Edgecumbe and Nome boys advance to semifinals in State 3A basketball tourney

by Delta Discovery Staff

The Mount Edgecumbe Braves boys team defeated the Kotzebue Huskies in opening action at the 3A State Basketball tournament on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

Nome Nanooks beat the Delta Junction Huskies in opening action at the 3A State Basketball tournament on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

The Mount Edgecumbe Braves boys team defeated the Kotzebue Huskies and the Nome Nanooks beat the Delta Junction Huskies in opening action at the 3A State Basketball tournament on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

The games were played at Colony High School in Palmer, AK. The 3A girls and 4A boys and girls tournaments were also happening simultaneously at other venues – Palmer and Wasilla high schools.

The tournaments are usually held at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

For the Edgecumbe/Kotzebue game, the Braves had the lead the entire game. End of 1^st quarter the score was 17-9.

At the start of the 2^nd quarter, Frederick Myer of the MEHS Braves made a steal and scored 2 points right off the bat. Captain Ronald Alstrom-Beans of the Braves followed suit with a 3 pointer. The Braves put on a nice full court press on the Huskies in the second quarter.

The Kotzebue Huskies’ Gage Swanson made a nice inbound pass to a teammate under the basket who made 2 points and was fouled followed by a free throw. End of 2^nd quarter score: 37-16.

End of third quarter was 50-26. Coach Archie Young’s Braves all got courttime on the floor. The final score was 68-35.

Players of the Game were recognized after end of regulation. For Kotzebue it was #4 Aiden Ivanoff and for the Braves it was #21 Ronald Alstrom-Beans. Cheerleader of the game was Amber for the Kotzebue Huskies.

The Nome Nanooks took on the Delta Junction Huskies, defeating them 67-39. Both teams showed good passing on the court. Austin Durham of Delta made a steal in the first quarter. Nome’s Dawson Schaeffer blocked a Delta shot, then sunk a 3. Lukas Hilton made a steal for the Huskies with 3 minutes to go in the quarter. Schaeffer thwarted a Delta pass and the ball went out of bounds. End of 1 quarter score: 10 Nome, 4 Delta.

The second quarter had fans out of their seats. Delta’s Benjamin Bialik made a steal at the 3 minute mark. Nome answered back with a fast break for 2 points. Durham blocked a Nome shooter then there was a three way tussle for the ball on the floor. Delta got a call for goaltending with 1:25 left on the clock. Durham steals the ball at 1:10 and Nome gets called for two back to back fouls. Joelniel Gonzales of Delta deflects a Nome pass. Bialik gets a rebound on the offensive and puts it right back up for 2. The score end of 2^nd quarter is 44 Nome,25 Delta Junction.

In fourth quarter action Delta makes a nice save keeping the ball in play. Steven Fredrics of the Huskies loses a shoe but that doesn’t stop him, he brings the ball down the court before putting his shoe back on. Nome’s Richard Cross steals the ball then Delta’s Durham makes a three pointer. Two jump balls in a row are called after the 2 minute mark in the last quarter. The final score: Nome Nanooks 67, Delta Junction Huskies 39.

Players of the Game are: Benjamin Bialik of Delta and Dawson Schaeffer of Nome. Cheerleader of the Game for Nome is Carisse Evans.

The gym is sanitized after each game and fans are asked to excuse themselves while the gym is being cleaned. Everyone is asked to wear a mask.