By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The ultimate team player chose the right game to be the ultimate scorer.
Sitka High senior Austin Morrison scored a game – and career – high 29 points as the Wolves rallied from a three quarter deficit to defeat the Craig Panthers 66-53 on Friday during the Coastal Holiday Shootout at Sitka High.
“I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Morrison said. “I couldn’t do it without our guards pulling the defense out and then getting me the ball.”
Sitka senior Austin Morrison scores against Craig Panthers during the Coastal Holiday Shootout Friday at Sitka High. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
The game started with the Panthers doing the pulling, and pushing, as sr Gabe Almenzor and juniors Tim Benolken and John Mckinley and sophomore Julius Mackie combined for 14 first quarter points.
Sitka seniors CJ Taccad and John Arce found early buckets but nothing was gelling for the Wolves in the first minutes defensively. That was when Morrison got the call off the bench.
Known for being more of a rebounder, stopper, and all-around hustler, Morrison received a pass in a post position and turned a little jump hook in for two points and added another as Sitka finished with eight in the stanza.
Taccad hit a deep shot in the second quarter to keep the Panthers honest and Morrison was given the ball three straight trips, hitting a basket and going to the free throw line for three more points. Junior Asa Demmert and sr. Aedon Dumag got on the books as well.
Craig continued their hot first half with Almenzor tallying 9 points but the Wolves’ put Benolken on the bench with three fouls and worked to a 31-22 deficit at the half.
Sitka exploded in the second half of play with Dumag and jr. Mason Eubanks hitting from deep which opened up the middle for Morrison to feast inside with four more buckets.
Sitka junior Mason Eubanks (2) splits the defense of Craig Panthers Lewis House (23) and John Mckinley (34) during the Coastal Holiday Shootout on Friday at Sitka High.. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Defensively the Wolves gave Benolken his fourth foul and rallied back to 42-41 with one stanza to play.
The Wolves were too aggressive full court for the Panthers in the last eight minutes and hit 25 points. Morrison accounted for 12, including one from beyond the arch, and six more players contributed in a team effort that impressed the coaching staff.
“The boys didn’t panic in the first half,” Sitka head coach Jarrett Hirai said. “They fought back and showed some guts. I am hoping each game someone different will give us a spark, either from a starter or off the bench. Austin was our spark that night. He did a good job getting open shots and his teammates capitalized on those opportunities. It was a good team effort that night.”
Sitka hit 16-23 at the line, Craig 9-19. Morrison had 29 points and 8 rebounds, Taccad 9 points, Dumag 8, Eubanks 7, sr. Garrison Lass 5, Arce 4, L. Nelson 3, and jr. Asa Demmert 2. The Wolves had 24 assists unofficially and 27 rebounds. Sitka hit 6-16 at the line, Craig 9-19.
Almenzor led Craig with 23 points, Benolken added 13, sr. Lewis House 5, so. Calvin Heath 4, sr. Cooper Mikylecky and Mckinley 3 apiece, and Mackie 2.
On Saturday the Wolves faced the tournament undefeated Delta Huskies and fell 57-43.
Sitka got off to a slow start, falling behind 11-5 after eight minutes as Delta senior Omar Powers found his long range game, and so. Ben Bialik, sr. Cale Durham and sr. Aeron Mills worked inside. Sitka matched Delta shot for shot in the second stanza as sr. Gavin Flores, Taccad, Arce and Miller found the net and the Wolves trailed 29-21 at the half.
“I was happy with our energy throughout the game,” Hirai said. “We had a few mental breakdowns both on offense and defense that hurt us. Delta did a good job packing their defense inside and we had a difficult time finding the shots we wanted to take. We didn’t shoot particularly well and we were settling for outside shots.”
The Huskies outscored the Wolves 13-8 in the third quarter and led 42-29 starting the final stanza. Juniors Gavin Flores and Miller hit from deep in the final quarter and the Wolves increased their pressure but Delta was perfect from the line down the stretch to keep momentum.
Flores led Sitka with 12 points, Arce and Lewis added 9 apiece, Taccad 6, Eubanks 4, Dumag 2, and Lass 1. The Wolves were 7-19 at the line.
Powers led the Huskies with 14 points, sr. Ryan Zarecki 12, Bialik 9, sr. Maksim Kilimnick 8, Durham and so. Austin Durham 5 apiece, Mills and jr. Drenen Magee 2 apiece. The Huskies hit 13-18 from the line.
FRIDAY SCORES:
Delta 72, KTN JV 27
The Delta Huskies overpowered the Ketchikan JV 72-27 with a strong showing on the boards, taking a 35-9 advantage in rebounds.
The Huskies put up 25 points in the first quarter to KTN’s 15. While Delta would continue their hefty scoring in the second period, the JV only could put two points in the books and trailed 47-17 at the half. Delta led 59-22 starting the final stanza.
The Huskies were led by 14 points apiece from Austin Durham and Ben Bialik, Omar Powers added 12, Drenen Magee 9, Maksim Kilimnick 8, Ryan Zarecki 7, Cale Durham 6, and Aeron Mills 3. The Kings JV got 10 points from Josh Gentry, Arthur Williams 8, Besjan Kamberi and Tyson Fousel 3 apiece, Max Malouf 2, and Tyler Slick 1.
SATURDAY SCORES:
KTN JV 55, Sitka JV 49
Ketchikan led 14-11 after eight minutes, 30-22 at the half, and 48-37 starting the final stanza.
Kamberi led the KTN JV with 15 points, Fousel 13, Gentry 8, Williams 7, Slick 5, Lapinski 3, and Malouf 1. SIT JV were led by 12 points from Liam Miller, Pearson 8, Webb 7, Diego 5, Roy 5, Saline 4, Bartlett 4, Harris 4. Sitka hit 10-17 from the line, KTN 15-27.
KTN JV 70, Craig 69
KTN led 24-17 after eight minutes, 47-38 at the half, and 59-55 starting the final stanza. KTN hit 5-7 at the line, Craig 16-22. Slick and Gentry topped KTN with 16 points apiece, Kamburi added 15, Malouf 6, Fousel 6, Garcia 6. Craig’s Benolken had a game high 24 points, Almezor added 16 for the Panthers, McKinley 13, House 7, Patten 5, and Heath 4.
