Ninilchik boys not just happy to be there

A goal that was eight years in the making took a few days to get over. Now the Ninilchik boys basketball team is ready to get down to business at the Class 2A state basketball tournament in Anchorage.

The Wolverines earned their first state berth since 2002 on March 6 by defeating Nikolaevsk 41-29 in the second-place game at the Peninsula Conference tournament.

"It means a whole lot," said Ninilchik senior Jefferson Klapak. "That's been our goal ever since I was a freshman."

Ninilchik coach Keith Presley is in his eighth year, and has gotten to the conference championship seven times. However, he's lost all seven title games. Up until this year, Ninilchik always lost the second-place game the next day. The second-place finisher earns a state berth.

"For a couple of days, it was, 'Oh, wow. We made it,'" Presley said. "We talked about it, and now we've moved on. Just making it isn't worth much unless you do something with it.

"If we play well, and we play hard, it will be a success."

The Wolverines open with Point Hope, which last year won its second Class 2A state title, on Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at Sullivan Arena. Ninilchik's best showing at state came in 2002, when it lost in double overtime to Cook Inlet Academy in the championship game.

Point Hope is led by Adam Sage, the Class 2A boys player of the year according to the Alaska Newspapers Inc./Alaska Coaches all-state team.

"We've got to execute and be disciplined and not get sucked into the game they want us to play," Presley said.

Presley said if Klapak scores, junior Sam Bennett produces inside and junior Hunter Cooper contributes, Ninilchik should be able to compete.

The coach also said bench play from players like senior Dillon Covey, freshman Jack Wheeler and freshman Billy Riley is vitally important.

"The only reason we made it to state this year is we've got some key points and rebounds from our bench," Presley said.

Presley and Klapak agreed defense is Ninilchik's strong suit. In the Peninsula Conference championship game against CIA, the Wolverines slowed down the Eagles' offense, but had trouble scoring.

"We've been doing a lot of shooting in practice, but we've got to go get it done," Klapak said. "It seems like we'll have games where we miss really easy shots.

"It just happens on any given night. I've had two games where I couldn't make a single layup."

Klapak said the team is coming together at the right time. He said early in the season a player transferred and Cooper missed about a month of playing.

The team's improvement shows in results against CIA. In December, the Wolverines lost to the Eagles 50-35. In mid-February and again at the conference tourney, Ninilchik stuck with CIA until late in the fourth quarter, losing 57-49 in mid-February and 48-42 in the conference title game.

"I want to do well at state. I wanted the win the conference championship really bad," Klapak said. "I want to play CIA again at state and I'd like to beat them."