Sentinel Staff Report
Kayhi Girls Buzzer-Beat Crimson Bears 52-51
A freshman changed the dynamic of the Region V 4A girls tournament with the shot of her young career, a 20-foot net breaker from outside the right arch that gave the Ketchikan Lady Kings a 52-51 win over top-seed Juneau-Douglas on Wednesday.
Ketchikan High School fans and cheerleaders celebrate after Lady Kings freshman Shaelynn Mendoza made a last-second three-pointer to win a Region V 4A game against the top-seeded Juneau-Douglas Bears Wednesday night in the B.J McGillis Gymnasium. The Lady Kings advance to the championship game Friday. Tonight 3A teams take the court in games beginning at 6 p.m. See today’s Sentinel Sports. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Kayhi’s Shaelynn Mendoza put the Lady Kings into Friday’s championship game with a last-second swish off a length of the floor dribble by senior Ashley Huffine, who drew defenders and passed up the tying shot, trusting her teammate to make the trey.
JDHS senior Caitlin Pusich carried the Lady Crimson Bears, scoring a game-high 29 points, 12 in the critical fourth quarter.
Leading 46-44 with three minutes remaining in the game, JDHS spread the floor and kept the ball away from the Kayhi defense.
Pusich rebounded a missed shot with two minutes remaining for a 48-44 lead.
Ketchikan sophomore Madison Rose hit a free throw but missed the second and the rebound ended up in the hands of Huffine, who buried a three to tie the game at 48-48.
JDHS missed a shot and Rose was fouled on the rebound with 39.6 seconds remaining. Rose again found the iron unkind and JDHS rebounded.
JDHS’ Pusich was fouled and made two free throws with 29 seconds remaining for a 50-48 lead.
Kayhi’s Rose drew another foul, the fifth on JDHS soph. Janae Pusich, who had to sit. Rose hit the first with 22.8 seconds remaining but missed the second and JDHS sr. Alyxn Bohulano rebounded. The Crimson Bears called time out with 13.8 left to play and a 50-49 lead.
On the inbounds, Kayhi waited to foul JDHS jr. Sadie Tuckwood with 6.1 remaining. Tuckwood hit the first but missed the second and Kayhi got the ball and a timeout with 4.7 left, trailing 51-49.
Rose inbounded the ball to Huffine who dribbled the length of the floor into the key, drawing the defense, and then passed the ball out past the arch to Mendoza who buried the shot for the 52-51 win.
Ketchikan jr. Lianne Guevarra led with 17 points, Huffine 14, Rose 10, fr. Jenae Rhoads 4, Mendoza 3, jr. Nadire Zhuta, and soph. Dylan Borer 2 apiece.The Lady Kings went 15-28 at the line, the Crimson Bears 22-38.Tuckwood and Bohulano added 8 points apiece for JDHS, J. Pusich 4, and jr. Chloe McAdams 2.
Ketchikan advances to the championship game on Friday at 11:30 a.m.
The Crimson Bears fell into an elimination game today against Thunder Mountain and won 60-39 to also advance to the title game. Tuckwood scored 15, C. Pusich 14, Potter and Skylar Hickok 8, Trinity Jackson, Bohulano 5, J. Pusich, Chloe McAdams 2, Leah Newhart 1.
Tzadi Hauck led TM with 10, Mary K Garcia, Nina Fenumiai, Kira Frommherz 7, Charlie Lewis 4, Olissa Oliver 2.
JDHS trailed 16-14 after one quarter, led 37-23 at the half and 46-29 after three. JDHS will play KTN in Friday’s title game.
Kings Top Thunder Mountain 55-37
The Ketchikan Kings, the top seeded Region V 4A boys tournament team, held court on Wednesday with a 55-37 win over the Thunder Mountain Falcons in Mt. Edgecumbe’s B.J. McGillis Gymnasium.
Ketchikan went up 15-5 after one quarter of action as six different players found the net, and at the half led 27-16.
Thunder Mountain junior Bryson Echiverri scored 10 of his team-high 15 points in the first half.
Ketchikan junior Chris Lee scored 13 of his 22 game-high points in the first half while senior brother Marcus Lee hit two deep shots beyond the arch and another closer in as the third quarter saw the Kings take a 44-29 lead heading into the final stanza.
Ketchikan was led by C. Lee’s 22, M. Lee added 9, sr. Robert Seludo 8, jr. Kristian Pihl 4, sr. Jake Tayler and sr. Cody Kemble 3 apiece, sr. Kyle Smith, sr. Wyatt Barajas, and sr. E.R. Caparas 2 each.
The Kings hit 13-16 at the line, the Falcons 7-15.
TMHS was led by Echiverri’s 15 points. Junior Brady Carandang, jr. Braden Jenkins, and sr. Vaipuna Toutaiolepo had 6 each, and soph. Meki Toutaoilepo 4.
Ketchikan advanced to the championship game on Friday at 1:15 p.m. TMHS fell into an elimination game today against Juneau-Douglas.
The Falcons defeated the Crimson Bears 52-51 to open tournament play on Tuesday.
Today, however, the Crimson Bears got the narrow margin win, taking a 60-55 victory and eliminating the Falcons from the tournament.
The teams were tied 7-7 after eight minutes of action and JDHS held a 21-19 first half lead.
TMHS took a 37-36 lead after three quarters behind 7 points from V. Toutaiolepe and 6 from M. Toutaiolepo.
JDHS’ Samtani scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, including three from beyond the arch, and McCormick and Bryant helped secure the middle of the key as the Crimson Bears took the win and a spot in the championship game on Friday against Ketchikan.
Samtani led JDHS with 23 points, Gonzales 15, McCormick 7, Yadao 6, Bryant 4, McCurley and Tristan Bryant 2 apiece, and Cooper Kriegmont 1.
TMHS was led by 15 from M. Toutaiolepo, V. Toutaiolepo 12, Carandang 9, Mendoza 6, Echiverri 5, Hinckle and Jenkins 4 apiece.
JDHS hit 12-14 from the line, TMHS was 13-18.
