By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The first “battle of the bridge” basketball bragging rights of the season wasn’t decided until the final minute of action in the B.J. McGillis Field House on Tuesday, and the scales tipped in the direction of the visiting Sitka Lady Wolves as they went toe-to-toe in a physical 52-42 win over the host Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves.
MEHS and Sitka players pursue a loose ball during Tuesday’s action in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium. From left, sophomore Autumn Beans (20), senior Joei Vidad (5), junior Tiffany Elefante (3), junior Maggie Miller (42), seniors Abby Forrester, Sanora Bell (30), Tyra Brown (33) and freshman Chloe Morrison.
The back-and-forth contest, similar to boxers exchanging jabs and roundhouse punches in that each move was countered by the opponent’s experience, and the knockout shot was still not enough to keep the other side down.
“Any time we’re playing across the bridge we know it’s going to be a fight to the end,” Sitka coach Sondra Lundvick said. “We always anticipate a really good game and a really physical game. Those are all good things because when you go play up north I don’t think it gets any more physical than tonight. It is always good preparation. I think there are two really good teams down here and I hope we both get to go.”
Mt. Edgecumbe sophomore Autumn Beans (St. Marys) scored off the opening tip, and the Lady Braves pressured Sitka into a turnover that senior Sanora Bell (Yakutat) put off the glass for another score.
“I feel like that game could have gone either way,” Bell said. “Our fouls really got to us, so we really know what to do next time. It was a nice, fun physical game. It was probably the best we have played on both ends of the court this whole season. I’m really proud of every one. We are learning what is holding us back, like our fouls held us back this game. In past games our defense hasn’t been great, but in this game it got better. We keep getting better each game so I am excited to see how we play by regionals.”
Mt. Edgecumbe suffered their first blow just seconds into the game, however, as sr. Faith Kameroff (Emmonak) collided with Sitka sr. Jessica Davis and was helped off the court, done for the night.
“It’s pretty hard sometimes,” Davis said. “Like today, I hit heads with her and she was out the rest of the game. I don’t know how that happened.”
Sitka senior Jessica Davis (45) dribbles between Mt. Edgecumbe sophomore Autumn Beans (20) and junior Maggie Miller (42) during the Lady Wolves 52-42 win over the Lady Braves on the B.J. McGillis court.
Sitka sr. teammate Joei Vadad added, “I don’t think Jessica realizes how strong she is.”
Strength aside, Sitka didn’t find the basket until the five-minute mark when sr. Abby Forrester hit from the charity stripe, freshman Chloe Morrison inside, and junior Tiffany Elefante from both the line and the field to take a 7-5 lead.
“I try to keep my team on fire,” Elefante said. “Keep their energy up and just keep screaming at them and hustling.”
Sitka junior Tiffany Elefante (3) is fouled by Mt. Edgecumbe senior Brystel Charlie (24) during the Lady Wolves 52-42 win over the Lady Braves in the B.J. McGillis Fieldhouse on Tuesday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Both teams’ full-court pressed when they had the opportunity and Sitka led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter. The Lady Wolves also had 6 turnovers to the Lady Braves 5.
Vidad opened the second quarter with a quick bucket for Sitka but was answered by MEHS sr. Catherine Sunny (Nightmute) deep behind the arch. After an Elefante free throw gave Sitka a 15-12 advantage, MEHS’ Beans tied the game with another deep shot.
The remainder of the quarter saw the Lady Braves manage a basket each from sr. Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah) and sr. Elizabeth Allen (Dillingham) while Sitka’s Vidad struck from long range, and Forrester, fr. Tawny Smith, and Sr. Shaye Jensen found a basket and free throws to lead 26-19 at the half.
Sitka would hit 19-25 at the charity stripe for the game, Mt. Edgecumbe just 4-8. The Lady Wolves had just 8 fouls, while the Lady Braves were whistled 22 times.
“I feel like every day we emphasize that we always have to expect each team is going to be physical,” Vidad said. “We practice that every single day with our Be Tough drills, so I feel like the level of physicality doesn’t really faze us that much since we practice it. I feel like we’re used to playing against physical teams.”
Sitka’s Davis opened the third quarter with a basket inside and Vidad and Elefante hit back-to-back three pointers while Mt. Edgecumbe sr. Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk) and Beans scored off defensive pressure.
Charlie led the back court of the Lady Braves, trying to slow down Sitka’s speedy Vidad, Elefante and Smith.
“It’s kind of like a practice,” Charlie said. “We have other games to follow but what will really count is regionals. We will just continue to improve and get better.”
Mt. Edgecumbe senior Tyra Brown (33) shoots as Sitka seniors Jessica Davis (45) Shaye Jensen, Joei Vidad (5), Abby Forrester (23) and freshman
Tawny Smith (1) defend during Tuesday’s 52-42 Lady Braves’ loss to the Lady Wolves in the B.J. McGillis Fieldhouse.
