The host Soldotna boys basketball team buried Lathrop in Jersey Truesdell 3-pointers Friday in a 62-36 nonconference victory.
The Malemutes came back with a 51-45 victory in the rematch Saturday.
Friday, Truesdell came out and hit his first four 3-pointers to stake the Stars (12-4 overall) to a 12-0 lead with 5:09 left in the first quarter against the Malemutes (12-5 overall). He would go on to score 30 points while hitting seven 3-pointers. Ray Chumley added 19 for the Stars.
“We talked about Jersey being aggressive,” Soldotna head coach Nolan Rose said. “There have been times this year when we haven’t done a good job getting him the ball and he hasn’t been as aggressive as maybe he should have been.”
Once Truesdell came out on fire, Rose said a number of other things fell into place, including Lathrop missing some shots close to the rim.
“It’s like a boxing match,” Rose said. “If you catch the other guy on the chin, he’s stunned for 30 seconds and they miss shots they normally make.”
Lathrop refused to be taken down to the canvas early. The Malemutes made a brief run in the second quarter before the Stars stretched the lead to 28-15 at halftime.
Lathrop then came out on an 8-2 run in the third quarter, cutting it to 31-23 with 5:32 left in the third quarter. Tyriq Luke had six of his 24 points during the run.
“We could not contain him off the dribble,” Rose said.
The Stars took control with a 12-2 run that made it 40-23 on a Truesdell trey with 4:00 left in the third. Truesdell had nine points during the run — six on 3-pointers and three more when he was fouled shooting a 3.
Rose said the Stars then took advantage of a favorable matchup for Chumley to close the game. Chumley had nine in the final quarter.
“This was one of our more complete efforts of the season,” Rose said.
The coach said SoHi’s press worked very well, and the Stars rebounded well led by Zach Hanson and Tyler Morrison.
In Saturday’s game, it was Lathrop jumping out to the big early lead and not getting caught. The Malemutes won the first quarter 23-13 en route to victory.
Ben Krastra had 21 for Lathrop, while Mekhi Brigman had 12. For the Stars, Chumley had 19 and Truesdell had 18.
Friday
Stars 62, Malemutes 36
Lathrop 9 6 11 10 —36
Soldotna 18 10 19 15 —62
LATHROP (36) — Brigman 5, Luke 24, Thomas 1, Krastra 3, Rones 3, George 0, Clayton 0, Sliter 0, Parker 0, Stanley 0.
SOLDOTNA (62) — Rich 3, Bouschor 0, Morrison 4, Hanson 4, Reutov 0, Chumley 19, Truesdell 30, Johnson 0, Rosin 2, Wilson 0, Pieh 0.
3-point goals — Lathrop 2 (M. Brigman, T. Brigman); Soldotna 7 (Truesdell 7).
Saturday
Malemutes 51, Stars 45
Lathrop 23 10 10 8 —51
Soldotna 13 9 9 14 —45
LATHROP (51) — M. Brigman 12, Luke 8, Thomas 0, Stanley 0, Krastra 21, Rones 8, George 2, Parker 0, Clayton 0, Sliter 0.
SOLDOTNA (45) — Rich 2, Bouschor 0, Morrison 6, Hanson 0, Reutov 0, Chumley 19, Truesdell 18, Johnson 0, Rosin 0.
3-point goals — Lathrop 5 (Krastra 3, Brigman 2); Soldotna 3 (Truesdell 2, Chumley).
Soldotna’s Ray Chumley shoots over Lathrop’s Tyriq Luke on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Jersey Truesdell drives the lane on Lathrop’s Ben Krastra on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
