Barrow’s Kiara Burnell races down the court. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Barrow girls basketball team was hitting on all cylinders Wednesday, zooming all over the court and steamrolling Sitka 74-48 in the Class 3A state tournament quarterfinals.
The top-seeded Whalers assisted on one-third of the team’s field goals, drilled seven 3-pointers and went 11-for-14 at the free-throw line.
They also put up 58 points through three quarters – more than some teams average for an entire game. The run-and-fun Whalers dominated the play in transition behind guard Kiara Burnell.
ASAA/First National Bank Alaska
Class 3A Girls State Tournament
At Alaska Airlines
Wednesday
Quarterfinals
Barrow 74, Sitka 48
Monroe Catholic 56, Bethel 25
Mt. Edgecumbe 75, Homer 39
Grace Christian vs. Valdez
Thursday
Consolation
10:30am Sitka (17-8) vs. Homer (18-10)
10:30am Bethel (14-12) vs. Valdez (19-9)
Semifinals
3:15pm Monroe Catholic (23-4) vs. Grace Christian (24-3)
4:45pm Barrow (22-3) vs. Mt. Edgecumbe (22-3)
Burnell scored 19 points, thanks to her ability to get up and down the court. She made 7-of-11 shots inside the paint. For example, in the third quarter she had three consecutive fastbreak buckets in quick succession as Barrow’s lead ballooned to 48-26.
Burnell added four assists and collected eight of her team’s 17 steals.
Aiga Unutoa pumped in 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including her only 3-point attempt for the Whalers (22-3), who extended their winning streak to nine games.
Barrow’s Kylan Burnell added 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. She drilled one trey from beyond college range in the fourth quarter to pump the lead to 61-35.
Barrow’s Zadah Unutoa wrestles the ball away from Sitka’s Naia Nelson. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Sitka ran into a buzzsaw, yet the Wolves kept clawing to stay in the game. They outscored Barrow 20-11 at the foul line and were led by Adriana Denkinger’s 15 points and Naia Nelson’s 12 points.
Denkinger hit 9-of-14 free throws and Nelson grabbed nine rebounds and added four steals.
SITKA (48) – Nelson 12, Mayville 2, Denkinger 15, Mullin 0, Radziukinas 0, Dill 0, Clifton 3, Blankenship 3, Dill 10, Brady 3.
BARROW (74) – Ky.Burnell 10, A.Unutoa 16, Ki.Burnell 19, F.Unutoa 1, McFadden 7, Sundai 0, Mila 2, Z.Unutoa 1, Wolgemuth 8, A.Unutoa 2, Tuilautala 6, Brower 2.
Sitka 12 14 9 13 – 48
Barrow 21 19 18 16 – 75
Sitka’s Allyson Mayville on the break. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Monroe Catholic 56, Bethel 25
Leila Church was the game’s only double-figure scorer with 11 as she helped Monroe Catholic extend its double-digit winning streak after beating Bethel 56-25.
Monroe has won 13 in a row, improving to 23-4 and advancing to the final four.
Shannel Kovalsky added seven points, Leyton Cortez had six and Tatyana Snowden, Isabella Bond and Trinity Turel had five apiece.
The Rams seized a 28-6 lead at the break, thanks to 46% shooting. Monroe outscored Bethel 15-0 from 3-point land, getting long-range bombs from Bond, Leyton Cortez, Emersyn Cortez and Desiree Redfox.
Bethel’s Briella Herron posted game highs in points (13) and rebounds (9). She also went 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
BETHEL (25) – Herron 13, Boney 2, Lieb 3, Harpak 2, Boney 0, Jackson 0, Andrew 0, Leinberger 0, Simon 0, Alexie 5, Lonewolf 0, Fredericks 0.
MONROE (56) – Rhodes 2, Snowden 5, Bond 5, Kovalsky 7, Crumm 4, L.Cortez 6, E.Cortez 3, Weekley 0, Wilkerson 4, Church 11, Turiel 5, Redfox 4.
Monroe 14 14 17 11 – 56
Bethel 4 2 8 11 – 25
Mt. Edgecumbe’s Carliese O’Brien finishes in a crowd. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Mt. Edgecumbe 75, Homer 39
Carliese O’Brien and Tessa Anderson combined to outscore Homer by themselves as Mt. Edgecumbe rolled to a 75-39 victory.
O’Brien pumped in 29 points and Anderson had 21 points, both taking advantage of second-chance opportunities. They teamed up to grab 11 of the team’s 22 offensive rebounds.
O’Brien made 12-of-23 field goals including a 3-pointer to go with seven rebounds, five on the offensive end. Anderson was good on 10-of-18 shots to go with three assists and seven boards, six on the offensive end.
Behind the 1-2 punch, Mt. Edgecumbe put up 29 points in the second quarter and 24 points in the third quarter in a nearly flawless offensive performance.
Mt. Edgecumbe (22-3) has won five in a row.
Homer got 11 points from Channing Lowney, 10 points from Sydney Shleby and eight rebounds from Minadora Reutov.
MT. EDGECUMBE (75) – Friske 0, Akaran 7, David 3, Kiunya 0, O’Brien 29, Cedars 2, Williams 11, Anderson 21, Otton 2, Aliralria 0.
HOMER (39) – Lowney 11, Techie 0, Huffman 0, Reutov 7, Shelby 10, Kuhn 2, Miotke 0, Stokes 0, Im 1, Niebuhr 6, Miotke 2.
Mt. Edgecumbe 18 29 24 4 – 75
Homer 9 12 10 8 – 39
Mt. Edgecumbe’s Carliese O’Brien had the hot hand Wednesday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Grace Christian 56, Valdez 19
Newly crowded Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year Sophie Lentfer furnished 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting to lead the Grizzlies to a 56-19 win over Valdez.
Grace Christian moved to 24-3 and stretched its winning streak to eight games.
The Grizzlies scored early and often, racing out to a 20-2 lead and never looking back.
Ella Boerger collected 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and five steals. She was 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
MJ Van der Horst added 10 points.
Destiny Day had 13 of her team’s 19 points with Rylee Wade netting the other half dozen.
VALDEZ (19) – Gilson 0, Pedersen 0, Day 13, Malcuit 0, Wade 6, M.Ramos 0, Fitka 0, Compehos 0, Kizer 0, S.Ramos 0, Cronk 0.
GRACE (56) – Helton 1, Evans-Grant 2, Wiggers-Pidduck 6, Jackson 2, Schild 2, Boerger 16, Van der Horst 10, Jones 0, Lentfer 17, Salima 0.
Grace Christian 20 13 19 5 – 56
Valdez 2 6 6 5 – 19