The Soldotna boys basketball team opened up play at the Palmer Elks Tournament on Thursday by topping Juneau-Douglas 48-45.
Soldotna trailed 21-20 at halftime, but was up 30-29 heading into the final period.
Caleb Spence paced the Stars with 16 points, going 9 of 10 from the line. Spence was particularly clutch in the fourth period, hitting all six of his tries from the charity stripe. Eli Sheridan added 13 points from the Stars, who once again won without big man Derek Evans.
The tournament is a round robin. Soldotna plays Palmer today at 6 p.m. and Houston on Saturday at 1 p.m.
West boys 65, Kenai 51
The Eagles turned it on in the second half Thursday to notch an opening-round win at the O’Brady’s Invitational at South High in Anchorage.
The game was tied at 27 at the half, but West won the third period 17-11 and the fourth period 21-13.
The Kardinals move to consolation play at the tournament at 3 p.m. today.
Ayuel Dak, on 8 of 9 shooting from the field, led South with 16 points, while Izaiha King added 11. For Kenai, Tristan Landry had 14 points and Josh Jackman added 13, while Luke Beiser pulled down 10 rebounds.
King Cove boys 62, CIA 34
The T-Jacks got going in the second quarter to notch a nonconference win over host Cook Inlet Academy on Thursday.
The game was tied at 13 after eight minutes, but King Cove won the second quarter 18-5.
Noah Leaf paced the Eagles with 15 points.
Ninilchik girls 23, Lumen Christi 21
The host Archangels stuck right with the defending Peninsula Conference champions Thursday.
Ninilchik outscored Lumen 11-5 in the fourth quarter to claim the victory, overcoming a 19-14 Archangels lead with just two minutes left.
DeeAnn White had 11 points and Olivia Delgado added 10 for Ninilchik, while Nyadeng Puoy had 10 for the Archangels.
Ninilchik boys 83, Lumen Christi 23
The visiting Wolverines dominated the Archangels in Peninsula Conference play on Thursday.
JD Mumey buried five 3-pointers en route to 21 points, while Tyler Presley and Dalton Geppert had 12 apiece and Garrett Koch added 10.
Sitka girls 51, Homer 12
The host Wolves cruised past the Mariners on Thursday in nonconference action.
Sitka boys 68, Homer 60
The host Wolves held off the Mariners for a Thursday nonconference victory.
Monroe girls 50, Seward 19
The Monroe Catholic girls team scored a big victory over Seward in nonconference play Thursday in the opening round of the Delta Tournament.
Monroe boys 51, Seward 39
The Monroe Catholic boys opened the Delta Tournament by notching a nonconference victory over Seward.
Thursday boys
Eagles 65, Kardinals 51
West 14 13 17 21 — 65
Kenai 18 9 11 13 — 51
WEST (65) — Jackson 4 0-0 9, Pilcher 1 0-0 3, McMorris 2 0-0 5, Tonio 1 0-0 2, King 3 4-4 11, Deng 0 0-0 0, Barranco 3 0-0 9, Mong 0 0-0 0, Dak 8 0-0 16, Christy 4 0-0 8, Sotoa 1 0-0 2. Totals — 27 4-4 65.
KENAI CENTRAL (51) — Daniels 1 1-2 3, Beeson 3 0-1 7, Hieber 2 0-1 5, Beiser 4 1-2 9, Landry 4 4-4 14, Jackman 4 3-4 13. Totals — 18 9-14 51. Totals — 18 9-14 51.
3-point goals — West 7 (Barranco 3, Jackson, Pilcher, McMorris, King); Kenai 6 (Landry 2, Jackman 2, Daniels, Beiser). Team fouls — West 16, Kenai 7. Fouled out — none.
Stars 48, Crimson Bears 45
Juneau 6 15 8 16 — 45
Soldotna 9 11 10 18 — 48
JUNEAU-DOUGLAS (45) — Bradley 3 0-0 6, Hoover 1 0-2 2, Watts 4 0-1 8, Hamrick 1 0-0 2, Beelitz 1 0-0 2, Swofford 3 3-4 10, Kelly 6 0-0 13, Mattinger 1 0-0 2, Lozada 0 0-0 0. Totals — 20 3-7 45.
SOLDOTNA (48) — Trammell 3 0-0 6, Spence 3 9-10 16, Sheridan 4 2-5 13, Crowder 1 0-0 2, Tuisaula 1 1-2 3, McElroy 0 0-0 0, Michael 1 0-0 2, Marcuson 2 0-0 6. Totals — 15 12-17 48.
3-point goals — Juneau 2 (Swofford, Kelly); Soldotna 6 (Sheridan 3, Marcuson 2, Spence). Team fouls — Juneau 14, Soldotna 13. Fouled out — none.
T-Jacks 62, Eagles 34
King Cove 13 18 15 16 — 62
CIA 13 5 9 7 — 34
KING COVE (62) — Severian 5 0-0 10, Duartr 9 2-2 20, Samuelson 6 0-0 17, Babcock 0 0-0 0 Mack-Neff 2 1-2 5, Gould 3 0-0 8, Reeve 0 0-0 0, Larsen 1 0-0 2. Totals — 26 3-4 62.
COOK INLET ACADEMY (34) — N. Leaf 7 1-4 15, Hammond 3 2-4 8, Moos 3 1-2 7, J. Leaf 1 1-2 3, Peterson 0 0-0 0, Grossl 0 0-0 0, Walsh 0 0-0 0, Cragg 0 0-0 0. Totals — 14 5-12 34.
3-point goals — King Cove 7 (Samuelson 5, Gould 2). Team fouls — King Cove 14, CIA 6. Fouled out — Severian.
Wolverines 83, Archangels 23
Ninilchik 31 20 14 20 — 83
Lumen 6 7 6 4 — 23
NINILCHIK (83) — Presley 4 2-4 12, Koch 4 2-2 10, Geppert 5 1-2 12, Clark 2 0-0 4, Bartolowits 0 0-0 0, Mumey 8 0-0 21, Adams 1 0-1 2, McGinnis 0 0-0 0, White 10 3-5 24. Totals — 34 8-14 83.
LUMEN CHRISTI (23) — Meraell 1 1-2 3, Tran 0 0-0 0, Kretchik 0 0-0 0, Fortune 2 3-4 7, Helgesen 0 0-0 0, Nagel 0 1-2 1, Streff 1 1-2 3, Bernert 1 0-3 3, Novcaski 0 0-0 0, Loeffler 1 0-0 2, Lebechi 2 0-0 4. Totals — 8 6-13 23.
3-point goals — Ninilchik 9 (Mumey 5, Presley 2, Geppert, White); Lumen 1 (Bernert). Team fouls — Ninilchik 12, Lumen 10. Fouled out — none.
