Partway through the second half of the Kake-Angoon Masters semifinal Friday afternoon, Rich Austin caught a break.
Standing just outside the 3-point line, Angoon mistakenly passed him the ball. His ensuing 3-pointer missed everything, but Kake teammate Jay Peterson was quick to greet him with a laugh and encouraging words at half court. The scene captured the camaraderie on display every time the Kake Masters team took the floor in the Gold Medal Tournament as they cruised to a 94-67 win.
“Keep shooting,” Peterson reported telling him. “Shooters keep shooting.”
Kake, with its six Gold Medal Hall of Fame members, was set to take on Hoonah in the championship Saturday.
“We like building as the week goes on and growing as a team, and it’s special to get our guys — all our guys — in there to get a few shots,” Peterson said, who led all Kake scorers with 26 points.
Fellow Hall of Famers Nick and Lloyd Davis combined for 36 points for Kake.
Angoon’s Frank Jack scored 27 points for Angoon, which will have to wait at least another year for its first Masters championship.
Kake used its speed and passing to jump out to an early lead. Angoon couldn’t capitalize on its opponents’ occasionally reckless passing and trailed 48-32 at halftime.
With six minutes remaining in the game, Kake’s lead had grown to 27, the amount it would eventually win the game by.
“[We] always come out with our fire power and just play our best; play our game,” said Peterson of how he approached the semifinal match. “If we play our game, it’s hard to beat us.”
Hoonah 56, Yakutat 53
Hoonah’s semifinal win over Kake Friday afternoon was something of a foreshadowing. In the six hours that followed the match, Hoonah’s B Team would also advance to its respective championship game on Saturday.
Mariah Martin scored 14 points in the second half to guide her team to the close victory. Yakutat’s Fraker sisters combined for 35 points in the loss.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
Yakutat’s Nadine Fraker attempts to steal the ball from Hoonah’s Mariah Martin in their Womens Bracket game in the Lions Club’s Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at Juneau-Douglas High School on Friday, March 24, 2017. Hoonah won 56-53. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Hoonah’s Melissa Fisher lifts teammate Taryn White in celebration of their win over Yakutat in their Womens Bracket game in the Lions Club’s Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at Juneau-Douglas High School on Friday, March 24, 2017. Hoonah won 56-53. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
