The Mariners started on a scoring tear in Friday’s game against third-ranked Ketchikan, especially from three-point land.

Through the first two quarters, five Mariner players hit a total of six three pointers, as Homer raced out to a 40-32 lead.

After the break, however, the Kings were the team with the hot hand, as they went on a 22-9 run in the third quarter and built a five-point lead of their own.

Homer’s Luke Gilbert then found the touch again in the fourth quarter, hitting a pair of threes to narrow the gap, only to see the lead slip away again down the stretch.

Ketchikan won the game 68-65.

All told, Gilbert hit four threes en route to a game-high 25 points, followed by Justin Smith’s 15.

Ketchikan’s Matt Boyd scored 18 to lead the Kings and all five of their starters scored in double-digits.

On Saturday, the Mariners hit 16 of 18 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure a much-needed victory over Soldotna.

Early on, however, Soldotna center Tony Besse, the tallest player on the court, was giving the Mariners’ fits inside the key.

Besse scored 13 first-half points, including a break-away dunk in the second quarter as the Stars pulled out to a 29-24 lead.

The Mariners clamped down on Besse and the rest of the Stars in the third quarter to pull with three points.

Coach Casseri said they weren’t focusing on stopping Besse. Instead they were trying to put the clamps on SoHi guard Brian Blossom.

With seven minutes remaining, Jeremy Andrews forced a turnover and hit a free throw on the other end to tie the game at 39.

The game was tied again at 41 and 43 points, before Gilbert started a fourth-quarter surge with a steal and a pair of free throws with two minutes remaining.

From then on, Soldotna continued to foul, and Homer continued to make its free throws to win 54-48.

Gilbert led all scorers with 22 points including another four three-pointers. Smith added 11 and Andrews scored eight.

On Tuesday, the Mariners dropped visiting Seward 67-38 in a game full of Seahawk turnovers and more Homer three pointers.

Gilbert hit another four three-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points before exiting the game midway through the fourth quarter.

The offense started to click in the second quarter, however, as Homer got two easy buckets off steals and Gilbert drained his second and third three pointer of the game to extend the Mariner lead to 10 at halftime.

The speedy Homer team dominated the game on both ends from there to win by 29.