By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
It was the fourth quarter with 7.7 seconds left and Kenai High had come from behind to even the score against Mt. Edgecumbe Thursday night.
Edgecumbe’s 11-point lead at the half had melted away in the third, though the Braves kept their heads above the water with a number of three pointers, many by Fred Myers. With only minutes left, the Braves missed a handful of free throws, and when Kenai tied the score, 40-40, there was near silence in the gymnasium.
Braves’ coach Archie Young called a time out, and made a plan.
Young recounted the time out. He turned to junior RJ Alstrom-Beans and said, “RJ, make sure we shoot with less than two seconds, so we get the last shot.”
Alstrom-Beans made the game winning shot with under a second left.
“I was driving, and I saw the guy standing straight up, and I was like ‘I could split the defense here, and put it up,’ and when I put it up, I saw it was good, and the timer buzzes. And just filled with excitement, and rush, just one of the best feelings ever,” Alstrom-Beans told the Sentinel after the game.
“He did a really good job of slithering, literally slithering, his way in there, and took a nice solid shot,” his coach said. “He was under control, he didn’t rush the shot because of the clock. He shot to make it.”
The Braves won the game 42-40, after a 52-45 victory over the Kardinals Wednesday.
“We shot the ball well,” Young said of the first game. The Braves notched a dozen three pointers, with six from Leon Toomer alone.
Despite the wins, the coach said his team still has a way to go before March.
“Conditioning is going to be a big part for us for the next few weeks,” he said.
Young noted that during Kenai’s second half run, Thursday, the Braves “played very anxious... (but) we didn’t panic.”
The Braves play the Wolves for the first time this season Tuesday.
“It’s always a fun environment, and it’s fun to see where we’re at against each other this early,” Young said.
The Lady Braves played against the Kenai Kardinals Wednesday and Thursday as well, notching two wins, 34-31 and 41-28.
Lady Braves coach Kathy Forrester said that the team struggled in their first game, but found their footing Thursday night, despite Kenai playing better as well.
“We had a lot less turnovers,” Forrester said after the game. She said it helped that “some of our shots were going in.”
“Maggie Miller... played outstanding last night and tonight (Wednesday and Thursday), really stepped up,” the coach said.
Madison Alstrom-Beans agreed that her team had made progress between the two nights.
“I was very nervous... they were pretty good, but I feel like our team did a lot better than yesterday,” she told the Sentinel.
“I improved on my rebounds and my confidence from yesterday,” she added.
The Lady Braves don’t face Sitka High until Feb. 8.
“It’s going to be a tough game, we’re going to have to work on our defense more,” M. Alstrom-Beans said.
While the Braves’ varsity teams are done for the week, basketball in Sitka will continue until Saturday. The schedule is below.
Today at SHS
4 p.m. Girls C Sitka vs. Kenai
5:30 p.m. Girls Varsity Sitka vs. Kenai
7 p.m. Boys Varsity Sitka vs. Kenai
Today at MEHS
5:30 p.m.. Boys C Sitka vs. MEHS
Saturday at SHS
4 p.m. JV Boys Sitka vs. Kenai
5:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Sitka vs. Kenai
7 p.m. Girls Varsity Sitka vs. Kenai
Saturday at MEHS
5:30 p.m. Boys C Sitka vs. MEHS
The Sitka and Edgecumbe boys teams reignite the Battle of the Bridge Tuesday, at Mt. Edgecumbe High.
