Nikolaevsk boys stay alive in consolation bracket

Nikolaevsk boys 60, Noatak 52

The Warriors staved off elimination in the Class 1A consolation bracket Monday night at West High School with a gutsy fourth-quarter effort to top Noatak, advancing into the semifinal round.

Nikolaevsk will play St. Mary’s-Akiachak at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday at West.

Trailing by five points heading into the fourth quarter, the Peninsula Conference runner-ups found help from freshman Nikit Fefelov, who hit consecutive 3-pointers midway through the fourth quarter that put Nikolaevsk right on Noatak’s doorstep.

Fefelov’s shots paved the way for the Warriors to take the lead, as they outscored Noatak 21-8 in the fourth quarter.

“I was thrilled with how the kids finished the game,” said Nikolaevsk coach Steve Klaich. “It was an excellent effort on them. There were times when things were looking bleak, they were giving up inside shots and getting beat on the boards badly, but when it came to the fourth quarter, they really picked it up.”

Jaruby Nelson and Anthony Yakunin combined to hit all of the last six free throws that iced the game in the final 49 seconds.

“Jaruby had a monster game,” Klaich said. “He was phenomenal.”

Nelson led Nikolaevsk with 26 points, including six 3s, and had nine points in the fourth quarter. Fefelov added 14 as well.

Klaich said recent memories of the Peninsula Conference second-place game, which Nikolaevsk rallied to win over CIA, helped boost the Warriors in Monday’s game.

“We were there last week,” Klaich said. “It was a mirror image game. Two very competitive teams playing their hardest, any team could’ve won, and we had a run at the right time.”

Nikolaevsk took a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, but fell victim to an 8-0 run that Noatak put up to close the first half. Nikolaevsk led 34-32 at halftime.

Nelson hit four treys en route to 14 first-half points, but Nikolaevsk was generally finding it hard to grab rebounds, which led to second-chance points for Noatak.

“I think we were doing a little too much watching,” Klaich said. “Instead of boxing out and then going after the ball. When it came down to the fourth quarter, they picked it up and started getting back to the fundamentals.”

With a player like Ralph Stalker Jr. leading the way for Noatak with 22 points, the Lynx continued to slice their way into the paint and nullified a number of Nikolaevsk charges.

After three quarters, Nikolaevsk trailed 44-39.

“There was a period of time when we weren’t rebounding well and everybody was looking for Jaruby to do everything,” Klaich said. “I kept telling them during timeouts to trust their own game, that they could score and be a factor too.”

Klaich briefly took Nelson out of the game at the end of the third quarter and early fourth quarter after he injured his shoulder, and his team responded.

“I think that helped the other kids realize, we can play ourselves,” Klaich said. “They realized they don’t have to look for Jaruby for every shot, and they finished the game as a team.”

Fefelov nailed straight 3s to close the deficit to a point with 4:39 remaining. Just 32 seconds later, Jonah Fefelov took advantage of a Noatak offensive foul to drive the lane for a go-ahead layup that put Nikolaevsk ahead 49-48.

Stalker Jr. sunk a jump shot with 3:35 left to give Noatak the lead again, but Nelson answered with a trey that put the Warriors ahead for good.

Stalker Jr. tied the game up with a layup with two minutes left, but after another Noatak offensive foul, Nelson responded with a fadeaway jumper with 1:16 to go that put Nikolaevsk up 54-52. From there, Nikolaevsk iced the game with free throws.

Monday boys

Warriors 60, Lynx 52

Nikolaevsk 14 20 5 21 —60

Noatak 10 22 12 8 —52

NIKOLAEVSK (60) — Nelson 8 4-4 26, Trail 0 0-0 0, Yakunin 1 2-2 4, N. Fefelov 5 1-1 14, Gordeev 3 0-0 6, Molodih 1 0-2 2, J. Fefelov 4 0-3 8. Totals 22 7-12 60.

NOATAK (52) — Sherman 1 0-0 2, Arey 3 0-0 7, VanAmburg 0 0-0 0, Luther 2 2-2 6, Adams Jr. 1 0-0 2, Wesley 5 3-3 13, Stalker Jr. 10 2-3 22. Totals 22 7-8 52.

3-point field goals — Nikolaevsk 9 (Nelson 6, N. Fefelov 3); Noatak 1 (Arey 1). Team fouls — Nikolaevsk 8; Noatak 13. Fouled out — Stalker Jr.

More in Sports

tease
Wrestling roundup: Results from Mountain City, Monster Mash Duals

Bethel won the Mountain City Wrestling Invitational on Friday and Saturday in… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Ra'ah Roady, Abigail Price, Sierra Hershberger and Isla Crouse qualified for state in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays at the Region III Swim and Dive Championships at Kodiak High School on Nov. 1 and 2, 2024. (Photo provided)
Kenai Central’s Abigail Price breaks 2 school records, wins 1 event at region meet

Kenai Central junior Abigail Price led the Kenai Peninsula at the Region… Continue reading

Eagle River quarterback Nolan Beaty is sacked by Soldotna linebacker Wyatt Faircloth on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at Justin Maile Field at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Railbelt, Division II postseason honors announced

The Railbelt All-Conference and Division II All-State teams were released Saturday, Nov.… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Leif Ekblad moves to cover the puck while teammates Brady Engelkes and Luke Hause try to keep Avery Anderson of the Minnesota Wilderness from scoring Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Wilderness notch sweep of Brown Bears

The Minnesota Wilderness pulled off a North American Hockey League sweep over… Continue reading

Soldotna's Cassidy Kruse hits Soldotna head coach Luke Baumer with a pie as part of the Killing Cancer on the Kenai event on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Weekend volleyball: Kenai stops SoHi, Homer; Nikiski defeats Homer; Seward wins Barrow tourney

The host Kenai Central volleyball team defeated Soldotna in five sets Friday… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Logan Mese scores on Palmer's Mily Christman during the Peninsula Ice Challenge on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna captures Peninsula Ice Challenge

The Soldotna hockey team won the Peninsula Ice Challenge with a 4-0… Continue reading

tease
Zombie Run results posted

The Tsalteshi Trails Association put on the 2024 Zombie Run on Sunday,… Continue reading

tease
Soldotna captures Top Dog tourney

The Soldotna boys wrestling team won the Top Dog tournament at Nikiski… Continue reading

tease
Kenai Central leads area by finishing 4th at Dimond-Service

The Kenai Central volleyball team led the area by finishing fourth at… Continue reading

Most Read