After a year off, the Cook Inlet Academy boys returned in a big way Thursday night at the CIA Classic hoops tournament, holding off Kodiak ESS for a 47-32 victory.

Leading the charge was senior guard Noah Leaf with 26 points, half of those coming in the third quarter alone.

First-year head coach Ryan McMilin got his first taste of Eagles basketball and said his boys squad took an important step by getting that first win of the season.

“They know this team better than I do,” McMilin said. “I’m a first-year coach and I’m just excited to play the local teams and get some games in.”

CIA will face their old friendly nemesis, Nikolaevsk, tonight at 7:15 p.m., and will play the Soldotna JV squad Saturday at 5:15 p.m.

Thursday night, the Eagles used a big finishing kick in the first half to distance themselves, then withstood a barrage of 3-pointers in the third quarter by Kodiak to seal the victory.

CIA led 18-14 midway through the second quarter, but Leaf hit a jumper and fellow senior Brady Hammond laid in a bucket on a drive down the lane to put CIA up by eight, then Hunter Moos drilled a triple with seconds remaining to put CIA up 25-15 at halftime.

CIA then ripped off an 11-point run to begin the second half, with Leaf scoring eight of those points, to eke out a 36-15 lead.

In the final three minutes of the quarter, however, Kodiak outscored CIA 12-2, thanks to four 3s. Chris Phillips alone nailed triples on three straight possessions for Kodiak to cut the lead to 38-27 after the quarter.

Eventually, the Eagles’ defensive press got to Kodiak, which began forcing turnovers. Moos hit a layup, then stole the ball and was promptly fouled on the miss, giving him three points in three seconds for CIA early in the fourth quarter.

A jump shot by Leaf with 5:28 to go gave CIA a comfortable 43-27 lead. Overall, the Eagles held Kodiak to five points in the final quarter.

“We knew they’d be going for a lot of three shots,” McMilin said. “It was either make it or miss it for them.

“Plus, a lot of our kids were a part of the state championship soccer team, so they were in good shape to press.”

Moos chipped in 11 points for CIA as well, and Hammond scored eight. Phillips led Kodiak’s effort with 20 points for the Bears. Phillips poured in five 3s.

Ninilchik girls 26, Nikiski JV 23

DeeAnn White pumped in 14 points to lead the defending Peninsula Conference champions in the opener.

Ninilchik jumped out to a 7-2 lead after the first quarter and held on from there.

Nikolaevsk girls 35, Soldotna JV 16

The Warriors turned to two of their experienced returners to turn back the Stars JV.

Vera Fefelov had 14 points in the game, while Kristin Klaich had 10.

The Warriors opened with a 15-2 advantage in the first quarter and cruised from there.

Kianna Holland paced the Soldotna JV with eight points.

Soldotna JV 60, Nikolaevsk 53

Freshman Jersey Truesdell, who helped the Soldotna football team to a state title this past fall by making his first varsity start at quarterback in the championship game, also had a big start to his basketball career.

Truesdell poured in 29 points to defeat Nikolaevsk, the Class 1A state runner-up last season. Tyler Morrison added 12 points for the Stars.

For Nikolaevsk, Nikit Fefelov had 22 points, while Kalenik Molodih added 21.

The game was close throughout, until the Stars pulled away in the fourth quarter. SoHi led 47-44 heading into the final frame.

The round-robin tournament continues today and Saturday at Cook Inlet Academy.

Today, it’s Soldotna JV girls vs. Ninilchik at 2 p.m., Soldotna JV boys vs. Kodiak ESS at 3:45 p.m. and Nikiski JV girls vs. Nikolaevsk at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, it’s the Ninilchik girls vs. Nikolaevsk at noon, Kodiak ESS boys vs. Nikolaevsk at 1:45 p.m. and Soldotna JV girls vs. Nikiski JV at 3:30 p.m.

Thursday girls

Warriors 35, Stars JV 16

Nikolaevsk 15 7 8 5 —35

Soldotna JV 2 6 4 4 —16

NIKOLAEVSK (35) — Klaich 4 2-2 10, Yakunin 1 1-2 3, J. Fefelov 3 1-2 7, E. Fefelov 0 1-2 1, V. Fefelov 6 0-0 14, Brown 0 0-0 0, Mametieff 0 0-0 0, Hickman 0 0-0 0. Totals — 14 5-8 35.

