Both the Nikiski girls and boys started the 26th Annual Nikiski Tip Off Tournament with victories Thursday.
The Nikiski girls opened with a 56-28 victory over Dillingham. The Bulldogs were in control from the beginning, grabbing a 13-3 advantage after the first period.
Rachel Thompson had 13 points for the Bulldogs, while Avery Kornstad pitched in 11. A total of nine players scored for Nikiski.
For Dillingham, Sydney Dray led the way with 13 points.
The Nikiski boys topped Dillingham 63-55.
The Bulldogs led 17-11 after one quarter and 34-27 at the half. By the end of the third quarter, the lead was 55-43.
Nathan Carstens poured in 20 points for Nikiski, while Luke Johnson added 16 points.
For Dillingham, Kenneth Savo had 18 points and Caden Smeaton added 15.
In the other girls game, Houston defeated Kotzebue 51-25. The Hawks jumped out to a 32-14 halftime lead in the contest.
Kimberly Quincy and Aspen Ruth each had 12 points for Houston, while Paeton Schaeffer paced Kotzebue with 25 points.
In the other boys game, Kotzebue defeated Houston 64-24, taking a 26-4 lead after the first quarter.
Bish Gallahorn had 18 points for the Huskies, while Evan Reich had 17 points and Braedyn Schaeffer added 16 points.
For the Hawks, Ben Bitler led the way with seven points.
Action continues at the round-robin tournament today and Saturday.
Today, the Dillingham girls face Houston at 2:45 p.m., the Dillingham boys face Houston at 4:15 p.m., the Kotzebue girls face Nikiski at 5:45 p.m., and the Kotzebue boys face Nikiski at 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, it’s the Kotzebue girls and Dillingham at noon, the Kotzebue boys and Dillingham at 1:30 p.m., the Houston girls and Nikiski at 3 p.m., and the Houston boys and Nikiski at 4:30 p.m.
Ninilchik boys 69,
Wasilla Lake 58
The host Wolverines grabbed a 23-9 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in recording a Peninsula Conference victory Thursday.
Big man Austin White helped get the Wolverines off to the great start with 10 points in the first quarter. He would score 20 before fouling out.
Sam Mireles had 19 for the Wolverines, while Dalton Geppert had 17 and Tyler Presley added 13.
For Wasilla Lake, Braden Thorn had 19 points, Brody Neufeld had 13 and John Stiner added 12.
Thursday girls
Wolves 28
Dillingham 3 11 7 7 —28
Nikiski 13 19 16 8 —56
DILLINGHAM (28) — S. Dray 5 2-4 13, B. Dray 0 0-0 0, M. Dray 0 0-1 0, Mowrer 1 1-2 3, McArthur 2 0-0 6, Evalt 0 0-0 0, George 0 0-0 0, Schroeder 2 0-0 6. Totals — 10 3-7 28.
NIKISKI (56) — Parrish 2 1-2 5, Perry 1 0-2 2, Riddall 3 1-2 7, Vollertson 2 0-0 4, Pitt 2 0-2 4, Litke 1 3-4 5, Kornstad 4 1-1 11, Thompson 6 0-0 13, Jackson 0 0-0 0, Litzen 2 1-2 5. Totals — 23 7-15 56.
3-point goals — Dillingham 5 (Schroeder 2, McArthur 2, S. Dray); Nikiski 3 (Kornstad 2, Thompson). Team fouls — Dillingham 11, Nikiski 10. Fouled out — none.
Thursday boys
Wolverines 69, Rams 58
Wasilla Lake 9 16 11 22 —58
Ninilchik 23 13 14 19 —69
WASILLA LAKE (58) — J. Stiner 5 2-5 12, B. Stiner 0 2-2 2, Willson 1 2-2 4, Balos 4 0-0 8, Thorn 6 4-4 19, Neufeld 6 1-2 13. Totals — 22 11-15 58.
NINILCHIK (69) — Koch 0 0-0 0, Appelhanz 0 0-0 0, Presley 4 4-5 13, Mireles 7 5-8 19, Geppert 7 0-0 17, Bartolowits 0 0-0 0, White 10 0-1 20. Totals — 28 9-14 69.
3-point goals — Wasilla Lake 3 (Thorn 3); Ninilchik 4(Presley, Geppert 3). Team fouls — Wasilla Lake 14, Ninilchik 14. Fouled out — White.
Bulldogs 63, Wolverines 55
Dillingham 11 16 16 12 —55
Nikiski 17 17 21 8 —63
DILLINGHAM (55) — Schlagel 2 1-1 5, Tennyson 0 0-0 0, George 1 0-0 2, Bouker 3 1-2 7, Savo 6 2-2 18, Smeaton 4 4-4 15, Bartman 3 0-1 8, Nay 0 0-2 0. Totals — 19 8-12 55.
NIKISKI (63) — Anderson 3 0-0 7, Johnson 7 1-3 16, Holloway 1 1-2 3, Malston 0 0-0 0, Tauriainen 3 0-2 6, Carstens 8 0-0 20, Jackson 2 0-3 5, Pamplin 2 0-2 4, Carstens 1 0-1 2. Totals — 27 2-13 63.
3-point goals — Dillingham 9 (Savo 4, Smeaton 3, Bartman 2); Nikiski 7 (Carstens 4, Anderson, Johnson, Jackson). Team fouls — Dillingham 16, Nikiski 14. Fouled out — Smeaton.