Sitka had its largest lead of 12 points, 37-25, after two Morrison free throws with seconds left in the third quarter, but Mt. Edgecumbe sr. Tyra Brown (Chevak) scored her second basket of the stanza for a 37-27 deficit with one quarter remaining.
Mt. Edgecumbe jr. Maggie Miller (Nome) turned up her intensity in the fourth quarter, getting a rebound and hitting Sunny outside the arch, scoring on her own rebound, and whipping another outlet pass to Bell, who put up a runner off the glass to close the Lady Braves to within three points, 37-34.
“I just kind of play the game,” Miller said. “I like to play basketball, but this is also my first time playing Sitka. I think I do know them a little bit better now. I’m happy we got to play and we all stayed really positive and just played our game.”
Davis found a basket inside for Sitka and Miller another free throw for Edgecumbe as the teams exchanged pressure defense, turnovers, and fouls.
Miller would score and be fouled to close the gap to 42-38 with three minutes left but Sitka’s Elefante was left all alone under the basket and pushed the lead back to six.
Sitka’s Smith then hit a pair of free throws that would keep the Lady Wolves safely in the lead.
Forrester connected on 9 points in the last four minutes of the game, including hitting 7-8 from the charity stripe with under two minutes remaining as she kept the tempo of the game from getting out of control.
“Just holding on to the ball,” Forrester said. “Keeping it secure. Slowing it down and waiting for them to come at you.”
The pressure took its toll on Edgecumbe as both Bell and Charlie began a succession of personal fouls that had them use up their alloted five apiece and be relegated to the bench. With under a minute to play Forrester finished the game with six straight charity stripe shots for the 52-42 final. Each time she earned a trip to the line the loyal Sitka fans who traveled across the bridge chanted “M.V.P., M.V.P.”
“They did it for multiple of us,” Forrester said. “The whole team.”
Sitka was led by Forrester’s 17 points, Elefante added 10, Vidad and Morrison 8 apiece, Davis 4, Jensen 3, and Smith 2. Forrester had 7 rebounds and Morrison 6. Vidad had 3 steals, Elefante 2 and Smith 1.
Beans scored 9 points for Mt. Edgecumbe, Bell and Miller 7 apiece, Sunny 6, Allen 5, Brown 4, Skaflestad and Charlie 2 apiece. Bell had 8 rebounds, Brown 4 and Sunny 3. Charlie had 4 steals, Sunny 3 and Bell 2.
Mt. Edgecumbe coach Kathy Forrester acknowledged a key member of the opposition, and her family, Sitka forward Abby Forrester.
“Well, I know my daughter will be happy tonight so that’s a plus,” she said. “I can go home and be happy for her. But I feel a little frustration. We have a pretty big team but we’re not utilizing that.”
Coach Forrester said the Lady Braves have been hesitant in the first half of games and she would like to see the physicality of their second half a little sooner.
“We try to get them to do that right away but sometimes it takes a little bit for them to get the nerve to actually make any kind of contact,” she said. “As the games go by hopefully they will understand that they can start from the beginning of the game and we’ll be more successful. Sitka has a lot of weapons... I have to figure out a way to stop my own daughter, and Joei (Vidad), and Tiffany (Elefante)... they’ve got a good team. They just do. They’ve been playing together for a long time and we haven’t, so that’s a task we’re trying to deal with. It’s hard but our team has a lot of heart and will work on their intensity.”
Sitka coach Lundvick said her players responded well to the physical, yet tactical, contest.
“The game was just as expected,” Lundvick said. “I think we have great senior leadership and, I say again, we’re still gelling as a group, coming back together like this. I think last weekend was good to build on, tonight was good to build on and so we just hope to get a little momentum going into this weekend. Get better in February and get ready for March and play smart.”
Following is this week’s home basketball action:
Today - 7 p.m., Sitka boys host Lathrop; Thursday - 6 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe girls host Homer/ 7 p.m., Sitka boys host Lathrop/ 7:30 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe boys host Homer; Friday - 5:30 p.m., Sitka girls host Homer/ 6 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe boys host Lathrop/ 7 p.m., Sitka boys host Homer/ 7:30 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe girls host Ketchikan; Saturday - 5:30 p.m., Sitka boys host Homer/ 6 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe girls host Ketchikan/ 7 p.m., Sitka girls host Homer/ 7:30 p.m., Mt. Edgecumbe boys host Lathrop.
The Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka cheer teams wait for action to resume during the Sitka Lady Wolves 52-42 win over the Lady Braves in the B.J. McGillis Fieldhouse
on Tuesday. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
