Anchorage teams assert themselves at Cougar Tip Off Classic

The high school basketball season tipped off Thursday, and Anchorage teams used the occasion to dominate the first round of the 39th annual Cougar Tip Off Tournament at Service High.

Service, Bartlett, East and Chugiak cruised past opponents from smaller schools. The four Cook Inlet Conference teams outscored their opponents 285-117.

Things should get more competitive on Friday, when the CIC teams square off in the semifinals and Seward, Homer, Point Hope and Redington drop into consolation-bracket play.

The host Service Cougars set the tone by defeating Redington 74-16 in the first of four boys games. Bartlett tripped Homer 64--39, East stifled Seward 77-25 and Chugiak routed Point Hope 70-37.

All of the CIC teams deployed balanced attacks, with no player scoring more than 18 points.

Elijah Cano of Service and Rashad King of Bartlett were the day’s leading scorers with 18 points apiece. Jackson Wall’s 15 points led Chugiak, and East got 12 points apiece from Brayden Maladonado and Hasani Zimmerman.

The four-team girls tournament begins Friday at Service, where there will be two girls games and four boys games. In an endowment game Thursday night, the Service girls topped Seward 34-26.

Service Cougar Tip Off Tournament

Thursday’s results

Boys

Service 74, Redington 16

Bartlett 64, Homer 39

East 77, Seward 25

Chugiak 70, Point Hope 37

Girls

Service 34, Seward 26 (endowment game)

Friday’s games

Boys

1:15 p.m. – Redington vs. Homer

3 p.m. – Seward vs. Point Hope

6:15 p.m. – East vs. Chugiak

7:45 p.m. – Service vs. Bartlett

Girls

11:45 a.m. -- Service vs. Homer

4:45 p.m. – Seward vs. Redington