By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Mt. Edgecumbe High girls basketball team placed second in the Grace Christian Tournament last week, coming home with a trophy in their carry-on luggage and a positive outlook for the season.
After opening the tourney on Thursday with a 58-53 win over 4A South Anchorage despite 20 turnovers (story was in last week’s paper), the Lady Braves lost to 2A Tikigaq (or Point Hope) 58-51 in overtime Friday, and then beat 3A Grace Christian 58-53 on Saturday.
“Everyone was contributing,” MEHS head coach. “It was a positive first step of the season.”
The Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves placed second at the Grace Invitational last weekend. From left are, Cameryn Olson (Golovin), Sherilyn Johnson-Edwards (Emmonak), Vernae Ramoth (Ambler), Faith Kameroff (Emmonak), Autumn Beans (St. Marys), Sanora Bell (Yakutat), Catherine Sunny (Nightmute), Ashlyn Strom (Fort Yukon), Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah), and Kayla Kashevarof (Anchorage). (Sentinel Photo)
Against Point Hope, so. Autumn Beans (St. Marys) led the Lady Braves with 18 points, sr. Catherine Sunny (Nightmute) added 13, sr. Ashlyn Strom (Fort Yukon) 9, sr. Faith Kameroff (Emmonak) 4, so. Sherilyn Johnson-Edwards (Emmonak) 3, and jr. Vernae Ramoth (Ambler) and sr. Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah) 2 apiece.
MEHS led 9-7 after eight minutes, 18-16 at half and 30-25 after three quarters. The teams were tied at 46 after regulation. The Lady Braves scored just 5 points in the extra time while giving up 12.
MEHS hit 8-15 at the free-throw line, Tikigaq 9-16. The Harpooners were led by 24 points from Bridget Oviok, who hit five shots from beyond the arch and was 7-8 from the charity stripe.
“I’ll take the heat for that one,” Forrester said. “I should have changed up our defensive rotation on her. I couldn’t get anybody to guard her the way she should have been guarded. We’re going to work on our defense for sure. I thought the whole tournament our defense was not as stellar as it should be. But again, first tournament, first games…”
Stats provided to the Sentinel by the Lady Braves showed that Sunny led with 5 defensive rebounds and 4 steals. Kameroff and sr. Sanora Bell (Yakutat) had 5 DRB apiece. Beans added 4 steals and Bell 1.
“I liked the fact that Autumn (Beans) stepped up,” Forrester said. “She was really nervous the first game and she normally will score some points for us. She really stepped up.”
Against Grace Christian, Kameroff had 17, Skaflestad and Beans 14 apiece, Bell 8, Sunny 4, and Johnson-Edwards 1.
MEHS led 13-12 after eight minutes, trailed 29-24 at the half, and led 38-33 starting the fourth quarter.
The Lady Braves hit 8-17 at the line, Grace 14-20. The Grizzlies were led by 23 points from Tessa Binder who had three deep shots and four inside, plus made four trips to the charity stripe. The Grizzlies’ Julia Tanner and Grace Salima added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
“Binder was hard to stop too,” Forrester said. “They had three girls in double digits, but when you get that many shots off, somebody is not playing defense like they should.”
Stats provided showed Bell and Kameroff leading with 5 DRB apiece, Beans, Skaflestad, and jr. Kayla Kashevarof (Anchorage) 2 each. Bell had 3 offensive RB, Skaflestad, Strom and Kameroff 2 each, Ramoth and Kashevarof 1 apiece.
Kameroff had 3 steals, Beans and Bell 2 apiece, Sunny, Skaflestad, and Johnson-Edwards 1 each. Bell took one offensive charge.
Kameroff led with 4 assists, Sunny 3, Beans, Bell and Skaflestad 2 each.
“We had Leticia (Skaflestad) step up for us,” Forrester said. “She is not really a big scorer but she does so much else on the court, defensively and offensively without the scoring part. When she scored 14 for us that was huge for her. I was pretty impressed.”
Skaflestad is in her second year at MEHS. Her scoring binge included two shots from beyond the arch.
Kameroff and Sunny were selected to the all-tournament team.
“The whole tournament Faith just stood out as being extra aggressive, attacking the basket, and doing amazing things that I’ve always known she was capable of doing the last three years,” Forrester said. “Catherine has a lot of energy. She controls the court well as a point guard and she hustles, that’s for sure. Some of the opposing coaches commented on how frustrating she is to play against.”
The Lady Braves are on Christmas break and will be in Ketchikan Jan. 11-2, to take on the Lady Kings.
“The break is a struggle for us,” Forrester said. “I give them workout sheets to get into a gym when they are away. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, but that is a lot of practice time missed.”
Last season the Lady Braves returned after a month and lost four straight games.
“They get out of shape,” Forrester said. “They regret it when they come back.”
Other local basketball action kicks off today as the Sitka Wolves and Lady Wolves host the Coastal Holiday Shootout. Teams and game times are: 3 p.m. Delta girls vs. Craig; 4:30 p.m. Delta boys vs. Craig; 6 p.m. Sitka girls vs. Thunder Mountain; 7:30 p.m. Sitka boys vs. Ketchikan JV.
