Alaska state basketball: Houston boys eye perfect season and Monroe Catholic girls look to stay undefeated at the 3A level

Two teams will enter the 3A Alaska State Basketball Tournament on Wednesday with season-long winning streaks they hope to continue for three more games this week at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Houston Hawks are the top seed in the boys bracket and are coming in hot with a flawless 22-0 record. They Hawks have beaten nearly every opponent by double-digits with the exception of 4A Monroe Catholic who they bested 51-46 in a February nonconference matchup. Houston is averaging 73.8 points per game and hasn’t scored less than 65 points against a 3A opponent since Feb. 1 when the Hawks were held to 56 in a 14-point victory over the Redington Huskies.

While the top seeded 3A Monroe Catholic girls team doesn’t boast a perfect overall record at 19-2, the Rams have yet to taste defeat at the hands of any team at their level. The Rams’ two losses on the season came against a pair of 4A teams in the Colony Knights and the West Valley Wolf Pack.

Monroe Catholic has defeated every other team by 10 or more points with the lone exception being the Valdez Buccaneers who the Rams bested 43-35 in the second leg of two-game series in late February.

The biggest threat to the Rams may be the No. 2 seeded Grace Christian Grizzlies, who defeated the 2A state champion Tikigaq Harpooners twice, bested a handful of 4A teams and are riding a 12-game winning streak into the state tournament.

Alaska Girls 3A State Basketball Tournament

At Alaska Airlines Center

Wednesday

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Monroe Catholic vs. No. 8 Valdez, 12:30 p.m. Main Gym

No. 4 Sitka vs. No. 5 Kenai Central, 8 a.m. Auxiliary Gym

No. 3 Barrow vs. No. 6 Redington, 4:45 p.m. Main Gym

No. 2 Grace Christian vs. No. 7 Bethel, 7:45 p.m. Auxiliary Gym

Thursday

Consolation

Loser Monroe Catholic/Valdez vs. Loser Sitka/Kenai Central, 10:30 a.m. Main Gym

Loser Barrow/Redington vs. Loser Grace Christian/Bethel, 10:30 a.m. Auxiliary Gym

Semifinals

Winner Monroe Catholic/Valdez vs. Winner Sitka/Kenai Central, 3:15 p.m. Main Gym

Winner Barrow/Redington vs. Winner Grace Christian/Bethel, 4:45 p.m. Main Gym

Friday

4th/6th Place, 9:30 a.m. Main Gym

Saturday

3rd/5th, 9 a.m. Main Gym

Championship, 1 p.m. Main Gym

Alaska Boys 3A State Basketball Tournament

At Alaska Airlines Center

Wednesday

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 8 Mt. Edgecumbe, 12:30 p.m. Auxiliary Gym

No. 4 Nome-Beltz vs. No. 5 Hutchison, 9:30 a.m. Auxiliary Gym

No. 3 Valdez vs. No. 6 Homer, 11 a.m. Main Gym

No. 2 Grace Christian vs. No. 7 Barrow, 3:15 p.m. Main Gym

Thursday

Consolation

Loser Houston/Mt. Edgecumbe vs. Loser Nome-Beltz/Hutchison, noon Main Gym

Loser Valdez/Homer vs. Loser Grace Christian/Barrow, noon Auxiliary Gym

Semifinals

Winner Houston/Mt. Edgecumbe vs. Winner Nome-Beltz/Hutchison, 6:15 p.m. Main Gym

Winner Valdez/Homer vs. Winner Grace Christian/Barrow, 7:45 p.m. Main Gym

Friday

4th/6th Place, 11 a.m. Main Gym

Saturday

3rd/5th Place, 10:30 a.m. Main Gym

Championship, 3 p.m. Main Gym