by Greg Lincoln
The Bethel Warrior boys hosted the Tanana Wolves on Friday night, January 7th, 2022 – the first game played at the WarriorDome since March 2020. Excited fans cheered for the return of basketball after a long couple years with no games and warmly welcomed the Tanana Wolves, a 1A team from the Golden Heart conference.
Folks in Tanana gathered at the Maudrey J. Sommer School to watch the games live and to cheer for their team.
Top scorers for the game on Friday for the Wolves was Savien Linnear with 17 and Peter Crow with 21 for the Warriors.
The score at the end of the first quarter was Tanana 19, Warriors 17. End of first half score was 29 Wolves, 25 Warriors. State champion wrestler Paul Dyment of Bethel scored three off the bench in the first half. The Warriors outscored the Wolves in the third quarter, sinking 12 to the Wolves’ 3.
The score was tied at 47-47 with the clock ticking away the last seconds in the last quarter. Tanana won when John Erhart swished a 3-point shot with an assist from Savien Linnear to win the game 50-47. Erhart sat most of the second half on the bench due to an injury but came back in to make the last shot in the fourth. The Wolves had only seven players and two fouled out in the last half. Tanana sunk seven 3 pointers during the game.
The Wolves players are all juniors and seniors and next year with only one eight grader coming up may not have enough to field a team.
The Warriors won the game on Saturday in single overtime, 56-55. Tanana played with only six. Wolves captain Linnear fired a three to start the game. Madden Cockroft of the Warriors answered back with his own three. The Warriors led at the end of first quarter, 13-10.
End of first half the score was tied at 23. The Warriors outscored the Wolves 17 to 6 in the third quarter. Mason Fitka and Peter Crow of Bethel both scored six in the third.
The score was tied at 50 at the end of regulation. In overtime Cockroft, Crow, and Fitka all sunk baskets to outscore the Wolves 6-5 and the game was won by the Warriors.
Linnear was top scorer of the game with 27. Crow of Bethel had 21.
The game was live streamed online by Bethel Regional High School and broadcasted on the radio by KYUK. The Bethel Warriors are coached by Eric Jung and the Tanana Wolves are coached by Tanner Winters. Emcee and game announcer for both games was Bethel’s Palmer Bailey.
Quyana, we thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone at the gym having a great time, see you again soon.
