by Delta Discovery Staff
The top-seeded Hooper Bay Warriors took second place at the 2A Boys Basketball State championship finals this past weekend. They battled their way to the championship game March 14-16, 2024 at the Alaska Schools Activities Association sponsored state tournament in Anchorage.
Other state qualifying teams joining them on the 2A boys bracket included Cordova, Metlakatla, Ninilchik, Petersburg, Unalakleet, Unalaska, and Wrangell.
In the first round on opening day the Warriors, coached by Albert Green, defeated 8th seed Unalaska 54-39 in the quarterfinals. Latrell Lake of the Warriors scored 21 points. His teammates Billy Smith and Cimiun Bunyan both shot 10. Others teammembers for Hooper Bay were Carson Long, Caden Joe, Dante Nukusuk, Jerome Nukusuk, Edward Hoelscher, Mekhi Bell, Mumba Olson, Thomas Smith, and Michael Hoelscher. They made 10 steals in this game plus 13 turnovers and 7 out of 27 3-pointers.
Unalaska made three out of their fifteen three-point shots, plus 23 turnovers, and six steals.
Hooper Bay narrowly defeated 5th seed Metlakatla 48-48 in the semifinals. Carson Long, Jerome Nukusuk, and Latrell Lake reached double-digits in scoring. They made three out of 24 three-point attempts, 1 blocked shot, 12 steals, and 8 turnovers. Metlakatla made six out of their eighteen 3-point shots, 3 steals, and 18 turnovers.
The championship game was with the Petersburg Vikings. The Vikings won the state title, 41-33. No double-digit scoring for the Warriors took place in this game. The team shot 41 3-point attempts and 8 went in. There was 1 block, 2 steals, and 6 turnovers.
The Vikings made half of their freethrow shots, one out of eight three-point attempts, 1 steal, and 7 turnovers. Hooper Bay led at the half 22-20 but lost the lead in the third quarter where they only scored 2 points to the Vikings 10. End of the third the score was 30-24.
On the girls side, the sixth seeded Hooper Bay Lady Warriors played third seed Nenana in the opening round quarterfinals. Nenana won the game 62-27. Playing for Hooper Bay were Lindsey Smith, Erica Aguchak, Katherine Joe, Avryl Bell, Ariana Tall-Lake, Susie Long, Angel Kuphaldt, Lennia Hoelscher-Nukusuk, Shanaya Smith, Iyana Andreanoff, Tenisha Smith and Ernie Joe.
The Lady Warriors next game in the consolation bracket was with Susitna Valley. It was a close game with Su-Valley coming out on top 33-32. Hooper Bay led the first quarter 13-6, and the second quarter 24-12. In the third quarter the Lady Warriors were scoreless, Su-Valley made seven bringing the third quarter score to 24-19, Hooper Bay was still ahead.
In the fourth quarter the Su-Valley team outscored the Lady Warriors 14-8, the game ended with Su-Valley ahead by one point.
The Lady Warriors, coached by Brandi Hale, made history by winning the 2021 2A State basketball tournament, their first state title, defeating the Su-Valley team from Talkeetna.
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