Dimond’s all-state guard Maile Wilcox drives to the hole as West’s Wednesday Bithow defends. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The fourth-ranked Dimond girls basketball team turned to its bread and butter at crunch time Friday night.
Reigning Cook Inlet Conference Player of the Year Maile Wilcox and Evan Hamey combined for 22 of the team’s 33 points in the second half as the Lynx came from behind to beat West in the semifinals of the CIC Tournament at West High School.
Wilcox and Hamey each had 11 points in the final 16 minutes as Dimond advanced to Saturday’s championship game.
Wilcox, a senior guard who will play collegiately at Adams State, pumped in four 3-pointers and scored 23 points.
With her team trailing 39-35 late in the third quarter, she drilled a 3 to get the comeback started.
Hamey buried a corner 3 right in front of her bench with 1 second left in the quarter to give Dimond the lead for good at 43-41.
CIC Tournament
At West High School
Saturday
3:00pm Third Place
Bartlett (15-10) vs. West (10-14)
6:00pm Title Game
#4 Dimond (22-5) vs. Service (17-9)
Hamey also had the first two points of the fourth quarter as all her scoring came in the second half.
The Lynx also got a lift from Sienna Pederson, who had eight points and stood tall on defense.
West came out firing and knocked down five 3s in the first quarters to construct a 32-24 lead.
Aniah Harris sank three triples and finished the first half with 12 points. Re’Zhanai Wyche and Ariel Misa also made 3s. Wyche’s runner of glass gave West a 37-35 and moments later Misa drilled a turnaround jumper to extend the lead to 39-35.
Freshman Wednesday Bithow led the Eagles with 13 points. Her and-1 late in the fourth quarter pulled her team within 51-44.
WEST (48) – Sereyko 0, Wyche 7, Witwer 2, Bithow 13, Queen 2, Harris 12, Lealaisalanoa 0, Misa 9, Timberlake 3, Taualii 0.
DIMOND (56) – Ridgeway 6, Rodriguez 4, Hamey 11, Wilcox 23, Maisey 0, K.MacDonald 2, Pederson 8, Goldsberry 2.
West 18 14 9 7 – 48
Dimond 9 15 19 13 – 56
Service’s Patri Ferran deflects the ball away from Bartlett’s Yatzary Encarnacion (11) and Jamariea Jackson (1). Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Service 56, Bartlett 37
In a game dominated by fouls and free throws, the Cougars outscored the Golden Bears 20-5 at the line en route to pulling away for the 56-37 semifinal victory.
Service was 20-of-30 from the line while the Bears were 5-of-16.
Freshman Aryanna Watson hit 11-of-14 free throws and finished with 21 points. Leia Silva added nine points and Karlierose Lealaisalanoa scored eight as the Cougars ran their winning streak to nine games.
Rhianna Kochutin chipped in seven points and provided bookend buckets on a 13-4 run over the third and fourth quarters that helped the Cougars seal the deal. Kochutin started the rally with a 3-pointer and capped it with another jump shot.
Bartlett’s Maryann Maugaotega looks to shoot in the post while being guarded by Service’s Rihkayalani Vanilau. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Yatzary Encarnacion led the Bears with 10 points. Most of her damage came on second-chance opportunities as she converted an offensive rebound putback to give Bartlett a 21-18 lead in the second quarter and did it again in the third quarter to get her team within 25-24.
The first half featured six lead changes and Bartlett’s Maryann Maugaotega scored in the post to tie the game 26-26 in the third quarter.
Watson’s jumper, layup and two free throws in short succession pushed Service’s lead to 42-32.
SERVICE (56) – Wells 0, Ferran 5, Kochutin 7, Lealaisalanoa 8, Watson 21, Vanilau 3, Silva 9, Leniu 3.
BARTLETT (37) – Jackson 2, Avi.Stoute 6, Oliver 7, Bernard-Alli 0, Ava.Stoute 5, Encarnacion 10, Haliburton 0, S.Maugaotega 0, M.Maugaotega 7, Meno 0.
Service 12 11 13 20 – 56
Bartlett 6 15 11 5 – 37