<\/a>Hoonah’s Nevaeh Campbell (24) is fouled by Scammon Bay’s CJ Kaganak (12) and Dory Cholok (5) during the Braves 25-20 win over the Eagles in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Kake’s Rodney Moler hit a shot past the arc to start the game and the Thunderbirds would never trail after.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Kake’s Aiden Clark and Moler continued the scoring binge with help from Talen Davis and Zackery Hanson, and the Thunderbirds had a 21-9 lead after eight minutes.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Kake would lead 28-17 at the half as King Cove’s Michael Gould scored eight points, but the Thunderbirds outrebounded the T-Jacks 22-14 in the first half. King Cove had 13 turnovers under Kake’s five steal pressure and the Thunderbirds had an uncharacteristic 10 turnovers in the first half.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The pattern of the game was in full display to start the second half as Kake had possession first, called a sideline jump shot play for Moller who hit nothing but net past the arc and Clark would garnish three rebounds in a row as the Thunderbirds began to own the glass.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“We just try to box out as hard as we can and grab as many as we can,” Clark said. “This game means a lot. It gives us a lot of energy going forward, especially since they put our undefeated season to a halt last year in the final. We lost our record so now we are trying to start it up again in this state championship. Our defensive intensity was key and then everybody just crashing rebounds and trying to get as many offensive boards as we can.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Clark would grab and offensive rebound and score, the Kake press would allow Xzavier Munoz-Torres to lay in a score, Jackson and Clarke found rebound scores and the run continued into a 45-28 lead after three quarters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
King Cove’s Brennen Larsen, M. Gould and Seyler Gould pulled the T-Jacks to 47-34 with 5:20 remaining but Moler, Jackson and T. Davis pushed the Thunderbirds into a closing run for the 61-41 final.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
During the runs the bench would provide just as much power as the starting five and were encouraged by their upperclassmen throughout.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“That is just a testament to our leadership,” coach Ross said. “Our main thing is win. Stats don’t really matter, the only thing that matters to the guys is that win-loss column. The guys buy into that, we bought into that as a team and as long as we win that is the only thing that matters.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Jackson led Kake with 22 points, T. Davis 12, Moler nine, Clark eight, Devin Aceveda four, Hanson, Munoz-Torres and Wyatt Kadake two each.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/a>Hoonah’s Easton Ross (11) dribbles past Scammon Bay’s Peyton White (22) during the Braves 25-20 win over the Eagles in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
The Thunderbirds hit 6-8 from the free throw line, had 41 rebounds and 19 turnovers.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“Our defense was key tonight,” coach Ross said. “We have some things to clean up on offense, 19 turnovers is way too many for us, but our defense is a staple of who we are.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Jackson led with 11 boards, Clark seven, Moler five, T. Davis four, Munoz-Torres and Tyler Davis three apiece, Hanson, Josiah Jackson and Aceveda two each and Wyatt Kadake one. Talen Davis had three steals, Moler, K. Jackson and Kadake two apiece.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
M. Gould led King Cove with 16 points, Larsen added 12, Riley Wilson eight, Logan Iyapana and S. Gould two apiece and Robert Thompson one. The T-Jacks hit 1-5 at the free throw line, had 20 team rebounds and 22 turnovers. Larson led the T-Jacks with 10 boards and Wilson led with three steals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Kake advances to play in a 6:15 p.m. quarterfinal on Thursday against Shishmaref, a 57-55 winner over Buckland. King Cove falls into the consolation bracket.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
HOONAH 25, SCAMMON BAY 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The 11th-seeded Hoonah girls were in a see-saw battle in their morning contest against sixth-seeded Scammon Bay before the Braves bested the Eagles 25-20.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “We got that first one out of the way,” Hoonah coach Marlene Duvall said. “We battled through it. We just knew over time if we just stuck with it we would come out the victor, and we did.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Braves led early with scores by junior Chloe Lane and freshman Nevaeh Campbell, but the Eagles jumped out to a 9-3 advantage until sophomore Jora Savland scored to close the first quarter at 9-5.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Hoonah jumped out to a 14-9 lead as Savland, freshman Jenna Jack and sophomore Easton Ross provided the firepower. Ross would pick up her fourth foul with a minute remaining in the half.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Scammon Bay fought back to close the halftime score to 16-14 Hoonah. The Braves had 22 first-half rebounds to the Eagles 11. Hoonah had 15 turnovers, Scammon Bay 13.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Kake’s Talen Davis (3) defends King Cove’s Riley Wilson (3) during the Thunderbirds 61-41 win over the T-Jacks in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t “We committed to controlling the boards was the way to control the outcome of the game and they really did that,” Duvall said. “Didn’t get in a lot of foul trouble. We just chipped away, one possession at a time.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t A buzzer-beating shot by Savland past the arc was the highlight of a slow third quarter that saw Hoonah take a 24-16 lead and the Braves began to up their defensive pressure in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t While Scammon Bay worked back into the game to trail 24-20 with 1:41 remaining Hoonah pulled the ball out and worked the clock.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Braves’ Savland was rewarded with a free throw with 27 seconds remaining that iced the game 25-20 as the Eagles could not retain the ball down the stretch.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “I’m really just hoping we get to the second one and have good games from here on,” Savland said after the game. “Passing the ball, moving it around, dishing the ball were key for us.