March Madness Alaska, the two-week basketball state championship celebration, released the brackets for all four divisions of Alaska high school basketball for the ASAA/First National Bank State Basketball Championships.
All levels of state championship basketball will be featured at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage; the 1A and 2A state tournaments opening play on Wednesday, March 15th with the Cook Inlet Academy Eagle girls and boys in 1A division and on Thursday, March 16th for the 2A division Ninilchik Wolverines.
1A Basketball State Championships
Boys Bracket: CIA
The Cook Inlet Academy boys, winners of the Peninsula Conference, earn the #2 seed into the 1A Boys tournament bracket. The Eagles own a 22-2 record and will open state tournament play against Emmonak in the 11:00 a.m. Wednesday game on March 15th. The #1 seed goes to Scammon Bay, perennial power from the Yukon/Delta Conference.
Girls Bracket: CIA
The Cook Inlet Academy girls, runner-up in the Peninsula Conference, are seeded in the second tier of teams and draw a first round pairing against St. Mary’s in the 1A tournaments first game at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15th. The #1 seed goes to the Lumen Christi Archangel girls, champions of the Peninsula Conference tournament and 2022 state runner-up. The Eagles only 1A losses have come against Lumen Christi, which returns nearly all of its roster from 2022.
2A Basketball State Championships
Boys Bracket: Ninilchik
The Ninilchik Wolverine boys earn the #1 seed into the ASAA 2A State Basketball Championships which begin play on Thursday, March 16th at UAA. The Wolverines are the reigning 2022 2A state champions and are undefeated against 2A opponents on the regular season. Ninilchik draws a very strong Unalakleet team, third in 2022, in the first round. Metlakatla, runner-up in 2022, earns the #2 seed in the boys bracket.
The Ninilchik boys vs Unalakleet game is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Girls Bracket: No Peninsula School
The Tikigaq girls, 2022 champions, return to the 2A girls bracket as a #1 seed.
Coverage of the Cook Inlet and Ninilchik games will be provided at ESPN 1140AM, 96.9FM (and on KKIS 96.5FM, when games conflict) and streamed live and free at radiokenai.com
Basketball Notes:
The ASAA 3A State Basketball Championships featuring the Kenai Kardinals, girls and boys, opens play at the Alaska Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 22nd with the Kenai girls playing Monroe Catholic and the Kenai boys paired against Mt. Edgecumbe. More details next week.