SOLDOTNA JV (16) — Leaf 0 0-0 0, Holland 3 2-2 8, Haleigh 1 0-2 2, Spence 0 0-0 0, Benson 0 0-0 0, Henderson 1 0-0 2, O’Toole 0 0-0 0, Whittom 0 0-0 0, McDonald 0 0-2 0, Dearmore 2 0-0 4. Totals — 7 2-6 16.

3-point goals — Nikolaevsk 2 (V. Fefelov 2). Team fouls — Nikolaevsk 7, Soldotna JV 9. Fouled out — none.

Wolverines 26, Bulldogs JV 23

Ninilchik 7 7 5 7 —26

Nikiski JV 2 8 4 9 —23

NINILCHIK (26) — Delgado 2 0-4 4, J. Johnson 0 0-0 0, Koch 1 0-0 3, Kain 0 0-0 0, Kreger 0 0-0 0, S. Johnson 2 0-0 4, White 5 4-10 14, Cooper 0 0-0 0, Pinnow 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 0 0-0 0, Clark 0 0-0 0. Totals — 10 4-14 25.

NIKISKI JV (23) — Hightower 0 0-0 0, Johnson 2 3-10 7, Zimmerman 0 0-0 0, Jeffries 3 0-2 7, Druesdow 3 1-3 7, Moore 0 1-2 1, Glaves 0 0-0 0, Bollig 0 0-0 0, Nielsen 0 0-0 0, Bostic 0 1-4 1. Totals — 8 6-21 23.

3-point goals — Ninilchik 1 (Koch); Nikiski JV 1 (Jeffries). Team fouls — Ninilchik 18, Nikiski JV 14. Fouled out — none.

Thursday boys

Eagles 47, Bears 32

Kodiak ESSS 12 3 12 5 —32

Cook Inlet 14 11 13 9 —47

KODIAK ESSS (32) — Phillips 7 1-2 20, Inga 0 0-0 0, Amodo 1 0-0 2, Nelson 2 0-0 4, Reft 0 0-0 0, Nelson 0 0-0 0, Bogardus 0 0-0 0, Nelson 2 0-0 6, Simeonoff 0 0-0 0, Nelson 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 1-2 32.

CIA (47) — Moos 4 2-14 11, Cragg 0 0-0 0, Hammond 4 0-3 8, Walsh 0 0-0 0, Leaf 12 2-4 26, Grossl 0 0-0 0, Peterson 0 0-0 0, Anderson 0 0-0 0, J. Leaf 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 4-11 47.

3-point goals — Kodiak ESSS 7 (Phillips 5, P. Nelson 2); CIA 1 (Moos).

Team fouls — Kodiak ESSS 9, CIA 7. Fouled out — none.

Stars JV 60, Warriors 53

Soldotna JV 12 18 17 13 —60

Nikolaevsk 13 15 16 9 —53

SOLDOTNA JV (60) — Rich 0 0-0 0, Wackler 0 0-0 0, Hansen 0 0-0 0, Chumley 2 0-0 5, Reutov 1 0-0 3, Miller 1 0-2 2, Morrison 4 4-8 12, Chilton 0 0-0 0, Truesdell 10 6-6 29, Rosin 3 0-0 9, Using 0 0-0 0. Totals — 21 10-14 60.

NIKOLAEVSK (53) — Molodih 8 5-6 21, Yakunin 0 0-0 0, Fefelov 8 0-0 22, Z. Trail 4 0-0 8, M. Trail 0 0-0 0, Kalugin 1 0-0 2. Totals — 21 5-6 53.

3-point goals — Soldotna JV 8 (Truesdell 3, Rosin 3, Chumley, Reutov), Nikolaevsk 6 (Fefelov 6). Team fouls — Soldotna JV 9, Nikolaevsk 11. Fouled out — none.

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy senior Noah Leaf drives to the basket against Kodiak ESSS guard Ben Grossl, Thursday night at CIA.