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Savland led Hoonah with 10 points, Jenna Jack five, Ross and Paige Woitte three apiece, Chloe Lane two, Ava Hinchman and Campbell one apiece. Campbell had 11 rebounds, Lane 10 and Savland eight to lead the Braves. Savland also had seven steals. Hoonah finished 43 rebounds and 22 turnovers.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Braves hit 6-17 from the free throw line, the Eagles 1-4, none in the second half.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Kake’s Aiden Clark (25) passes around King Cove’s Brennen Larsen during the Thunderbirds 61-41 win over the T-Jacks in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Aayla Sağanak led Scammon Bay with seven points, CJ Kaganak five, Peyton White four, Alexandra Tunutmoak and DaisyMae Tunutmoak two apiece. The Eagles finished with 31 rebounds and 19 turnovers.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Hoonah advances to a 3:15 p.m. quarterfinal on Thursday against the winner of Shaktoolik and Emmonak. Scammon Bay falls into the consolation bracket.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t SKAGWAY 71, DAVIS RAMOTH 78 OT<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The seventh-seeded Skagway Panthers brought a tenacious defense and a fast-breaking offense to their opening game in the state tournament. But they fell in overtime to 14th-seeded Davis Ramoth Wolves who put up 73 shots and played the averages from past the arc despite the full-court defensive pressure.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “That’s kind of what we do,” Skagway coach Ross Barrett said. “We never give up. That’s what we take a lot of pride in. From start to finish we work hard and do everything we can. In a game like that it really comes down to a few little things, a few little possessions. We clean up those little things and we get the next game.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway’s Royce Borst dunks as Davis Ramoth’s Cameron Sheldon (33) looks on in the Panthers’ 78-71 overtime loss to the Wolves Thursday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway led by nine points, 57-49, with 2:38 remaining in the fourth quarter of regulation, but Davis Ramoth clawed back with shots by Brennen Stalker and Eric Hingsbergen to close to five points, 57-54<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t A Skagway free throw by Landon Rodig was followed by a Davis Ramoth score by Hingsbergen to close to three points 59-56.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Panthers pulled the ball out and forced the Wolves to foul, but Skagway went just 3-12 from the charity stripe to lead 61-58 as Davis Ramoth could not capitalize.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t A missed Skagway free throw was rebounded by Davis Ramoth’s Cameron Sheldon and with 2.1 seconds in the stanza Ralph Stalker hit from past the arc to tie the game at 61-61. Skagway would miss a desperation shot and the game would need four extra minutes to decide the winner.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Davis Ramoth won the tip and Hanshaw hit from past the arc for the 64-61 lead.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway’s Royce Borst tied the score with two free throws, but the Wolves went on a 9-0 run with seven points coming from B. Stalker for a 73-64 lead.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Panthers Borst hit two free throws and a shot in the key to close to 73-68 with 27.5 seconds remaining, but now Skagway was forced to foul and Davis Ramoth would hit 5-6 from the line to close out the game. Borst hit a last-second shot past the arc to pull to 78-71.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway’s Ryder Calver (5) and Landon Rodig (12) defend Davis Ramoth’s Ralph Stalker (10) in the Panthers’ 78-71 overtime loss to the Wolves Thursday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway’s Camden Lawson scored the first basket of the game, but Davis Ramoth answered with two shots past the arc by R. Stalker and Hanshaw and would work to a 17-12 lead after eight minutes.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway went on a 12-4 run to open the second quarter for a 24-22 lead and would battle for a 34-29 halftime advantage.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Neither team would give up more than two baskets in a row until Davis Ramoth hit two shots past the arc from Hanshaw and R. Stalker, and a rebound score by Hingsbergen to close to 46-43 after three quarters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway opened the fourth quarter on a 9-3 run for a 55-46 lead with 2:41 left in the fourth stanza. Two free throws by the Wolves’ Hanshaw closed the score to 55-49 and started the exchange that would force overtime.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “There’s a quote, ‘You either win or you learn,’ and that’s what we’re going to do from this,” coach Barrett said. “We’re going to take this as a learning experience, move on and get to the next game, clean up the little things and get back to what we do.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Borst led Skagway with 30 points, C. Lawson added 18, Rodig 17, Malcolm Lawson four and Kaleb Cochran two. Cochran led with six assists. The Panthers had 32 rebounds. Rodig led with 10 rebounds, Borst seven, Cochran five, C. Lawson five, Ryder Calver three and M. Lawson two.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The Panthers hit 8-19 at the free throw line, the Wolves 9-12.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway’s Kaleb Cochran (1) drives past Davis Ramoth’s Gavin Hanshaw (3) in the Panthers’ 78-71 overtime loss to the Wolves Thursday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A\/2A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Klas Stolpe \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Hanshaw led Davis Ramoth with 28 points, B. Stalker added 26, R. Stalker 14 and Hingsbergen 10. Hingsbergen grabbed 13 rebounds and B. Stalker 10.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway had 16 turnovers, Davis Ramoth 17. The Panthers had seven steals, the Wolves nine.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Skagway falls into a 7:45 p.m. Thursday consolation bracket game while Davis Ramoth advances to a 7:45 p.m. quarterfinal against Cook Inlet Academy.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t KLAWOCK 16, AKIUK 33<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The fifth-seeded Klawock Lady Chieftains fell to the 12th-seeded Akiuk Grizzlies 33-16.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “I am proud of them,” Klawock coach Joseph Sanderson said. “They played hard. They played through a lot of the fouls. It just wasn’t in us today. We didn’t play like we should have.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Klawock was in a low-scoring battle in the first quarter, but behind seniors Lea Amour and Kaiya Marvin held a 9-3 lead after eight minutes of action.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>