Tobin Karlberg
Although he’s a bona fide long-range bomber, Anchorage’s Tobin Karlberg is more than solely a shooter.
The UAA junior guard showcased his all-around arsenal against 19th-ranked Hawaii Hilo to help the streaking Seawolves soar in a 100-97 OT win at the Alaska Airlines Center.
Karlberg played a season-high 40 minutes and finished with 19 points to go with a season-high eight rebounds and a season-high seven assists as UAA won its fourth straight game.
He was 8-for-17 from the field, including 1-of-5 from downtown to extend his personal 3-point streak to 22 games dating to 2020.
This was a different result than when these teams met two weeks ago and it was a different Karlberg. He made twice as many field goals and dished six more assists in UAA’s 75-72 loss to Hilo on the Big Island.
He assisted or scored on 10 points during a pivotal 13-4 run in the fourth quarter that gave the Seawolves a 74-71 lead with 4:28 to play.
Karlberg, of Grace Christian High fame, upped his season scoring averaging to a career-high 17 points per game and has bagged between 19 and 21 points in four of seven games this year.
He remains a consistent scorer because of his versatility. Take Sunday’s game against Hilo for example; he bagged a dozen points before he made a 3-pointer. He scored on jumpers in the paint, layups and free throws.
Photo by Skip Hickey
No longer does the former Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year have to lean on his long-range game to be effective.
As an underclassman, the 3-point shot defined his game as 52% of his shot attempts came from beyond the ac. That ratio has fallen to 46% this season.
Karlberg’s versatility comes in handy because his accuracy from long range has dipped from last season, when he fired at a freakishly good .509 clip from deep – the third-highest 3-point shooting percentage in UAA history. This season’s .298 clip looks almost feeble by comparison, but it hasn’t affected his game as his scoring average has actually increased 4.1 points from his sophomore season (12.9).
That’s because Karlberg has evolved into a more complete player, finding creative ways to score and contribute as he fine-tunes in his 3-point precision. He’s averaging career highs in rebounds (4.9), assists (2.6) and steals (1.3). Plus, he’s shooting a career-best .833 from the foul line.
The Seawolves are 3-1 when Karlberg nets 19 points or more this season.