Daily Sitka Sentinel

Boys Basketball Faces Thunder Mountain

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Both local boys basketball teams struggled against Thunder Mountain’s formidable team last weekend, but the Mt. Edgecumbe Braves notched wins against Redington and Houston.
    Those two games were the only victories by a local team over the weekend. Edgecumbe beat Redington 67-39 and Houston 86-82 in triple overtime, then fell to Thunder Mountain 66-45
    The Sitka Wolves also fell to Thunder Mountain, 61-45 and 65-44.
    “In my coaching career, it (the Houston game) was only the second triple overtime experience I’ve been a part of... it was a battle the whole game.” Mt. Edgecumbe coach Archie Young told the Sentinel.
    “We had a couple of pretty good defensive stops in the third overtime, which made a big difference for us,” he said. The coach noted that Houston’s team was young and aggressive, and that the game was tight the whole way through.
    In contrast, the game against a new team like Redington was easier, he said. “In a lot of ways, it was a good first game for us.”

Sitka senior Mason Eubanks (2) takes a shot against Bethel at Sitka High, Dec. 19. (Sentinel photo by James Poulson)

    Against Juneau’s Thunder Mountain, a traditional Southeast powerhouse, the Braves struggled to find their footing.
    Young said his team struggled with turnovers, conditioning, and “lots of poor shot choices.”
    He added that as his team moves into the mid-season, he hopes to focus on conditioning and identity.
    “The identity comes more down to how we defend, how we rebound, how we go after loose balls, that kind of stuff... The month of January is going to be all about finding out who we are,” he said. RJ Alstrom Beans was a standout for the Braves over the weekend, his coach said.
    Much like Edgecumbe, Sitka High also struggled against a team as competent as 4A Thunder Mountain. The Wolves lost both games, 61-45 and 65-44.
    But SHS coach Jarrett Hirai was not disappointed.
    “Despite being down as much as we were at times, the guys kept their energy pretty constant,” he said.
    “They need to become more confident in each other. I think we have each other’s backs, supporting-wise, but when it comes to on-the-floor playing I find that we’re not trusting each other... we hold the ball a bit longer than we should,” Hirai said.
    In the first game alone, the Wolves turned the ball over 21 times.
    Speaking about turnovers, the coach was emphatic: “That is our Achilles Heel.”
    The Thunder Mountain game “was a good experience for everyone to get a feel on what a tough team looks like,” Wolves’ senior Gavin Flores said.
    Mason Eubanks, another Sitka senior, agreed. “They’re a good team, it was fun.”
    But Sitka’s performance against Thunder Mountain serves more as a diagnostic than anything else. It’s a 4A school, meaning Sitka won’t face the Falcons at region or state tourneys. Sitka’s team is in Fairbanks today through Saturday, playing a number of 3A schools, notably Monroe Catholic, today. The Wolves fell to Eielson Wednesday, 53-50. The Lady Wolves also played Wednesday, taking Eielson down 60-35.
    Flores is eager for the game play opportunities this weekend. “It’s going to be fun to play against 3A teams, because so far we’ve mostly played 4A teams.”
    Eubanks expressed excitement for the Monroe Catholic game in particular, as well as the upcoming Battle of the Bridge between SHS and MEHS.
    “It’ll be chippy, for sure!” he said.