Juneau’s AML wins Gold Medal with 82-73 win over Metlakatla
- Klas Stolpe
- Mar 29
- 6 min read
Tompkins earns A Bracket Most Valuable Player as AML defends title
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Juneau’s AML defended their A bracket title in another battle for the ages over Metlakatla, 82-73, during Saturday’s 77th annual Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament.
AML’s Will Gisler scored inside to open the game off an assist by Chase Saviers and Metlakatla’s Nate Yockey answered from the arc for a 3-2 lead, showing that the day would be a clash of fast-paced action.
With a lot of talent on both sides, it was evident that AML’s Saviers was his team’s floor general and Metlakatla’s Yockey the vocal leader for his side.
“It is just a lot of fun right,” Saviers said. “We play with these guys and against these guys in city league and in high school growing up. So I am just trying to get people in the right spots at the right times and try to knock down my shots when I can take them. Mine haven’t happened this tournament.”
Saviers was instrumental in Saturday’s championship win, scoring 16 points, but more importantly scoring when the first and second options were covered, and scoring on drives to the basket which opened up the perimeter for teammates.
Saviers had two baskets early, a turnaround jumper inside and an old-fashioned three-point play that put AML up 8-7.
AML’s Ryan Lee battled inside for three straight rebounds while Metlakatla’s Yockey had a run of two straight shots from the arc and a driving shot off glass to answer scores by AML’s Saviers — who rebounded his own missed free throw for a score — Mahina Toutaiolepo on a power layup and Gisler on a drive.
“I am used to the physicality,” Lee said. “It wasn’t really a whole lot different for me, it is just the way I play. It is great to defend our championship. This is a great team to play with.”
AML’s Cody Grussendorf, Collin Ludeman and Keontay Jackson were also crucial through the tournament for their defensive play and rebounding prowess.
AML held an 18-15 lead after 10 minutes, and the second quarter started with both sides missing four shots each before AML got a jumper from Kaleb Tompkins and a bully move inside for a free throw by Toutaiolepo. Metlakatla’s Yockey answered from the arc.
AML began to pound the ball inside and worked to a 31-21 lead on two scores apiece by Kolby Hoover and Toutaiolepo and Metlakatla firing back with a run by Brody Bazinet, Yockey and Archie Dundas Jr. With 5.2 seconds left in the half, Hoover gave AML a 36-32 lead. A hurried inbounds and drive by Metlakatla’s Clay Olstad at the buzzer closed the score to 36-34.
“I think there were just a lot of us who were trying to be physical on them,” Hoover said. “We have a lot of length all around so everyone was just trying to do a role. I think we did a good job of not going outside of ourselves and just trying to play good quality basketball. I think it was a lot of knowing who their shooters are, who they have been having success with, and trying to get out to them early. Just understanding what our strengths were and I think we did a good job of both those things. So getting out to their shots. They had one guy shooting the piss out of the ball which was killing us all game but, in general, we did a good job of knowing where they were trying to get the ball to and for what type of shot.”
Kaleb Tompkins hit from the arc to open the second half, and Saviers scored on a drive to give AML a 41-34 lead. But Metlakatla answered with a drive by Dundas Jr.
“It makes it easy,” Tompkins said of the AML team’s talent. “I trust all the guys out there. It is really fun to play with this team. Defending the championship feels great, I’m glad that we pulled through. Getting the ball down low was key for us. Sharing the rock, not trying to go one-on-one. That was a tough Metlakatla team. They played really hard so we had to match their energy.”
AML’s roster included player/coach Joseph Ortega, Tristan Ross, Ethan Kadake and scorekeeper/statistician Harry Elizarde.
“Honestly, they have all the autonomy,” Elizarde said. “I am just here for the vibes. They are talented. These are a good group of guys. I have been playing with them in some capacity since I was young. They have just been at it, they just keep going.”
Metlakatla’s roster included Porter Nelson, Ryan Scudero, Thomas Teal, Sebastian Martinez, Drew Yuniemie, Jayden Buhler, Mace Hayward, AJ Hudson and DJ King.
AML slowly built a 58-46 lead after three quarters, outscoring Metlakatla 22-12 in the third stanza.
Metlakatla opened the fourth quarter on a 8-4 run with three scores by Yockey and one from Olstad to trail 62-54. Olstad, Yockey and Bazinet answered a basket and free throws by AML’s Toutaiolepo and Tompkins to trail 68-61 with four minutes left in the game and Yockey added two free throws to close to 68-63.
AML’s Gisler hit two free throws for a 70-63 lead. Metlakatla’s Olstad hit from the arc to close to 70-66 with under three minutes left. Saviers would drive for a basket and Gisler drew an offensive foul on Yockey which allowed Tompkins to earn a drive on the other end and two free throws for a 74-66 AML lead with 1:38 left to play.
Metlakatla’s Dundas Jr. scored on an old-fashioned three-point play to trail 74-69 and allowed his team to set up a full court press.
AML would break the press on the first trip with Toutaiolepo scoring off an assist by Tompkins and then capitalized from the free throw line down the stretch, hitting six in a row as Metlakatla was forced to foul to attempt to close the score.
Tompkins hit two final free throws for AML and Yockey and Mace Hayward scored final baskets for Metlakatla for the 82-73 final.
The A bracket All-Tournament Team was Archie Dundas Jr. (Metlakatla), Chase Saviers (Juneau AML), Brady Caradang (FILCOM), Will Gisler (Juneau AML), and Nate Yockey (Metlakatla).
The Most Valuable Player was awarded to Kaleb Tompkins (Juneau AML). During the tournament, Tompkins hit a buzzer shot to force overtime against Mt. Edgecumbe in AML’s tournament opening 87-79 win.
“It feels good to defend the title,” Saviers said. “A lot of good competition here this year. Every game was a toss up pretty much. It could have gone either way. If Kaleb missed that shot in our first game we might not have been in this game. But it feels good to be back and hopefully we can win against next year.”
Juneau teams have earned 37 Gold Medal titles since the tournament’s inception (19 A, 9 AA, 3 C, 2 women’s, 2 masters, 1 B, 1 single bracket). Metlakatla was seeking a sixth title (1 single bracket, 1 AA, 1 A, 1 B, 1 women’s).
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
A Championship - Juneau AML 82 (3-0) vs. 73 Metlakatla (2-2)
Juneau AML 18 18 22 24 — 82
Metlakatla 15 19 12 27 — 73
Juneau AML — Kaleb Tompkins 21, Chase Saviers 16, Mahina Toutaiolepo 15, Will Gisler 12, Kolby Hoover 10, Ryan Lee 8. 28 2PT / 3 3PT / 17-25 FT / 14 fouls - Hoover 5, Toutaiolepo 3.
Metlakatla — Nate Yockey 34, Clay Olstad 15, Archie Dundas JR 11, Brody Bazinet 6, Mayce Hayward 5, Ryan Scudero 2. 16 2PT / 12 3PT/ 5-14 FT / 15 fouls - Olstad 5, Porter Nelson 3.
