4A Boys Quarterfinals | South Survives, Lathrop Returns, Grace and West Valley Roll | March Madness Alaska 2026
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | UAA Alaska Airlines Center
March Madness Alaska 2026 opened the 4A Boys bracket with four games that delivered exactly what state tournament basketball is supposed to look like. A program making its first semifinal appearance in two decades. A defending contender that keeps hitting threes in bunches. An overtime thriller that came down to the free throw line with everything on the line. And a freshman off the bench who made every play that mattered when it mattered most.
Here is how Wednesday played out.
Grace Christian 80, Wasilla 52
Eleven threes and it was never close.
Grace Christian hit the 80-point mark for the fourth straight game, rolling past Wasilla 80-52 behind a balanced attack that buried the Warriors from deep. Ashton Clarkson led with 19. Chris Jones added 17, Bristol Tobin 14, and Brayden Clarkson chipped in 11. Grace finished with 11 threes as a team and has won 12 of their last 13.
Tristan Horton kept Wasilla alive with 12, hitting four threes. Brayden Sparrs added 13.
Grace Christian advances to the 4A Boys semifinals.
Final: Grace Christian 80, Wasilla 52 (4A Boys Quarterfinal)
Lathrop 55, Dimond 50
Deshon Hall and Armani Smith took over when it mattered most.
Dimond and Lathrop were tied 39-39 heading into the fourth quarter. Hall scored nine of Lathrop’s 16 fourth-quarter points and Smith made every clutch play down the stretch — a steal, a behind-the-back save, a three-point play that swung the momentum for good. Dimond kept coming. Amelio Ambrosio led the Lynx with 18 and sophomore Pius Hajdukovich chipped in 13, pulling Dimond within one in the final minute. Hall answered with two free throws to seal it.
Hall finished with 13. Smith added 12. Lathrop is in the 4A Boys semifinals for the first time since 2004.
Final: Lathrop 55, Dimond 50 (4A Boys Quarterfinal)
West Valley 71, Juneau-Douglas 48
Five threes from Jayden Miranda and West Valley never looked back.
Miranda finished with 20 points and the Wolfpack hit 11 threes as a team to pull away from Juneau-Douglas in a game that opened up in the second half. TJ Small added 13, Halen Nield 13, and Deontae Cromer chipped in 12. Four double-figure scorers and they still left points at the foul line, missing 15 of 23 free throws.
Joren Gasga led Juneau with 17, Brandon Casperson added 13.
West Valley advances to the 4A Boys semifinals.
Final: West Valley 71, Juneau-Douglas 48 (4A Boys Quarterfinal)
South Anchorage 69, Service 67 (OT)
Service had the game. Then the free throw line gave it back.
The Cougars went 26-for-45 at the line and missed critical attempts in the final minutes of regulation, and South Anchorage forced overtime and finished it. All four meetings between these two this season were decided by three points or fewer. Wednesday was the best of them.
Lucian Mikes led South with 14 before going down with a knee injury diving for a loose ball. He gutted it out and was named Player of the Game when the final buzzer sounded. Lincoln Marchant matched him with 14, burying a three with 21 seconds left in regulation to keep South alive. Jaxon Henrie added 12, Ezekiel Lealaisalanoa chipped in 10, and freshman Santana Sullivan came off the bench and made every play that mattered in overtime — six points, a steal, and the assist to Tachaphit Souhala-Tuinei for the bucket that made it 68-65 with 25 seconds left.
South played the final minutes of OT without Mikes and two fouled-out teammates and still found a way. Alex Unks carried Service with 23 and Jace Griffith added 14. Adrien Phiachantharath chipped in 12. They had enough to win it in regulation. The free throw line said otherwise.
South Anchorage advances. The status of Mikes heading into the semifinals is a question that matters right now, but the South depth proved their up to the challenge.
Final: South Anchorage 69, Service 67 OT (4A Boys Quarterfinal)
Semifinal Matchups — Friday, March 20
Friday night at the Alaska Airlines Center. Two games. Four teams that earned it.
West Valley vs South Anchorage. 6:15 PM, Main Gym. West Valley hit 11 threes and had four double-figure scorers on Wednesday. South Anchorage survived overtime with three players fouled out and a freshman running the show. Jayden Miranda against a South defense that refused to quit all night.
Grace Christian vs Lathrop. 7:45 PM, Main Gym. Grace has hit 80 points four straight games and shows no signs of slowing down. Lathrop just ended a 22-year drought and Hall and Smith have not looked like a team playing in their first semifinal in two decades. Someone’s run ends Friday night.
Friday at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center.