The Rewind: Dimond boys basketball team dominates at CIC regions and UAA hockey ends season on high note

Welcome to The Rewind, a weekly digest that puts a spotlight on the biggest stories and best performances from Alaska’s world of sports.

On the high school sports scene, the Dimond boys and West girls basketball teams claimed regional titles. On the college scene, the University of Alaska Anchorage hockey team had a strong finish to its inaugural season since full reinstatement. In NAHL action, the Anchorage Wolverines were swept at home.

Headlines and highlights

The Cook Inlet Conference basketball tournament took place in town this past week, and both of the No. 1 seeds in the boys and girls divisions proved they were deserving of the top spot by claiming titles.

[Dimond High boys basketball, West girls claim CIC tournament championships]

After narrowly escaping the semifinals with a win over host West, the Dimond boys blew out Bettye Davis East in the championship bout 60-39. It marked Dimond’s third time beating the Thunderbirds this season.

“It’s very tough to beat the same team three times, and we knew we had to come out very hard for this game,” CIC tournament MVP and Dimond senior Xzavier Baker said.

On the girls side, host West recovered from a slow start in the semifinal and pulled away from South. The Eagles were tested for all four quarters against rival Dimond in the title bout. West was able to avenge its only in-state loss of the season and claim back-to-back conference championships by edging out the Lynx 46-42.

In the Northern Lights Conference girls tournament, Anchorage Christian School star senior point guard Sayvia Sellers was sensational as she led the Lions to a fourth straight regional title and second consecutive since the program moved up to the 4A level.

The two-time reigning Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year honoree recorded 30-plus-point scoring performances in back-to-back games with 36 points in a 96-29 win over Soldotna in the semifinal on Friday and 33 points in an 86-49 win over Colony on Saturday for the regional crown.

On the college sports scene, the UAA hockey team capped off the program’s inaugural season since being fully reinstated. The Seawolves tied and earned a victory in a two-game series against Lindenwood University over the weekend.

Sophomore forward and Anchorage product Max Helgeson recorded a hat trick in the team’s 7-7 tie on Friday and then followed it up by scoring the third goal in Saturday’s overtime win against the team he began his college career with.

[UAA hockey’s Max Helgeson nets hat trick in shootout win over Lindenwood]

The University of Alaska Fairbanks nordic ski team had four All-American honorees and an individual national championship on the second day of the NCAA Skiing Championships last week at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York. Sophomore Joe Davies became just the third skier in program history to win a national title when he won the men’s 10K freestyle race with a time of 22:33.2, 25 seconds faster than the next closest finisher.

The Anchorage Wolverines were on their home ice for a second weekend in a row and looking to build off a sweep of Fairbanks the previous weekend but instead got swept themselves in a two-game series with the Minnesota Wilderness. They only managed to score four goals, each by different players while allowing a combined 10 on Friday and Saturday by five different players.

Alaska stars shining Outside

Eagle River’s Vanessa Aniteye ended her college career with quite the bang when the Seattle Pacific University senior claimed a national title in the women’s 800 meters to lead the GNAC on the final day of the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center this past Saturday. The former Chugiak prep standout and UAA transfer produced a blistering lifetime personal best time of 2 minutes, 6.84 seconds, which was two-tenths of a second ahead of Colorado State University at Pueblo’s Helen Braybook, who had the fastest time in the preliminaries.

[Running with purpose: Ex-UAA track star Vanessa Aniteye balances being an elite athlete, a student and a mother]

Anchorage’s Tobin Karlberg recorded a season-high 26 points to lead the Point Loma University Sea Lions to an 83-70 victory over Academy of Art University on Saturday night to earn an NCAA DII sweet 16 berth. The former Grace Christian prep star and UAA transfer went 11-of-15 from shooting that included knocking down 3-of-6 attempts from behind the arc and he led the team with four steals as well. In the team’s 78-64 win the night before over his old GNAC foe Northwest Nazarene University, he scored 14 points.

Despite getting bounced in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament earlier this month, Anchorage’s Alissa Pili and the University of Utah women’s basketball team earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. The team will open with a home matchup against Gardner-Webb University on Thursday and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Alaska’s Maxime Germain earned a bronze medal after finishing just 46.6 seconds behind gold medalist Campbell Wright of New Zealand at the 2023 Junior World Biathlon Championships in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan. The West High graduate also came in third in the junior men’s 10K sprint and fifth in the pursuit.

