The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship, this article —and all of this year’s Gold Medal coverage — is available online without a subscription to the Empire.
Hoonah put two-time defending Masters Bracket champions Kake into an early deficit and never looked back winning 80-23 in the opening day of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium.
Hoonah’s Joe Cornell (14), Andy Gray (23) and Albert Hinchman (22) defend Kake’s Ray Cornell (30) during Masters Bracket action at the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Hoonah jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind a pair of baskets each by Mark Prpich and Kenny Willard, another by Albert Hinchman and Michael Mills and dominated the boards on both ends to push the lead to 21-4 after the first 10 minutes of action.
Kamal Lindoff put 10 points in for Hoonah in the second quarter as they opened a 49-17 advantage at the the half.
Kake’s Rich Austin hit from deep in the second quarter and William Booth scored twice in close as the team put in their best effort offensively of the game with 13 points.
Kake stayed aggressive defensively throughout the second half but only put six points in the basket and Hoonah relied on their defensive pressure led by Louie White, Hinchman, Willard and Lindoff outside and Mills and Prpich inside to put a running clock into play.
Hoonah’s Mark Prpich (44) battles for a rebound with a Kake player during Masters Bracket action at the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
“After three years I was kind of shaky out there,” Louie White said. “It’s fun. I love to be back out here and doing it again. It is just as fun for me seeing people in the stands, seeing everyone… the atmosphere is back.”
Kake is the two-time defending Masters Bracket champions, winning 63-62 over Hoonah in 2018 and 75-64 over Klukwan in 2019.
Hoonah last won the Masters in 2017, an 80-75 victory over Kake.
“It is good to see people out there,” Kake coach Delbert Kadake said. “Win or lose, it was really nice to just see everybody. It has been three years. We’re just happy to be back.”
Lindoff led Hoonah with 22 points, Willard added 17, Hinchman 10, Mills eight, Prpich seven, Joe Cornell six, Adam Lee four, Gary Smith jr. three, Andy Gray two and James Jack Jr. one.
Hoonah hit 2-4 at the free throw line, Kake 0-0.
Booth led Kake with 8 points, Rich Austin five, Ben Cornell four, Tim James, Ray Cornell and Fred Wig two each.
