Sixteen of Alaska’s top girls basketball teams, representing 4A, 3A and 2A basketball, opened competition in the four-day Dimond Lady Lynx Prep Shootout at Dimond High School on Wednesday with eight games played on two courts.
The Soldotna Stars (14-1), representing the Kenai Peninsula at the Lady Lynx Shootout, fell to the Cook Inlet Conference Chugiak Mustangs 51 -36 in first round play.
Chugiak 51 – SoHi 36
The Mustangs opened with a 7-0 run in the first 2:30 and held a 12-6 advantage after one quarter. The Stars played even with the Mustangs in the second quarter and trailed by five 27-22 at the half. The third quarter belonged to Chugiak as the Mustangs outscored SoHi 21-2 until a six-point finish for the Stars in the final :30 seconds: third quarter score Chugiak 48, SoHi 32. Both teams struggled to score in the fourth quarter and Chugiak posted a 51-36 victory. Morgan Bouschor scored 14 and Itu Tuisaula added 11 points.
The Stars will continue tournament play in the Maroon Bracket (Chugiak moves to Gold Bracket) and will be grouped with the other first round losers. The Stars face Pt. Hope (Tikigaq).
The SoHi vs Pt. Hope is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Thursday night in the Dimond auxillary gym.
Follow the Stars on ESPN 1140AM and streaming free at www.radiokenai.com
The tournament field includes the top five teams in the Alaska Basketball Coaches Association 4A Power Rankings: Lathrop, Colony, Juneau, Bartlett, West Valley; and the top 3A team Anchorage Christian School. All recorded victories in the first round.
First Round Results
ACS 64 – South 22
West Valley 50 – Ketchikan 42
Lathrop 69 – Kodiak 26
Bartlett 54 – Palmer 43
Juneau 57 – Wasilla 52
Colony 69 – Pt Hope 14
Dimond 59 – Thunder Mountain 62 OT