The Anchorage Christian girls basketball team marched into the Class 3A championship game for the third straight year and the fifth time in seven years Friday at the Alaska Airlines Center.
ACS got points from eight players, rebounds from eight players and steals from seven players to roll past Kenai Central 51-30 in a semifinal game at the state tournament.
Next up for the undefeated Lions is Nikiski and Bethany Carstens, the Class 3A player of the year, who rallied past Barrow 62-54 in Friday’s other semifinal.
[ACS girls launch 80 shots to stroll into Class 3A semifinals]
ACS will be chasing its third straight state title when the championship game tips off Saturday at 1 p.m.
Jordan Todd piled up 20 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks for ACS, which pressured Kenai into 27 turnovers. Todd hit nine of 12 shots from the field and was joined in double figures by Mary Kate Parks, who added 11 points and four steals for the Lions.
Kenai, which trailed 27-13 at the half, got a boost from Brooke Satathite’s nine points and 11 rebounds.
Cartsens fueled Nikiski’s win with 24 points, 13 rebounds and four steals. She was 8 of 19 from the floor and sank all six of her free throws. American Jeffreys furnished 11 points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs, who dominated the boards 40-29.
Barrow led 45-40 after three quarters but Nikiski caught fire in the fourth quarter to outscore the Whalers 22-9.
Jordan Ahgeak’s 16 points and Katelyn Kaleak’s 10 points topped Barrow.
Earlier Friday, Galena and Mt. Edgecumbe stayed alive with consolation-round victories.
Galena edged Valdez 47-42 behind 18 points from Pearle Green and 11 points and six rebounds from Olga Beans. Valdez got 12 points from Ashley Ramoth and 10 points and seven rebounds from Ally Seiber.
Mt. Edgecumbe breezed past Kotzebue 62-43, getting points from 10 players to withstand a 27-point performance by Kotzebue’s Alanna Conwell, who drained five 3-pointers. Leading Mt. Edgecumbe’s balanced attack were Sanora Bell (11 points, 4 rebounds) and Autumn Beans (10 points, 5 rebounds).
ASAA March Madness
Friday’s results
Mt. Edgecumbe 62, Kotzebue 43 (consolation)
Galena 47, Valdez 42 (consolation)
ACS 51, Kenai Central 30 (semifinal)
Nikiski 62, Barrow 54 (semifinal)
Saturday’s games
9:30 a.m. — Mt. Edgecumbe vs. Galena, 4th place, Wells Fargo Sports Complex
10 a.m. — Kenai vs. Barrow, 3rd place, Alaska Airlines Center
1 p.m. — ACS vs. Nikiski, championship, Alaska Airlines Center