Another surprise in CIC basketball as West Eagles squeak past Dimond boys

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West High defenders Julius Adlawan, left, and Jaden Pedigo put the pressure on Dimond's Zach Jenkins during the Eagles' 57-54 victory over the Lynx during the Cook Inlet Conference basketball tournament at West High School on Thursday, March 18, 2021. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Chalk up another upset at the Cook Inlet Conference basketball tournament.

The sixth-seeded West Eagles rallied past the No. 3 Dimond Lynx 57-54 in the quarterfinal round Thursday at West High.

It was the second big surprise on the boys side of the tournament -- in Tuesday’s first round, Eagle River beat Service for its first victory of the season.

Eagle River, the No. 8 seed in the eight-team tournament, couldn’t keep the streak going. Fourth-seeded South ended the Wolves’ season Thursday by taking a 58-43 win in the other boys quarterfinal game.

In girls quarterfinal games, the fourth-seeded East Thunderbirds took down No. 5 Chugiak 58-46, and the No. 3 West Eagles clipped No. 6 South 52-41.

The tournament continues Friday with semifinal games. Winners advance to the championship games on Saturday and to next week’s Class 4A state basketball tournament in the Valley.

Boys games

West 57, Dimond 54

Traivor Jackson got hot in the fourth quarter to ignite West’s come-from-behind win.

The Eagles trailed by seven points after three quarters but outscored Dimond 22-13 in the final eight minutes. Jackson tossed in 11 points in the quarter and finished with 20, and teammates Jullian Pedigo and Willie Zamora chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

It was the second narrow victory for the Eagles -- on Tuesday, they slipped past Bartlett 55-52.

Dimond, which received a first-round bye, was led by Zavier Hajdukovich’s 17 points and McGuire Hamey’s 11.

South 49, Eagle River 33

The Wolverines raced to a big lead in the first half to subdue Eagle River, which was coming off its first win of the season.

Aidan Ohlson dropped in 10 points to leadSouth to a 32-19 halftime lead. Reece Ivanoff led the Wolverines with 20 points, Ohlson finished with 13 and Loke Iese had 11.

Eagle River, which advanced to Thursday’s round by surprising Service 58-43 in Tuesday’s opening round, got seven points apiece from Silas McCrum and Jack Lerch.

Girls games

East 58, Chugiak 46

The Thunderbirds pulled away by hitting their free throws in the fourth quarter. They led by three points after three quarters, but built a gap by outscoring the Mustangs 22-13 in the fourth quarter.

Fourth-seeded East made 9 of 12 free throws in the final quarter, an effort led by Kristi Anderson’s 5-of-6 performance at the foul line. Anderson finished with 19 points and teammates Natalie Martin and Athaliah Faiilagi each scored 11 for the T-birds.

Ariana Lewis pumped in 23 points to power fifth-seeded Chugiak.

West 52, South 41

Alaina SueSue and Aulona Liena teamed up for 14 points in the first quarter to propel West, which rolled to an early 19-5 lead.

SueSue finished with 11 points and Liena and Juliette Adlawan added 10 apiece for No. 3 West.

Olivia Heartwell’s nine points topped the Wolverines.

Friday’s semifinals at West High

Boys

3:30 p.m. -- East vs. South

7:30 p.m. -- Chugiak vs. West

Girls

1:30 p.m. -- Bartlett vs. East

5:30 p.m. -- Dimond vs. West