Scammon Bay Eagles reach semifinals in State 1A Basketball

The Scammon Bay Eagles, representing the Lower Yukon School District and the Yukon Delta Conference finished in 5^th place at last week’s State 1A Basketball Tournament. The Eagles lost to eventual champion, the King Cove T-Jacks in the boys semifinal game, 71-58. For their final game of the year, the Eagles played the Minto Lakers. Minto won placing 3^rd, 67-54.

The supercharged atmosphere at the Alaska Airlines Center was deafening during the games. Fans from all over the state came to cheer on their teams packing the center to the third level.

Coming in second place were the Kake Thunderbirds. In fourth were the Cook Inlet Eagles. 6^th place went to the Lumen Christi Archangels.

Second seeded Scammon Bay battled their way to the semifinals by defeating the Koliganek Huskies in the opening round 81-58. They beat the Shishmaref Northern Lights in the quarterfinals, 75-63.

Other Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region teams did not fare as well. Emmonak, also of the Yukon Delta Conference, was defeated by Kake in the opening round 65-44, and by Noatak in the first consolation round in a close game 65-59.

The Aniak Halfbreeds, representing the Greater Kuskokwim Conference, also lost to eventual champion King Cove in the first round, 80-40. They won the first consolation round game with the Nunamiut Amagut of Anaktuvuk Pass, 61-50. They also defeated the Kipnuk Falcons, 64-33. Aniak lost against Noatak, 53-48 in a close contest.

The Kipnuk Falcons, of the Alaska Coastal Conference, lost their first game to the Shishmaref Northern Lights, 61-29. They defeated the Koliganek Huskies in a close comeback victory 51-50 to advance to the next game. Aniak defeated Kipnuk 64-33.

For the girls, the top finishing team from the YK Delta region were ninth seed Scammon Bay Lady Eagles of the Yukon Delta Confernece. They won three of their games in the consolation bracket after losing to Buckland Sissuani in the first round, 58-49. The defeated Brevig Mission in a close game 48-43. Then they beat the St. Mary’s Lady Eagles, 76-49. They also won their next game against the Skagway Lady Panthers, 37-26.

The St. Mary’s Lady Eagles of the Yukon Delta Conference lost to the fourth ranked team from Newhalen, 69-28. They defeated the Birchwood Lady Christian Warriors of Chugiak, 32-27. They lost their next game with the Scammon Bay Lady Eagles.

The Napaskiak Lady Hawks, representing the Alaska Coastal Conference, lost their opening round game against eventual girls champion the Fort Yukon Lady Eagles, 78-38. They won their next game in the consolation bracket defeating the Lumen Christi Lady Archangels in a close contest, 49-44. They lost their final game against the Skagway Lady Panthers.

The Akiak Lady Thunderbolts, the Greater Kuskokwim Conference champions, lost to the Shaktoolik Lady Wolverines in the opening round, 78-28. They also lost to Skagway 56-9 in the consolation bracket.

The Fort Yukon Lady Eagles won their first state title after defeating the Newhalen Lady Malamutes, 62-51. Third place for the girls was Shaktoolik. Fourth went to Buckland, fifth to Klawock, and Bristol Bay took 6^th.

2024 State 1A Basketball Tournament Results

March 13-16, 2024

Girls Team Results

1^st Fort Yukon Eagles

2^nd Newhalen Malamutes

3^rd Shaktoolik Wolverines

4^th Buckland Sissuani

5^th Klawock Chieftains

6^th Bristol Bay Angels

Boys Team Results

1^st King Cove T-Jacks

2^nd Kake Thunderbirds

3^rd Minto Lakers

4^th Cook Inlet Eagles

5^th Scammon Bay Eagles

6^th Lumen Christi Archangels