Harsh weather conditions that closed both the Haines and Klondike highways and canceled ferry service from Juneau diminished last weekend’s Dick Hotch Basketball Tournament. Six men’s teams and three women’s teams participated.
The tournament featured its first-ever women’s bracket. Tournament director Stuart DeWitt said the growing enthusiasm of Haines’ women the past couple years inspired him to begin a women’s bracket.
“They started their own city league and they’ve been going to tournaments, so I figured this would be a good way to get them more games and bring more fans to the gym. I hope it really gets things going and also lets the ladies know people appreciate them.”
The Monstarz of Juneau defeated Haines Team 1 to claim the women’s bracket championship. They were undefeated in the tourney and took home a $1,000 cash-prize for their championship effort.
Alisa Beske, a member of Haines Team 1 that will head to Juneau later this month to defend its Gold Medal Tournament championship, said, “It’s really exciting to have a women’s bracket and it was very generous of Stuart to be open to the idea of including us because there is a lot of interest.”
On the men’s side, team Haines Packing dominated the bracket. They won all of their games handily en route to a 117-89 championship game win against the Good Ol’ Boys team from Juneau.
Haines Packing featured three members of the Haines Glacier Bears 2010 state championship team – Kyle Fossman, Kyle Rush, and Tyler Swinton – who each earned All-Tournament recognition for their play. The team was awarded $2,500.
DeWitt said he thought the Haines Packing team was “probably the best group of talent in, shoot, I don’t know how long” at the tournament.
The women’s individual awards went to Danielle Larson (MVP), Lisa Sealy (Sportsmanship Award), and Fran Daly (Defensive Player).
The men’s individual awards went to Kyle Fossman (MVP, his second consecutive), Harry Rietze (Sportsmanship Award), and Tyler Swinton (Defensive Player).