First games show Gold Medal spirit is still on the court

Klas Stolpe
Mar 23
6 min read

Haines runs past Klawock, Hoonah nips Angoon, Kake women win, Yakutat women victorious, Hoonah masterful

Klawock's Nathan Yockey (00) has his shot challenged by Haines' Tyler Swinton (33) as Haines' Kleb Tompkins and Kyle Fossman look on during a B Bracket game in the Juneau Lions Club 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 22, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

Welcome back to the gym, Gold Medal! You were missed.

The 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament opened with a bang Sunday as Haines with a new defending high school state champion on board gave their new teammate, and a few of Klawock’s first timers a taste of the big time with a 98-58 B bracket win.

Kyle Fossman led Haines with 26 points, Tyler Swinton added 22, Kaleb Tompkins had 14, Jake Friske 12, Ryan Olsen 10, recent state champion Colton Combs and James Hart five apiece and Chevy Fowler four. Haines made 15 three-point shots, 21 closer in and was a perfect 8-8 at the free throw line. Haines plays Hoonah, a 66-65 winner over Angoon, at 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Klawock high school coach Nathan Yockey scored 23 points, Evan Yockey 11, Xavier Friday eight, Emett Fairbanks four, Jason Skan, Connor Bagby, Trae Marvin and Brody Bazinet three each. Klawock made nine three-point shots, 14 two-point field goals and 3-5 at the line. Klawock falls into a 10:30 a.m. Tuesday elimination game against Angoon, a 66-65 loser to Hoonah.

Metlakatla's Alexis Russell (12) shoots over Kake's Louise Kadake (1), Katie Jackson (30) and Courtney James (14) in the Juneau Lions Club 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 22, in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

W Bracket - Kake 62, Metlakatla 46

Youth and new teammates are a part of the Gold Medal experience and Kake received a boost to their women’s roster with Katie Jackson, fresh off the 4A girls high school state tournament, and a few experienced Juneau-ites in Danielle Larson and Mary Berry. Kake was already a talented team.

Metlakatla came to play as well and for the second game at the tournament, a rather large crowd appeared to see what the following days will provide in terms of top-level basketball. Either one of these two teams can contend for the title.

Kake held a 23-7 lead after the first 10-minute quarter and 39-21 at the half and 53-39 starting the final 10 minutes. Metlakatla had worked to trail 39-33 with six minutes left in the third quarter, but Kake ended the stanza on an 18-9 run with finishing scores by Jackson and Jordan Wagner. Kake scored nine points in the fourth quarter and Metlakatla seven.

Jackson led Kake with 20 points, Jordan Wagner had 16, Talia Davis, Courtney James and Larson six each, Berry five, Bree Travica two and Louise Kadake one. Kake had nine three-point shots, 13 closer in and 9-17 at the line. Kake advances to face Craig, who had a bye, at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Ryley Booth led Metlakatla with 18 points, Drena Hayward had 11, Alexis Russell seven, Sally King four, Ashley Huffine three and Jezimay Calf Boss Ribs two. Metlakatla hit six three-point shots, 11 two-point field goals and 6-9 from the line. Metlakatla plays an elimination game at 7 p.m. Wednesday against the loser of Monday’s 4:00 p.m. game between Yakutat and Hoonah.

Hoonah's Sean Oliver shoots under pressure from Angoon's Tajaun Jamestown (1) and Kyle Johnson (30) during Hoonah's 66-65 B Bracket win over Angoon in the Juneau Lions Club 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 22. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

B Bracket - Hoonah 66, Angoon 65

Gold Medal needs a best-of-three championship series. That was evident with Hoonah’s 66-65 last-second win over Angoon in a B bracket slugfest.

Hoonah trailed 65-64 with 30 seconds left to play, and Angoon missed two free throws. Hoonah held for a final shot and Kayden Lamebull-Ingram drove past a defender and was challenged by Angoon big man Kendrick Payton, altering the shot to miss. Hoonah’s big man Orion Dybdahl saw no rotation was now blocking him off the boards and he put in the rebound for a 66-65 advantage.

Angoon had one final attempt after a timeout with roughly two seconds left but their driving shot was challenged and the game ended.

Angoon had led 17-11 after 10 minutes, 33-29 at the half and 52-49 one quarter left to play.

