The Bethel Lady Warriors, the Barrow Lady Whalers, the Nome Nanooks, and the Barrow Whalers have earned berths to the 2023 State 3A basketball tournament in Anchorage, March 22 – 25.
The Bethel Lady Warriors defeated the #2 seed Nome Lady Nanooks in the opening round. They lost to the #1 seed Barrow Lady Whalers in the championship game. In the game for true second, the Lady Warriors defeated the Lady Nanooks a second time to secure one of two berths to the State 3A tournament in Anchorage to start on March 22nd.
Briella Herron scored 16 for the Lady Warriors. Her teammate Allie Alexie sank 13. Kyana Harpak, Malinda Simon, and Isabel Lieb also scored. Seven players for the Lady Nanooks made baskets with Taylor Gorn leading with 12 points. They tied the score at one point in the fourth quarter with the Lady Warriors.
The Lady Warriors were victorious for their last home game of the season, the final score was 45-39.
They will be up against the #1 seed Grace Christian on March 22nd at the State 3A Basketball Championships in Anchorage.
2023 3A Western Conference Basketball Tournament Awards
March 10-11, 2023 at Bethel, Alaska
Cheer Awards
1st Place: Cheer Squad: Bethel Warriors
2nd Place Cheer Squad: Nome-Beltz Nanooks
Cheer Sportsmanship: Kotzebue Huskies
Cheer Academic Award: Bethel Warriors – 3.60
Cheerleaders All-Tournament Team
Victoria Gray – Nome-Beltz Nanooks
Nikyla Gueco – Barrow Whalers
Polley Hulley – Kotzebue Huskies
GeeSu Jang – Bethel Warriors
Jordan Klejka – Bethel Warriors
Kyley Twito – Bethel Warriors
Basketball Team Awards
Girls
1st Place Girls Team: Barrow Lady Whalers
2nd Place Girls Team: Bethel Lady Warriors
Girls Basketball Sportsmanship: Bethel Warriors
Girls Basketball Academic Award: Nome Lady Nanooks – 3.75
3 pt. Girls Champion: Briella Herron – Bethel Warriors
Free Throw Girls Champion: Kimberly Wolgemuth – Barrow Lady Whalers
Big Man/Post Girls Champion: Malinda Simon – Bethel Lady Warriors
Girls Basketball All-Tournament Team
Kiara Burnell – Barrow Whalers
Briella Herron – Bethel Warriors
Arlene Unutoa – Barrow Whalers
Kimberly Wogemuth – Barrow Whalers
Ayla Knodel – Nome-Beltz Nanooks
McKenzie Swanson – Kotzebue Huskies
Boys
1st Place Boys Team: Nome-Beltz Nanooks
2nd Place Boys Team: Barrow Whalers
Boys Basketball Sportsmanship: Kotzebue Huskies
Boys Basketball Academic Award: Bethel Warriors – 3.48
3 pt. Boys Champion: Greg Turner – Bethel Warriors
Free Throw Boys Champion: Loia Dias – Barrow Whalers
Big Man/Post Boys Champion: Matthew Fredericks – Bethel Warriors
Boys Basketball All-Tournament Team
Finn Gregg – Nome-Beltz Nanooks
Jade Greene – Nome-Beltz Nanooks
Richard Cross – Nome-Beltz Nanooks
Uatahause Tuifua – Barrow Whalers
Zach Roetman – Kotzebue Huskies
Devin Sheldon – Kotzebue Huskies
Head Coaches
Barrow Lady Whalers: Makana Ahgeak
Barrow Whalers: Daniel Thomas
Bethel Lady Warriors: Regina Lieb
Bethel Warriors: Eric Jung
Kotzebue Lady Huskies: Jade Hill
Kotzebue Huskies: Fritz Westlake
Nome-Beltz Lady Nanooks: John Walters
Nome-Beltz Nanooks: Patrick Callahan
