The Nikolaevsk girls basketball team earned a spot in the Peninsula Conference tournament championship by defeating Ninilchik 45-32 on Thursday at Cook Inlet Academy.

Nikolaevsk, which has won four of the past six conference championships, will face CIA for the crown today at 7:30 p.m. The two teams have split this season, with Nikolaevsk scoring a 52-25 victory on Dec. 14 and CIA winning 31-27 on Feb. 22.

Ninilchik will now have to work through the second-place bracket to try and claim a fourth straight trip to state. The Wolverines face Lumen Christi at 2:30 p.m. today.

Ninilchik took a 9-7 lead after the first quarter, but Nikolaevsk led 22-14 at the half. Both teams scored nine in the third quarter, but the Warriors won the fourth quarter 14-9.

Justina Fefelov had 10 points for the Warriors, while Elizabeth Fefelov led with 17. For Ninilchik, Isabella Koch had 12.

Ninilchik boys 52, Lumen Christi 45

The Wolverines return to the title game looking for a third conference title in four years.

Ninilchik plays Nikolaevsk at 6 p.m. today for the championship. Lumen goes to the second-place bracket to face Birchwood at 4 p.m. today.

The Wolverines grabbed a 20-5 lead after a quarter, but Lumen cut it to 29-19 at the half and 35-33 after three quarters. Ninilchik won the fourth 17-12.

Jake Clark had 17 points for Ninilchik, while Garrett Koch added 16. For Lumen, Brendon Gregory had 21 points and Andrew Howard pitched in 12.

Nikolaevsk boys 66, Nanwalek 55

The Warriors ran to a 29-7 advantage after the first quarter and held on to secure a berth in the championship game.

Nikolaevsk is looking for a sixth straight trip to state.

Nanwalek was able to cut the lead to 37-24 and halftime, but Nikolaevsk stretched the lead to 56-36 after three quarters.

Justin Trail had 20 for Nikolaevsk, while Michael Trail had 19 and Lukah Kalugin added 15. For Nanwalek, Uriah Huntsman had 25 points, while Ben Botero chipped in 14.

Nanwalek now must come back through the second-place bracket to earn a trip to state. That journey starts today with a 1 p.m. game against Cook Inlet Academy.

CIA boys 51, Kodiak ESS 26

The Cook Inlet Academy boys stayed alive Thursday with a dominant win on home court in the consolation bracket.

The Eagles play Friday at 1 p.m. against Nanwalek, and will need to win three straight to claim second place in the tournament and the automatic state bid that comes with it.

Thursday against Kodiak ESS, Mason Zeigler and Josh Boyd led the charge for the Eagles, with Zeigler netting 14 points and Boyd adding 12.

CIA stifled Kodiak ESS with lockdown defense, holding the Bears to one point with no field goals in the first quarter as the Eagles took a 14-1 lead. CIA pushed the lead to 35-8 at halftime, thanks to eight points in the second quarter from Zeigler.

In other girls games, Lumen Christi defeated Birchwood Christian 25-22 to stay alive in the consolation bracket. Lumen will face Ninilchik today at 2:30 p.m. The winner of that game advances to Saturday’s second-place contest, which decides who goes to state and whose season ends.

In a defensive lockdown, Lumen managed to get 10 points from Julianne Estes. Birchwood held Lumen scoreless in the second quarter to take a 10-9 halftime lead, but the Archangels won the third quarter to lead 18-15 heading into the fourth, where they held on.

Thursday boys

Eagles 51, Bears 26

Kodiak ESS 1 7 9 9 —26

Cook Inlet 14 21 9 7 —51

KODIAK ESS (26) — Lind-Charliaga 0, Lind-Charliaga 0, Bircher 6, Amodo 2, Kalmakoff 3, Bogardus 15.

CIA (51) — Moos 2, Boyd 7, Johnson 0, Cragg 0, Beard 4, Leaf 5, Walsh 0, Anderson 0, Van DeGriff 7, Peterson 0, Zeigler 14, Boyd 12.

3-point FG — Kodiak ESS 2 (Kalmakoff 1, Bogardus 1); CIA 2 (Boyd 1, Leaf 1).

Team fouls — Kodiak ESS 8; CIA 14. Fouled out — none.

Warriors 66, Eagles 55

Nanwalek 7 17 12 19 — 55

Nikolaevsk 29 8 19 10 — 66

NANWALEK (55) — Botero 14, Tanape 2, Wilson 3, Bales 5, Joseph 4, C. Moonin 0, Huntsman 25, Evans 2, Kvasnikof 0. Totals — 23 9-20 55.

NIKOLAEVSK (66) — Brown 0, K. Nikitenko 8, J. Trail 20, Kalugin 15, D. Nikitenko 0, Mumey 4, M. Trail 19. Totals — 30 2-4 66.

3-point goals — Nikolaevsk 4 (K. Nikitenko 2, Kalugin, Mumey). Team fouls — Nanwalek 8, Nikolaevsk 16. Fouled out — none.

Wolverines 52, Archangels 45

Ninilchik 20 9 6 17 — 52

Lumen 5 14 14 12 — 45

NINILCHIK (52) — Nelson 7, Hadro 9, Koch 16, Clark 17, Lemons 0, Moto 1, Mumey 2. Totals — 19 12-16 52.

LUMEN CHRISTI (45) — Gregory 21, Cruz 0, D. Bennett 8, Nagel 0, T. Bennett 4, Howard 12. Totals — 15 11-22 45.

3-point goals — Ninilchik 2 (Nelson, Hadro); Lumen Christi 4 (Gregory 3, T. Bennett). Team fouls — Ninilchik 16, Lumen 14. Fouled out — Hadro, Howard.

Thursday girls

Warriors 45, Wolverines 32

Ninilchik 9 5 9 9 — 32

Nikolaevsk 7 15 9 14 — 45

NINILCHIK (32) — Re. Okonek 5, A. Calabrese 0, Robuck 5, Corey 1, Koch 12, Cooper 7, S. Calabrese 0, Denboer 0, Ofstad 0, Ra. Okonek 0. Totals — 13 6-11 32.

NIKOLAEVSK (45) — Klaich 7, Z. Fefelov 2, Lasiter 0, Yakunin 9, Kalugin 0, J. Fefelov 10, E. Fefelov 17. Totals — 14 15-23 45.

3-point goals — Ninilchik 2 (Robuck, Cooper); Nikolaevsk 2 (Klaich, M. Yakunin). Team fouls — Ninilchik 21, Nikolaevsk 13. Fouled out — none.