Samuel Lambeull led Hoonah with 18 points, Lamebull-Ingram had 16, Dybdahl 14, Sean Oliver 10, RJ Didrickson five, Tyrell Cromer two and Malakai Nichols one. Hoonah made 10 three-point shots, 16 closer in and 4-01 from the line.

Aquino Brinson led Angoon with 22 points, Tajaun Jamestown 15, Payton 13, Isaiah Nelson 10, Jonathan Jack-Nixon three and Christian Nelson two. Angoon made eight three-point shots, 15 closer in and 11-22 at the line.

Hoonah advances to a 1:30 p.m. winners’ bracket game against Haines, a 98-58 winner over Klawock. Angoon and Klawock play an elimination game at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Angoon's Marti Fred (5) and Hoonah's Louie White (33) battle to tip a rebound during their Masters Bracket game at the Juneau Lions Club 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 22. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Masters Bracket - Hoonah 56, Angoon 50

Hoonah could not buy a basket in the first quarter of their opening game in the Gold Medal tournament Sunday and trailed 19-6 after 10 minutes of action, but they purchased a wealth of shots in the second quarter to pull within 30-24 at the half.

Angoon kept a slim 39-35 lead after three quarters, but two shots past the arc by Hoonah’s Jimmy Refuerzd and one from Louie White gave late momentum to Hoonah for the win.

Refuerzd led Hoonah with 19 points, Arthur Campbell had 12, Mark Prpica eight, White and Joe Cornell Sr six apiece, Andy Gray three and Scott Dybdahl two. Hoonah hit eight three-point shots, 14 closer in and 4-21 at the line. Hoonah advances to a semifinal at 1:30 p.m. Thursday against the winner of Monday’s 5:30 p.m. game between Sitka and Klukwan.

Levi Johnson Sr. led Angoon with 15 points, Kenny Willard had 12, Demetrius Johnson nine, Al Tagaban six, Aiper Johnson three, Travis See and Byron Jack Jr. two apiece and Marti Fred one. Angoon hit 10 three-point shots, nine two-point field goals and 2-7 from the line. Angoon will play an elimination game at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday against the loser of Monday’s 5:30 p.m. Sitka/Klukwan game.

Yakutat's Trinity Jackson (4) soars to a layup with Angoon's Carmaleeda Estrada defending during Yakutat's 51-46 win on the opening day of the Juneau Lions Club 77th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 22. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Womens Bracket - Yakutat 51, Angoon 46

Yakutat won their opening Gold Medal game 51-46 over Angoon, behind 21 points from Trinity Jackson and 15 from Janie Jensen. Yakutat advances to play Hoonah at 4:00 p.m. Monday.

Trinity Jackson led Yakutat with 21 points, Janie Jensen had 15, Kim Buller six, Rose Fraker five and Lorna Williams two. Yakutat made three shots past the arc, 20 closer in and 2-3 from the line.

Tasha Heumann led Angoon with 18 points, Cheyenne Kookesh added 12, Carmaleeda Estrada five, Kiara Kookesh and Joylnn Tripi four apiece, Samantha Ramey two and Gabbi George Frank one. Angoon made five three-point shots, 11 closer in and 9-14 at the line.

The game was tied 11-11 after 10 minutes and Yakutat led 29-20 at the half and 37-36 after three quarters.

Angoon falls into an elimination game at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday against the loser of Monday's 10:30 a.m. game between Craig and Kake.

SUNDAY SCORES

10:30 a.m. B bracket - Haines 98 (1-0), Klawock 58 (0-1)

12:00 p.m. Womens - Kake 62 (1-0), Metlakatla 46 (0-1)

1:30 p.m. B bracket - Hoonah 66 (1-0), Angoon 65 (0-1),

4:00 p.m. Masters - Hoonah 56 (1-0), Angoon 50 (0-1)

5:30 p.m. Womens - Yakutat 51 (1-0), Angoon 46 (0-1)

7:00 p.m. B bracket - Metlakatla/Yakutat n.a.

MONDAY SCHEDULE

9:00 a.m. B bracket - Kake (0-0) vs. Hydaburg (0-0)

10:30 a.m. Womens - Craig (0-0) vs. Kake (1-0)