The power of threes was on display Friday night during the semifinal round of the Class 2A boys state basketball tournament at Palmer High.
The four teams combined for 40 3-pointers, including 14 by reigning state champion Tikigaq. A total of 113 attempts were made behind the 3-point arc.
The Harpooners beat Glennallen 76-47 to earn the chance to defend the title they won in 2019 (last year’s tournament was canceled because of COVID-19).
Tikigaq will face Tok in Saturday’s 7:45 p.m. game. The Wolverines advanced by rallying past Hooper Bay 61-54.
In the girls semifinals, Su Valley and Hooper Bay picked up victories to advance to Saturday’s 5:45 p.m. title game. Su Valley tripped Chevak 55-23 and Hooper Bay outlasted Glennallen 30-23.
Boys semifinals
Tikigaq 76, Glennallen 47 -- The Harpooners outscored Glennallen 42-21 from 3-point range, an effort spearheaded by Henry Kowunna’s six triples and Clyde Frankson’s five.
Kowunna finished with 28 points and 19 rebounds, Frankson had 19 points and Joelian Lane added 21 points.
Glennallen trailed 23-7 after one quarter and never recovered. Hunter Terrel drained four 3-pointers to power the Panthers with 20 points, and Ryan Albert and Dillon Cramer combined for 17 points.
Tok 61, Hooper Bay 54 -- Teddy Northway racked up 26 points and Jeffery Adams provided 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead Tok.
Hooper Bay led 21-15 after the first quarter and was clinging to a 43-41 edge after three quarters. Tok secured the victory by outscoring the Warriors 20-11 in the final eight minutes.
Northway sank four triples, grabbed six rebounds and had five steals for the Wolverines, who got 10 points from Revyn Almquist-Corgill.
Hooper Bay’s Nile Smith and Evin Matchian had 18 and 17 points, respectively, and Matchian knocked down five 3-pointers.
Consolation games
Su Valley’s Tristan Shelby netted a game-high 21 points but Unalakleet countered with depth to take a 74-49 victory. Five players scored nine or more points for the Wolfpack -- Carter Commack (13), Kanayaq Ivanoff (11), Ellsworth Haugen (11), Cody Ivanoff (10) and Kael Erickson (9).
Four players reached double figures for Scammon Bay in a 71-45 triumph over Selawik -- Cassius Sundown (14), Josiah Sundown (13), Jerry Kaganak (12) and Collin Kaganak (10). Selawik’s Axel Snyder turned in a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Girls semifinals
Hooper Bay 30, Glennallen 23 -- Points were hard to come by, but Hooper Bay finally broke through in the fourth quarter to outscored Glennallen 16-3 for the victory.
Mary Lane (9 points, 10 rebounds) and Zoey Lane (10 points) sparked Hooper Bay. Glennallen, which led 20-14 after three quarters, got 11 points from CeAnika Palacious.
Su Valley 55, Chevak 23 -- India Roderick sank five 3-pointers and swiped the ball five times to lift Su Valley.
The Rams battled to a 13-12 lead in the first quarter but held Chevak to 11 points the rest of the game. Roderick led the winners with 21 points, Kenna Grenier tossed in 15 points and Emma Kehoe grabbed 10 rebounds.
Leading the Comets were Hannah Pingayak (8 points) and Haley Ulroan (7 points).
Consolation games
Unalakleet romped past Tok 54-16 behind Victoria Fisher’s 24 points and seven rebounds and Lena Ivanoff’s 21 points and 11 rebounds. Danisha Paul and Desirae Constantine combined for 11 of Tok’s points.
Tikigaq, the 2019 champion, survived a 27-point outburst by Selawik’s Samantha Skin to win 64-32. Eleven players scored for the Harpoonerettes, including Makayla Lane (16 points) and Ashina Melik (10).
ASAA March Madness
Class 2A boys
Friday’s semifinals
Tikigaq 76, Glennallen 47
Tok 61, Hooper Bay 54
Friday’s consolation games
Unalakleet 74, Su Valley 49
Scammon Bay 71, Selawik 45
Saturday’s championship game
7:45 p.m. -- Tikigaq vs. Tok, Palmer High
Class 2A girls
Friday’s semifinals
Hooper Bay 30, Glennallen 23
Su Valley 55, Chevak 23
Friday’s consoalation games
Unalakleet 54, Tok 16
Tikigaq 64, Selawik 32
Saturday’s championship game
5:45 p.m. -- Hooper Bay vs. Su Valley, Palmer High