ASAA releases 3A and 4A state basketball tournament brackets

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - The regular season and conference championships for Alaska high school basketball have concluded, and the ASAA has released the March Madness Alaska brackets.

From 3A, the Monroe Catholic Rams girls team earned the second seed following a 21-5 season going undefeated (8-0) in Aurora Conference play. They’ll open the tournament against Kenai Central, next Wednesday at 11 am. The Rams haven’t played the Kardinals this season.

The Delta Huskies are the lone 3A boys team in the bracket. The Huskies earned the eighth seed after their second place finish in the Aurora Conference tournament. The Huskies will face a tough test in the opening round. The Grace Christian Grizzlies. GCS has won 21 straight games, and won the Peninsula Conference championship, 104-34 against Nikiski.

On to 4A, the Lathrop Malemutes girls are seeded seventh after winning the Mid Alaska Conference championship, 47-37 over North Pole. With the seventh seed, Lathrop avoids the dynasty that is Anchorage Christian, but the second seeded Wasilla Warriors will also be a tough opponent. These two teams met once this season, and Wasilla won, 74-48.

The 4A boys bracket features two teams: West Valley and Monroe Catholic. The Wolfpack earned the number one seed. West Valley went 24-1 this season. Their lone loss was in overtime to Dimond in January. Stewart Erhart and company will open with Juneau-Douglas, a team West Valley defeated twice this season winning both games by twenty points.

“In Alaska, you have to be battle-tested,” stated head coach, Colten Growden. “You have to play a little bit of everybody. We went out and got multiple CIC (Cook Inlet Conference) games, multiple NLC (Northern Lights Conference) games, and just tried to play the best teams we knew who were bringing back some quality competition for us to make a run at the number one seed.”

“Always being a one seed in any bracket is always more favorable,” added Growden. “This year, the level across the board is just so tight that it’s up for grabs. It’s anybody’s opportunity, and we’re hoping to just put the best three days together.”

The Monroe Catholic Rams earned the fourth seed getting an at-large bid. The Rams went 20-5 overall only losing two conference games (both to West Valley). Monroe makes their first tournament appearance in their season after being elevated from 3A to 4A.

All state tournament games begin Wednesday, March 22 in Anchorage at UAA’s Alaska Airlines Center. The championship games will conclude Saturday, March 25.

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