Sentinel Staff
After four days of non-stop basketball, teams were running low on icy hot, ice packs, and Gatorade but the Southeast Thunder women, and the Hydaburg, Wrangell and Fairbanks men all claimed championships in their respective divisions at the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball Tournament Saturday in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium.
Women’s Open Championship
Southeast Thunder 46, Juneau Monstarz 45
The Southeast Thunder and Juneau Monstarz provided one of the most exciting championship finals as they went down to the wire in a back-and-forth, full court, pressure fest.
Southeast held a 26-22 advantage at the break despite their top scorer, Mariah Simpkins, struggling to find her stroke. Simpkins also had the task of defending Juneau’s sharp-shooter Jualini “Nani” Weimer, holding the former Juneau-Douglas High School star to zero first half points with the defensive pressure help of teammate Kelsey Johnson.
Southeast Thunder’s Mariah Simpkins attempts a shot over Juneau Monstarz’ Jualani Weimer during the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball
Touranment Women’s Division championship in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium
on Saturday. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
Southeast got 5 first-half points from Crystal Blair, 5 from Simpkins, 4 from Christine McGraw and 8 from Breanne Erickson who totaled six of those from the free throw line.
Juneau relied on 7 points each from Mary Berry and Leroya Simmons and 6 from Danielle Larson to stay in the contest.
Juneau Monstarz’ Mary Berry (21) battles for a rebound with Southeast Thunder’s Christine McGraw (24) and Breanne Erickson (34) during the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball Touranment Women’s Division championship in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium on Saturday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Juneau started to build a lead in the second half as Weiner found her stroke with a deep three and Kendri Cesar added another, while Larson and Berry scored from inside.
The lead never was more than 5 points and Southeast stayed in the game as McGraw provided four baskets and Blair a deep corner shot.
Erickson hit from inside to give Southeast a 44-42 advantage with 55 seconds remaining but Weiner buried a triple for a 45-44 lead.
Southeast’s McGraw garnished a short shot for the 46-45 lead with just nine seconds left. After a time out Juneau’s Weiner got the call for the last shot but was hounded by Simpkins across half court and had to put up a long range jumper that fell off the front of the rim, giving Southeast the win.
McGraw led Southeast with 12 points, Blair, Simpkins, and Erickson 10 each, Johnson and Dianne Chong 2 each. The Thunder hit 12-19 at the charity stripe.
Berry led Juneau with 11 points, Larson 10, Simmons 9, Weimer 8, Cesar 3, Maria Weyhrauch and Mariah Martin 2 each. The Monstarz were 5-13.
Men’s Open Championship
Hydaburg 94, Metlakatla 91
Hydaburg and Metlakatla have met in the finals or semifinals since the beginning of the tournament’s history and Saturday’s title match was another classic.
Boosted by the tournament’s most dominant big man, Damon Bell-Holter, and one of the best defending guards, Jeb Phillips, Hydaburg jumped out to a 17-3 lead behind the afore mentioned as well as teammate Vinny Edenshaw’s perfect touch at the free throw line.
Hydaburg’s Damen Bell-Holter drives on Metlakatla’s Mason Hayward (23) during the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball Touranment
Men’s Open Division championship in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium
on Saturday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Metlakatla started to find success by Zach Mills, Mason Hayward and Bryan Hayward battling inside and drawing fouls on Bell-Holter.
Metlakatla inched back into the game and trailed 47-42 at the half.
Metlakatla’s Chris Bryant hit two deep triples for their first lead of the game at 53-51 and the two teams never let the score get bigger than 7.
With 4:14 remaining Bell-Holter hit a free throw to pull Hydaburg within 84-83 but Bryant countered with a free-throw.
Bell-Holter then hit a bucket for 85 and Metlakatla’s Z. Mills tied it up again.
Hydaburg’s Phillips and Metlakatla’s Bryant both added deep threes for an 88-88 score with 1:35 left. M. Hayward added a free-throw for the 89-88 Metlakatla lead.
With a minute remaining Bell-Holter was fouled on a made basket inside and hit the free throw for a 91-89 Hydaburg lead.
Mills then drew Bell-Holter’s fifth and final foul with 34 seconds left.
On the ensuing play Mills fouled out and Hydaburg’s TJ Young hit one of two free throws to keep Hydaburg ahead 92-89.
With 18 seconds left Metlakatla’s M. Hayward took advantage inside to draw Metlakatla to 92-91.
With 16 seconds left Edenshaw drew the final foul on Metlakatla’s Tristian Winter and hit two free throws for the 94-91 lead.
Klawock Old Totems’ Sid Edenshaw (31) and Dewey Skan watch the action during
the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball Tournament Masters Division
Championship on Saturday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Metlakatla’s Bryant missed a shot and the rebound was pulled down by Hydaburg’s Roger Trout who was fouled with 4 seconds left.