Last week’s results

Prep Basketball

Girls

Tuesday

Service 35, East 31

Bartlett 38, Eagle River 27

Wednesday

Tikigaq 78, Dillingham 13

Bartlett 38, Eagle River 27

Service 42, East 37

Thursday

Chugiak 34, Service 27

South 41, Bartlett 27

Colony 66, Kodiak 38

North Pole 41, West Valley 38

Seward 34, Kenai Central 28

Grace Christian 70, Homer 23

Monroe Catholic 65, Delta 28

Delta 52, Ben Eielson 9

Barrow 54, Kotzebue 31

Bethel 57, Nome-Beltz 44

Friday

Dimond 33, Chugiak 27

West 52, South 35

Metlakatla 48, Craig 19

Thunder Mountain 43, Juneau 35

Sitka 57, Mt Edgecumbe 54

Lathrop 47, North Pole 37

Kenai Central 44, Nikiski 30

Kenai Central 44, Homer 22

Grace Christian 68, Seward 32

Monroe Catholic 56, Galena 18

Valdez 52, Ben Eielson 6

Nome-Beltz 33, Kotzebue 30

Barrow 57, Bethel 39

Saturday

Kenai Central 46, Seward 27

Valdez 58, Delta 29

Anchorage Christian 86, Colony 49

Boys

Tuesday

South 58, Eagle River 45

Bartlett 62, Chugiak 35

Wednesday

Unalakleet 63 Unalaska 56

Ketchikan 52 Thunder Mountain 44

Thursday

West Valley 66, North Pole 34

Ninilchik 63, Nenana 20

Tikigaq 67, Dillingham 17

Kenai 48 Seward 42

Houston 76, Redington 41

Petersburg 32, Wrangell 31

Mt Edgecumbe 55, Sitka 42

West 61, South 60

Service 47, Bartlett 38

Metlakatla 76, Haines 45

Valdez 77, Ben Eielson 17

Friday

Seward 46, Homer 41

Tok 56, Su Valley 41

Ninilchik 60, Cordova 31

Dimond 58, West 56

East 45, South 44

Ketchikan 72, Juneau 64

Ketchikan 55, Thunder Mountain 50

Houston 91, Edge 90

Anchorage Christian School 69, Wasilla 65

Kotzebure 85, Bethel 79

Nome 61, Barrow 54

Valdez 73, Delta 51

Tikigaq 81, Unalakleet 79

Grace Christian 62, Kenai 37

West Valley 44, Monroe 36

Sitka 62, Redington 34

Saturday

Dimond 60, East 39

Juneau 70, Ketchikan 53

Colony 57, Anchorage Christian 45

West 54, Service 48

Wrangell 45, Petersburg 41

Hutchinson 39, Ben Eielson 36

Mt. Edgecumbe 59, Sitka 55

Kenai 59, Seward 29

Cordova 56, Tok 53

Delta 65, Hutchinson 52

Barrow 62, Kotzebue 55

Tok 51, Glennallen 37

Wasilla 69, Kodiak 38

College

Hockey

Friday

UAA 7, Lindenwood 7 (Tie)

Saturday

UAA 4, Lindenwood 3 (OT)

NAHL

Friday

Minnesota Wilderness 4, Anchorage Wolverines 2

Saturday

Minnesota Wilderness 6, Anchorage Wolverines 2

2023 Shamrock Shuffle Results

Women’s Race

1: Taylor Deal, Anchorage, AK 19:02, 2: Krista Inscho, Anchorage, AK 21:00, 3: Emily Schmieg, Anchorage, AK 21:25, 4: Eva Marley-Jester, Anchorage, AK 23:18, 5: Claire Mackin, Anchorage, AK 23:28

Men’s Race

1: Joshua Taylor, Wasilla, AK 17:57, 2: Pedro Ochoa, Homer, AK 18:39, 3: James Miller, Anchorage, AK 18:49, 4: Sebastian Reed, Anchorage, AK 19:17, 5: Gunner Bahn, Anchorage, AK 19:48

Non-Binary Race

1: Eli Michael, Anchorage, AK 28:17, 2: Ness Verigin, Anchorage, AK 34:41, 3: Mika Bell, Anchorage, AK 35:56, 4: Kcie Kolbeck, Anchorage, AK 36:52

Fast Forward

Prep

Basketball

2023 1A/2A ASAA State Championship Tournament

March Madness is in full swing in the Last Frontier as the prep hoops postseason rages this week with the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season for the lower level schools around the state. The top 1A and 2A boys and girls teams will converge in Anchorage at the Alaska Airlines Center to duke it out for supremacy and hopefully claim a state title for their respective programs.

The action begins on Wednesday and runs through Saturday with the championship bouts for 1A taking place at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. while the 2A title tilts tip off at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

1A/2A Alaska State Basketball Tournament

(All games at Alaska Airlines Center unless noted)

1A Girls

Wednesday

First round

Cook Inlet Academy vs. St. Mary’s, 8 a.m.

No. 1 Lumen Christi vs. Akiachak, 9:30 a.m.

Newhalen vs. Kake, 11 a.m.

No. 2 Shaktoolik vs. Akiuk (Kasigluk), 12:30 p.m.

No. 3 Tanalian (Port Alsworth) vs. Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass), 3:15 p.m.

Klawock vs. Aqqaluk (Kotzebue), 4:45 p.m.

