Anchorage Daily News

ANCHORAGE -- Last season, Wasilla girls basketball coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax earned state coach of the year honors for leading the Warriors to their first state title since 1982.

She might be more deserving this season.

Wasilla's starting five included two freshmen and a sophomore. Just one senior, point guard Shelby Fulton, was on the roster.

Yet despite the inexperience, Wasilla was back in familiar territory come late March -- playing on the hardwood under the big lights at Sullivan Arena.

Wasilla closed out its season Saturday morning, downing Valley rival Palmer 50-41 to claim third place.

Junior guard Jenna Johnson was the catalyst, scoring 10 of her game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter.

Wasilla led 32-27 entering the fourth. After a Palmer free throw, Johnson scored six straight points, giving Wasilla a 10-point edge it never relinquished.

Johnson, who also added 10 rebounds and three steals, was Wasilla's key player all season.

But the progression of Wasilla's young players -- freshmen Celeste Colegrove and Kelsey Cottle, and sophomores Skyler Nuss and Carlee Naczi -- is what got the Warriors back to state.

Both Hebert-Truax and her players said the difference in play from the beginning of the season is huge.

"People didn't expect us to be here," said Nuss, a starter who at the beginning of the season wasn't even sure if she'd make the varsity squad. "I didn't expect us to be here. But we're a great team. We might be young, but we can definitely play the game of basketball. We'll definitely be back next year."

Both Wasilla and Palmer entered the game after tough losses in the semifinals. Wasilla fell 45-35 to a senior-laden Chugiak team. Palmer couldn't overcome a 10-minute scoring drought in the first half and succumbed to Colony 44-41.

After the Chugiak loss, Johnson said the team played as if it had nothing to lose.

"Everyone except ourselves didn't think we'd get this far, so it's an accomplishment just to be here at state," she said.

Palmer had higher expectations. The Moose placed third last season and returned six seniors. Against Colony on Friday, Palmer shot 18 percent in the first half and fell behind by 17 points early in the third quarter.

Palmer scratched back and had a chance to tie it. Trailing by two, Palmer's Ashley Swetzof stole the ball from Colony's Kara Larson with about 45 seconds left, but Swetzof put up an awkward shot that was well off. The Moose had another chance but turned the ball over.

"We wanted to make it to the state championship game," junior guard Mikaela Bolling said on Saturday. "That was our goal. We came up short and we couldn't pull it out. Our chemistry wasn't there."

Swetzof led Palmer on Saturday with 11 points.

Rebounds proved to be a key factor. Wasilla out rebounded Palmer 42-27 and held a 20-7 margin in offensive rebounds.

Nuss said she was incredibly nervous in her first game as a starter this season. She didn't begin to believe this team could go far until Northern Lights Conference play began. The Warriors extended a seven-year winning streak against conference foes to 100 games before losing to Colony on the last day of the regular season.

"This team has improved a lot," Nuss said. "We've gained a lot of confidence from playing at state. I think next year we'll come back stronger."

Find reporter Ron Wilmot online at adn.com/contact/rwilmot or call 352-6712.

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