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Two Kuskokwim Teams Reach 2A Basketball Semifinals

Two girls teams are the only ones from the Yukon-Kuskokwim region to make the semifinals in the statewide 1A basketball championship: Aniak and Scammon Bay.

The Scammon Bay Eagles took another step in their quest to win a third championship on Thursday by defeating the Tri-Valley Warriors. The final score of 65 to 41 doesn’t show the battle waged. Players on the Warriors team were much taller than the Eagles girls, and coach Herschel Sundown says that it was a challenge getting his players to adjust.

“One of the things that they are forgetting is to move to help side," he said. “They’re allowing for their bigs to get the rebound. Rather than box out, they are trying to jump. Once we adjust those, we should be okay. As far as offense, I’m not too concerned at this point because they are moving the ball quite well.”

Coach Sundown is looking forward to the next match with a team he knows better.

The Aniak Lady Halfbreeds won their match with the St. Mary’s Lady Eagles, so they face Scammon Bay on Friday in the semifinals. The match was hard fought, but not before players demonstrated the unique nature of basketball in bush Alaska. When the players from each team was being introduced, the first two didn't just do the normal slapping of hands, but hugged before they went into game mode.

Coach Wayne Morgan was not surprised.

“The coach for St. Mary's is my relative, so we know each other and there’s comradery between the players. They know each other. They knew each other since growing up so they’re good friends, but they battle too. So that friendship goes away once the ball’s up in the air.”

The Aniak Halfbreeds played Scammon Bay earlier this year and lost, but the coach thinks that Aniak players can do better, noting that anything could happen tonight when the two teams take the court at 6:30 tonight (Friday). KYUK will air the game live.

Meanwhile the Kipnuk Falcons, the Y-K region’s only boys team to make it into championship competition, lost the bid to get to the semifinals yesterday.

It was a tense final few moments in the close battle with a series of foul shots on both sides chipping away at the margin. In the end, 3-pointers and foul shots earned a win for Anchorage’s Birchwood Christian School Warriors. 

“Those boys, they gave everything they had in them. They did play well. I’m really proud of them. We’ve had a great season. It’s been fun. It’s been a good group,” said Kipnuk coach Jacob Byrley.

In 2A basketball yesterday, the Hooper Bay boys took the court and lost to Unalaska in the opening game.