Shishmaref vs. Walter Northway, 6:15 p.m.

No. 4 Buckland vs. Scammon Bay, 7:45 p.m.

Thursday

Consolation (at Alaska Airlines Center Auxiliary gym)

Loser Klawock/Aqqaluk (Kotzebue) vs. Loser Shaktoolik/Akiuk (Kasigluk), 8 a.m.

Loser Cook Inlet Academy/St. Mary’s vs. Loser Tanalian (Port Alsworth)/Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass), 9:30 a.m.

Loser Newhalen/Kake vs. Loser Buckland/Scammon Bay, 3:15 p.m.

Loser Lumen Christi/Akiachak vs. Loser Shishmaref/Walter Northway, 4:45 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Winner Klawock/Aqqaluk (Kotzebue) vs. Winner Shaktoolik/Akiuk (Kasigluk), 8 a.m.

Winner Cook Inlet Academy/St. Mary’s vs. Winner Tanalian (Port Alsworth)/Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass), 9:30 a.m.

Winner Newhalen/Kake vs. Winner Buckland/Scammon Bay, 3:15 p.m.

Winner Lumen Christi/Akiachak vs. Winner Shishmaref/Walter Northway, 4:45 p.m.

1A Boys

Wednesday

First round

Tri-Valley (Healy) vs. Buckland, 8 a.m.

Shaktoolik vs. Newhalen, 9:30 a.m.

No. 2 Cook Inlet Academy vs. Emmonak, 11 a.m.

No. 3 Kake vs. Lumen Christi, 12:30 p.m.

No. 4 Napaaqtugmiut (Noatak) vs. Shishmaref, 3:15 p.m.

No. 1 Scammon Bay vs. Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass), 4:45 p.m.

King Cove vs. Klawock, 6:15 p.m.

Nelson Island vs. Aniak, 7:45 p.m.

Thursday

Consolation (at Alaska Airlines Center Auxiliary gym)

Loser Scammon Bay/Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass) vs. Loser King Cove/Klawock, 11 a.m.

Loser Nelson Island/Aniak vs. Loser Napaaqtugmiut (Noatak)/Shishmaref, 12:30 p.m.

Loser Shaktoolik/Newhalen vs. Loser Kake/Lumen Christi, 6:15 p.m.

Loser Tri-Valley (Healy)/Buckland vs. Loser Cook Inlet Academy/Emmonak, 7:45 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Winner Scammon Bay/Nunamiut (Anaktuvuk Pass) vs. Winner King Cove/Klawock, 11 a.m.

Winner Nelson Island/Aniak vs. Winner Napaaqtugmiut (Noatak)/Shishmaref, 12:30 p.m.

Winner Shaktoolik/Newhalen vs. Winner Kake/Lumen Christi, 6:15 p.m.

Winner Tri-Valley (Healy)/Buckland vs. Winner Cook Inlet Academy/Emmonak, 7:45 p.m.

2A Girls

Thursday

Quarterfinals

No. 2 Metlakatla vs. No. 7 Unalakleet, 11 a.m.

No. 3 Su-Valley vs. No. 6 Chevak, 12:30 p.m.

No. 1 Tikigaq vs. No. 8 Craig, 6:15 p.m.

No. 4 Haines vs. No. 5 Glennallen, 7:45 p.m.

Friday

Consolation

Loser Metlakatla/Unalakleet vs. Loser Su-Valley/Chevak, 11 a.m.

Loser Tikigaq/Craig vs. Loser Haines/Glennallen, 12:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Winner Metlakatla/Unalakleet vs. Winner Su-Valley/Chevak, 3:15 p.m.

Winner Tikigaq/Craig vs. Winner Haines/Glennallen, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday

4th/6th Place, 8 a.m. at Seawolf Sports Center

3rd/5th Place, 11 a.m. at Seawolf Sports Center

Championship, 6:30 p.m.

2A Boys

Thursday

Quarterfinals

No. 2 Metlakatla vs. No. 7 Cordova, 8 a.m.

No. 1 Ninilchik vs. No. 8 Unalakleet, 9:30 a.m.

No. 4 Hooper Bay vs. No. 5 Petersburg, 3:15 p.m.

No. 3 Tikigaq vs. No. 6 Wrangell, 4:45 p.m.

Friday

Consolation

Loser Ninilchik/Unalakleet vs. Loser Hooper Bay/Petersburg, 8 a.m.

Loser Tikigaq/Wrangell vs. Loser Metlakatla/Cordova, 9:30 a.m.

Semifinals

Winner Tikigaq/Wrangell vs. Winner Metlakatla/Cordova, 6:15 p.m.

Winner Ninilchik/Unalakleet vs. Winner Hooper Bay/Petersburg, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday

4th/6th Place, 9:30 a.m. at Seawolf Sports Center

3rd/5th Place, 12:30 p.m. at Seawolf Sports Center

Championship, 8:30 p.m.