Trout missed both free throws and Metlakatla grabbed the rebound and a time out, drawing up a play at half court for Bryant. Hydaburg’s Phillips blanketed Bryant on the inbounds, forcing a long range jump shot that missed the mark.
Bell-Holter led Hydaburg with 36 points, Edenshaw 33, Phillips 16, Christian Nickerson 8, Young 1.
Bryant led Metlakatla with 32 points, M. Hayward 19, Mills 15, B. Hayward 13, Winter 7, Jason Enright 4, Beau Croisant 1.
Hydaburg hit 34-45 from the line, Metlakatla 15-26.
Masters Championship
Fairbanks 110, Klawock 73
Fairbanks took a 57-37 halftime advantage behind the sharpshooting of Warren Rosegreen and Jeff Sharnbroich, and Klawock tried to keep pace behind Jay Peterson’s sweet moves and Russ Steven’s inside muscle but the far north boys were never threatened as they pushed on to a 110-73 win.
Rosegreen led Fairbanks with 42 points, Brent Stranger 17, Sharnbroich and Ken Willard 16 each, Todd Poeg 8, Dave Russell 6, and Harry Harrison 5.
Peterson led Klawock with 30 points, Stevens 13, Greg Garcia 12, Michael Benson 8, Martin Svenson, Lloyd Davis and Syd Edenshaw 4 apiece.
Fairbanks hit 8-13 at the line, Klawock 13-20.
Men’s 37 Championship
Wrangell 101, Klukwan 67
Wrangell used an early three-point barrage by Dave Clark, Keith Young and Kevin Young to take an early advantage over Klukwan. Klukwan kept pace with Jesse McGraw, Andrew Friske and Chris Leesberg, but Wrangell’s Lieudell Goldsberry and Clark added another binge to push out to a 50-39 lead at the half.
Clark came out of the break with three shots from beyond the arch in a row and Keith Young added 4 of his own from deep as the Stikine River boys were too much to handle in the 101-67 win.
Wrangell was led by Keith Young’s 22 points, Clark 21, Steve George 12, Goldsberry 11, Jake Nettleton and Kevin Young 10 each, Rich Krupa 6, Kurt Young 5, Syd Ewbanks and Archie Young 2 each.
Wrangell’s Jake Nettleton has his shot contested by Klukwan’s Andrew
Friske and Pat Crenna (32) during the Mt. Edgecumbe
Invitational Adult Basketball Touranment Men’s 37 and older Division championship in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium on Saturday.
Friske led Klukwan with 17, Leesberg 14, McGraw 12, Jimmy Jensen 10, Gary Smith 8, Michael Gainey 6.
Wrangell hit 22-28 at the line, Klukwan 6-16.
Tournament Awards
Super Fan Award: Rose Demmert
Most Inspirational Player: Zach Kline - Wrangell
Tournament Most Inspirational Player Wrangell’s Zach Kline, the tournament’s Most Inspirational Player, is defended by Hydaburg’s Jeb Phillips as Wrangell’s Keith Young sets a screen on Hydaburg’s Vinny Edenshaw and Christian Nickerson during the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Adult Basketball
Tournament. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Iron Man Officials: Kory Hansen, Sean Wathen, John Wathen, Moose Sims, Keith Perkins.
Men’s Open MVP: Damon Bell-Holter - Hydaburg.
Men’s Open All Tournament: Hydaburg’s Gage Ivanoff, Vinny Edenshaw; Metlakatla’s Jason Enright, Bryan Hayward, Mason Hayward, Chris Bryant; A&W’s Jaylin Prince; Wrangell’s Dave Clark, Archie Young; Yakutat’s Billy Brown; Sitka ANB’s Oscar Barragan; Kake’s Tracy Jackson.
Women’s MVP: Christine McGraw - SE Thunder.
Women’s All Tournament: SE Thunder’s Mariah Simpkins, Crystal Blair, Kelsie Johnson; Juneau’s Mary Berry, Danielle Larson, Jualani Weimer; POW’s Cassie Williams, Natalie Turner.
Men’s 37+ MVP: Dave Clark - Wrangell.
Men’s 37+ All Tournament: Wrangell’s Steve George, Jake Nettleton, Keith Young; Metlakatla’s Richie Hayward, Willie Hayward; Klukwan’s Jesse McGraw, Andrew Friske; Sitka Lucy O’s Ishmael Andrew.
Men’s 45+ MVP: Warren Rosegreen - Fairbanks.
Men’s 45+ All Tournament: Fairbank’s Brent Stranger, Ken Willard, Jeff Sharnbroich; Klawock’s Lloyd Davis, Jay Peterson, Sid Edenshaw; Metlakatla’s Roger Mckean, Steve Booth; Sitka Harry Race’s Harry Bradley; Shee Atika’s Sean Joslyn.
