The Haines Glacier Bears boys squad took second at last weekend’s Rally of the Regions basketball tournament, falling to Cordova 46-54 in the championship game.
Glacier Bears head coach Steve Fossman said the boys played strong in four games over four days.
The Glacier Bears secured a strong win against Scammon Bay during the first game of the tournament, 53-30. They defeated Tok, 76-64, on day two of the tournament, and won in overtime 71-69 against Selawik on the third day.
Junior Kirby Faverty averaged 19 points per game and was the leading scorer tournamentwide. He totaled 76 points for the weekend. He commended his team and said he’s hopeful, with more practice, that the young team will have a chance at the state championship. “We have some great talent,” Faverty said. “I think we can improve a lot more and hopefully make it to state, and maybe win state.”
Sophomore Carson Crager played his first games of the season after sitting on the bench with an injury during opening conference games against Craig in December. Crager averaged 13 points per game in the tournament. “Carson did really good in the fast break and finishing,” Fossman said.
Sophomore Mark Davis averaged 9.5 points a game and handled the ball well against the press, Fossman said. Davis was one of five players from competing teams who made the “all-tournament team.”
Freshman David Strong averaged 7.5 points a game and also helped the team convert successful fast breaks.
Sophomore Wesley Verhamme played well in the post, averaged 6.5 points and rebounded well, Fossman said.
“Kirby and Carson did a great job rebounding, too,” Fossman said.
Fossman said the team’s defense and fast breaks carried them through the tournament. “I really feel that those two things kept us in all the games,” Fossman said. “(Cordova) really emphasized a full-court zone press and we did a great job of breaking it.”
Besides playing against teams and players they won’t likely see again, while in Anchorage the boys watched the University of Alaska Anchorage basketball team defeat Western Oregon, a highly ranked college team.
“It was a good cultural experience for them,” Fossman said.
Although the Lady Bears lost three of four games, two girls were recognized for their attitude and effort during competitions against against Scammon Bay, Tok and Selawik.
Avery Williamson and Haley Boron were two of five players selected to be on the all-tournament team. The girls were voted for by the tournament’s players, coaches and officials. “The player that put everything out on the court every single time they stepped on the court, that was Avery Williamson,” said head coach Greg Brittenham.
Haley Boron won the best attitude award. Brittenham said Boron constantly lifts her teammates up with her enthusiasm and passion for play. “That’s quite the honor to be recognized by your peers like that,” Brittenham said. “The guy running the tournament, he said it was a no brainer for both these players.”
Boron said she tries to motivate the team to focus on the important things. “No matter what, I encourage my teammates to always work hard and to keep a good attitude,” Boron said. “You’re not going to win a game if you go into it with your chin down or you’re worried about how you look.”
Brittenham commended Marissa Haddock’s play. “That was the best I’d ever seen her play,” Brittenham said. “She was diving for loose balls, chasing rebounds down, defending up high and then dropping down low, just couldn’t ask for more.”
The girls won one game against Tok.
The Glacier Bears girls and boys head to Metlakatla this weekend.
The Haines Glacier Bears boys squad took second at last weekend’s Rally of the Regions basketball tournament, falling to Cordova 46-54 in the championship game.
Glacier Bears head coach Steve Fossman said the boys played strong in four games over four days.
The Glacier Bears secured a strong win against Scammon Bay during the first game of the tournament, 53-30. They defeated Tok, 76-64, on day two of the tournament, and won in overtime 71-69 against Selawik on the third day.
Junior Kirby Faverty averaged 19 points per game and was the leading scorer tournamentwide. He totaled 76 points for the weekend. He commended his team and said he’s hopeful, with more practice, that the young team will have a chance at the state championship. “We have some great talent,” Faverty said. “I think we can improve a lot more and hopefully make it to state, and maybe win state.”
Sophomore Carson Crager played his first games of the season after sitting on the bench with an injury during opening conference games against Craig in December. Crager averaged 13 points per game in the tournament. “Carson did really good in the fast break and finishing,” Fossman said.
Sophomore Mark Davis averaged 9.5 points a game and handled the ball well against the press, Fossman said. Davis was one of five players from competing teams who made the “all-tournament team.”
Freshman David Strong averaged 7.5 points a game and also helped the team convert successful fast breaks.
Sophomore Wesley Verhamme played well in the post, averaged 6.5 points and rebounded well, Fossman said.
“Kirby and Carson did a great job rebounding, too,” Fossman said.
Fossman said the team’s defense and fast breaks carried them through the tournament. “I really feel that those two things kept us in all the games,” Fossman said. “(Cordova) really emphasized a full-court zone press and we did a great job of breaking it.”
Besides playing against teams and players they won’t likely see again, while in Anchorage the boys watched the University of Alaska Anchorage basketball team defeat Western Oregon, a highly ranked college team.
“It was a good cultural experience for them,” Fossman said.
Although the Lady Bears lost three of four games, two girls were recognized for their attitude and effort during competitions against against Scammon Bay, Tok and Selawik.
Avery Williamson and Haley Boron were two of five players selected to be on the all-tournament team. The girls were voted for by the tournament’s players, coaches and officials. “The player that put everything out on the court every single time they stepped on the court, that was Avery Williamson,” said head coach Greg Brittenham.
Haley Boron won the best attitude award. Brittenham said Boron constantly lifts her teammates up with her enthusiasm and passion for play. “That’s quite the honor to be recognized by your peers like that,” Brittenham said. “The guy running the tournament, he said it was a no brainer for both these players.”
Boron said she tries to motivate the team to focus on the important things. “No matter what, I encourage my teammates to always work hard and to keep a good attitude,” Boron said. “You’re not going to win a game if you go into it with your chin down or you’re worried about how you look.”
Brittenham commended Marissa Haddock’s play. “That was the best I’d ever seen her play,” Brittenham said. “She was diving for loose balls, chasing rebounds down, defending up high and then dropping down low, just couldn’t ask for more.”
The girls won one game against Tok.
The Glacier Bears girls and boys head to Metlakatla this weekend.