Grace Christian advances to Alaska Airlines Classic title game with hard-fought win over West

Cousins Luke and Sloan Lentfer have been playing basketball together as long as they both can remember. And it seems whenever the Grace Christian boys basketball team needs a bucket or some crucial free throws knocked down, one of the seniors is there to answer the call.

For the third weekend in a row, the Grizzlies will be playing for a tournament title on Saturday after a decisive 58-53 victory over host West High in the semifinals of the Alaska Airlines Classic on Friday. Both players reached double figures in points and were integral in the teams success yet again.

On Friday, it was Luke Lentfer, who hit a pair of late free throws to extend Grace Christian’s lead from three points to five in the final minute.

“They love the moment and they’re getting a lot of chances to show that they’re pretty special players,” Grace Christian coach Jason Boerger said.

Converting free throws has been a point of emphasis for the team early in the season.

“It’s definitely been one of our weaknesses so we’ve been working on it and have been capitalizing, which has been nice when we need them,” Luke Lentfer said.

Last weekend, the Grizzlies ran the table at the 2023 Alaska Prep Shootout, capped off by a thrilling win over Dimond. The weekend before that, they did the same at the Mt. McKinley Bank Tournament in Fairbanks.

Against West, Luke netted a game-high 19 points and Sloan wasn’t far behind with 17 for the second-most in the game and he also recorded a double-double by leading the team with a game-high 14 rebounds.

The 2022 3A state runner-ups were engaged in a tight back and forth battle with the Eagles in which a different team led at the end of the first three quarters as the two teams traded runs.

“It definitely was a game of runs,” Boerger said. “West was just relentless, they kept coming back and kept pushing us and it was one of those games where you knew somebody was going to make a play and it just kind of worked our way tonight.”

Grace Christian narrowly led 16-15 at the end of the first quarter. West would take a one-point lead into halftime after sophomore Boub Marial made a layup and drew a foul for a free throw just before time expired in the second quarter.

The Grizzlies took the lead back heading into the final period 44-43 and Luke Lentfer would record eight of the team’s final 11 points to lift them past the Eagles who tried to make a furious rally at the end but couldn’t convert on some late scoring opportunities.

“We’re a 3A team so we’re the underdogs and have nothing to lose,” Luke Lentfer said. “I think we do good in pressure games.”

This marked the team’s eighth win in a row and their third victory over a 4A opponent of the season.

“We have a lot of big goals ahead of us and a lot of big games ahead of us so we’re just grateful to get these types of experiences to prepare us for the postseason,” Boerger said.

The Grizzlies will face their steepest test of the season to date in the title game where they will face Heritage Christian, the second California team Grace Christian has matched up with this season. The Warriors defeated 2022 4A state runner-ups Bettye Davis East High in the first semifinal bout on Friday night. The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at West.

“It’s just an opportunity,” Boerger said. “We’re not favored and that’s alright. It’s one of those experiences that we can get better from this experience and it’s a special opportunity. We’re going out to win it. We’re going to be physical, and we’re going to play at our pace.”

The Warriors also had two players account for over half of their teams points in their 50-35 win over the Thunderbirds. They were led in scoring by 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, Tae Simmons, who recorded a game-high 26 points. Senior guard Giovanni Goree added 14.

This marked the first trip to Alaska for almost every person on the team with the exception of one coach that played in the men’s Great Alaska Shootout decades ago. For many of the players, the past two days was their live introduction to snow and the team has been taking in some of the sights since they’ve been in town as well.

“It’s been an unbelievable experience,” Tait said. “Basketball opens doors to travel and go see different things so we’re super blessed to play in this tournament.”

Despite suffering their first loss of the season and having their seven-game winning streak snapped in lopsided fashion, there were some bright spots for Bettye Davis East in its loss to Heritage Christian.

“There are no moral victories at East High but we played as hard and as tough as we were capable of,” East coach Chuck Martin said. “I’m proud of our kids because it’s hard to prepare for things that you have never seen and can’t simulate.”

The Warriors jumped out a swift double-digit lead and held a 19-5 advantage at the end of the first quarter and added a dozen more in the second while allowing nine to take a 31-14 lead into halftime.

After the intermission, it seemed like a different Thunderbirds squad emerged from the lockerroom as they were especially dialed in on defense and were able to flip the script in the third quarter by scoring a dozen points and holding Heritage Christian to just 9 points in the period.

“We’re not an elite offensive team but we are a terrific defensive team right now and that’s what we’re going to hang our hat on,” Martin said.