboard 6 2-4 14, Petrosius 4 4-5 12. Totals — 24 9-17 65.

3-point goals — Seward 8 (Hauze 4, Kratz 3, Sieverts). Team fouls — Redington 11, Seward 15. Fouled out — none.