By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Write
Delta High Huskies boys coach Shannon Magee likes the Sitka Wolves’ gym.
Especially since the Sitka grad (1994) is responsible for one of the wall decorations.
“That’s us right there,” Magee said, pointing to the championship placard from the Wolves’ 1992 Southeast Region V 4A Title. “We were a 4A program then.”
Magee’s Huskies also took a liking to Sitka’s court, doubling up the score on the Craig Panthers in the first two quarters on their way to a 66-49 win in the Coastal Holiday Shootout on Thursday.
Only one of the Huskies players has been to Sitka before.
Magee’s son, 6-foot-3 jr. forward Drenen Magee, was born on the rock. The family moved from Sitka a year after his birth, in 2003.
“The rest have never been here before,” Magee said. “We’re taking them around.”
The sightseeing was delayed by game time.
A steal and layup by sr. guard Maksim Kilimnick put the first 2 points on the board for the Huskies and after Craig jr. forward Tim Benolken hit four free throws, Delta went on a 14-2 run to take a 16-6 advantage after 8 minutes of action.
A rebound basket by Delta sr. Cale Durham started the second quarter. Senior teammate Omar Powers stole the ball and scored, so. Austin Durham found the net, and Powers hit two free throws for a 22-6 advantage midway through the stanza.
Delta senior Cale Durham (15) scores with a jump hook over Craig sophomore Julius Mackie.
Delta junior Drenen Magee (33) scores on a jump shot. The Huskies topped the Panthers 66-49 at the Coastal Holiday Shootout in Sitka.
Craig’s Benolken stopped the run with a deep shot beyond the arch and sr. Gabe Almenzor kissed a shot off the glass to trail 22-11, but Delta sr. Ryan Zarecki buried a deep three, Magee scored inside and the Huskies exchanged another basket to lead 28-13 at the half.
“I was happy with the first efforts,” Magee said. “Our guys came out and played together, which is something we really work on.”
Craig Panthers junior Tim Benolken (33) scores against the Delta Huskies during the Coastal Holiday Shootout on Thursday at Sitka High.
The two teams played even in the second half.
Delta outscored Craig 18-14 in the third quarter and 22-20 in the fourth.
Delta had decent size inside with Magee, 6-foot-2, A. Durham and 6-foot-3 so. Ben Bialik, but that size grew when 6-foot-5 sr. center Cale Durham came off the bench.
The big man hit a bucket in each of the first two quarters, as well as grabbed four rebounds, and directed two fast breaks. He started that scenario again in the third quarter, earning two buckets inside and outletting a rebound for another basket. Six different Huskies scored in the third quarter.
Craig found deep baskets from sr. Coper Mikylecky and Benolker, and closer shots from Almenzor and jr. Wayland Patten to stay close heading into the final stanza.
The Huskies’ Zarecki and A. Durham hit from deep and Bialik scored 8 of his 12 game points to keep the pressure on.
The Panthers’ Almenzor knocked down 12 of his game high 18 points to answer the challenge and win the quarter. The game, however, went to the Huskies.
“It was a good start for us,” coach Magee said. “I was really happy with the way they passed the ball. They shared it and played as a team. That was a real bright spot for us.”
Bialik and Zarecki led Delta with 12 points, A. Durham 11, Powers and C. Durham 8, Kilimnick 7, and Magee 6. The Huskies hit 10-20 at the charity stripe, the Panthers 8-15.
Almenzor led Craig with 18 points, Benolken 12, Patten 6, jr. John McKinley 4, Mikylecky 3, sr. Lewis House and so. Julius Mackie 2 apiece.
Magee is showing Delta his old stomping grounds.
“There is a lot to see here; it’s is a beautiful place,” he said. “There is a lot of history here, a lot of things to show the team.”
One thing coach Magee has not introduced the team to is being housed out, like he was when a Wolves player.
“They are used to being housed in a school together,” Magee said. “I didn’t want to shake them up too much. But I remember the friendships I made being housed, and they still remain to this day.”
The Huskies and the Wolves will clash on Saturday at 7 p.m.
“We played them last year,” Magee said. “They have a lot of the same guys, we have a lot of the same guys. But we both have some new faces so it’s a toss up. They play hard and score in bunches, so we’re just going to come out and try to play as a team again.”
Today’s schedule: 3 p.m. boys, Delta vs. Ketchikan junior varsity; 4:30 p.m. girls, Craig vs. Thunder Mountain; 6 p.m. boys, Sitka vs. Craig; 7:30 p.m. girls, Sitka vs. Thunder Mountain.
Saturday schedule: 10 a.m. contests; 1 p.m. boys, KTN JV vs. Sitka JV; 2:30 p.m. girls, Sitka JV vs. TMHS JV; 4 p.m. boys, Craig vs. Ketchikan JV; 5:30 p.m. girls, Sitka vs. Craig; 7 p.m. boys, Sitka vs. Delta.
