Metlakatla’s Lexi Cook (12) scores over Haines’ Sydney Salmon (12) during the MisChiefs 58-34 win over the Glacier Bears on Friday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center (Courtesy/Klas Stolpe, Juneau Empire)
Haines Lady Glacier Bears competed in Anchorage last week at the state basketball championship.
In their first game on March 13, they took on the Glennallen Lady Panthers. Haines had beaten Glennallen in Haines twice in February, but this time victory was elusive.
The game in the first half was clunky. Haines had two turnovers in their first three possessions.
Sydney Salmon had a strong power move just in front of the rim for one of the few baskets in the first quarter.
Peppy point guard Ari’el Godinez-Long got her third foul at 4:30 in the second quarter and went to the bench, which may have slowed Haines down and kept them from establishing a bigger lead. As it was, Haines led at halftime, 11-10.
At the start of the third quarter, Dohrn hit a 3-point shot as did Ashlyn Ganey, to build a 17-11 lead.
Then it was like a birthday party and everyone was sitting in the living room happy and the person fixing the food comes out and says, “the cake collapsed.” Glennallen made a couple tough shots. Haines made a couple turnovers.
All of a sudden, with four minutes to go in the third, Glennallen was ahead 18-17. Then it was like someone put a piece of plywood over the basket. Little to nothing would go in for Haines.
For Glennallen, Koiana Cooley made a 3-point shot with a minute to go in the third quarter, then with one second to go in the quarter, made another 3-pointer. It’s that type of coolness that wins games. Practice or practice your excuses.
At the end of the third quarter Glennallen led, 30-19. In the fourth quarter, Glenallen passed the ball around and basically stalled, a good strategy if you are ahead. Haines got a steal or two and had some shots but just couldn’t find the right touch to get the ball inside the rim.
The final score was Glennallen 37, Haines 22. Glennallen then made it to the championship game of Division 2A where they lost to Seward 51-29.
Haines went into the consolation bracket and took on their old nemesis, Metlakatla, the next day. Metlakatla, top seed of all the eight teams in this tournament, had been upset by Chevak in their first game.
Haines led at the end of the first quarter 14-11. Godinez-Long had a first-rate steal and lay-up at 4:45 in the first quarter. Emma Dohrn had four 3-point shots go down in the first half to make the game competitive.
Sophia Long contributed with a feisty steal. With 5:25 to go in the second quarter, Haines was behind by a point 18-17. But again, the shots just started missing and at halftime the score was Metlakatla 27, Haines 20.
In the third quarter, Metlakatla’s experience and skills were wearing Haines down. If Haines double-teamed the girl underneath, then someone was open for a three. If they left the girl underneath guarded by one person, she was often overmatched, classic basketball. Metlakatla led 39-27 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Metlakatla pushed the throttle down and pulled away. Haines seemed to be baffled by the speed bumps, i.e., turnovers, missed shots and a good opponent. The final score was Metlakatla 60, Haines 36.
Haines’ final overall record was 8-12. Via loss of two games in this tournament, they were eliminated.
“We stalled out probably due to our small numbers. Sometimes the players need breaks,” Haines coach Coleman Stanford said.
He also commented on the level of competition, which is of course, as high as it gets at the state championship.
“One of our players told me, you have to play a perfect quarter, every quarter,” he said.
The team has three graduating seniors. Stanford said they’ll be missed, particularly since they’ve been contributing since their sophomore years.
“But we have some younger players that could be outstanding,” he said. “Right now they probably want a break from basketball, though.”
Joe Parnell has lived a life that could have been a Wide World of Sports episode. He was a four-year letterman in tennis in high school, walked on as a football quarterback for Vanderbilt and Ohio universities and made the teams and practiced a lot. He was on the ski team at the University of Alaska Southeast. He surfed the north shore of Hawaii for a year, he worked out with a semi-pro Australian rules football team for a season. He got his 10,000 hours on fields, courts, and rec centers playing basketball, soccer, racquetball, tennis, dodgeball, golf, etc. He has won three gold medals at the famous Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in Juneau and won gold medals in pickleball at the Alaska Senior Games in Fairbanks this past summer. He lives for a good match.
From the Sidelines: Glacier Bears Girls finish season in Anchorage
Haines Lady Glacier Bears competed in Anchorage last week at the state basketball championship.
In their first game on March 13, they took on the Glennallen Lady Panthers. Haines had beaten Glennallen in Haines twice in February, but this time victory was elusive.
The game in the first half was clunky. Haines had two turnovers in their first three possessions.
Sydney Salmon had a strong power move just in front of the rim for one of the few baskets in the first quarter.
Peppy point guard Ari’el Godinez-Long got her third foul at 4:30 in the second quarter and went to the bench, which may have slowed Haines down and kept them from establishing a bigger lead. As it was, Haines led at halftime, 11-10.
At the start of the third quarter, Dohrn hit a 3-point shot as did Ashlyn Ganey, to build a 17-11 lead.
Then it was like a birthday party and everyone was sitting in the living room happy and the person fixing the food comes out and says, “the cake collapsed.” Glennallen made a couple tough shots. Haines made a couple turnovers.
All of a sudden, with four minutes to go in the third, Glennallen was ahead 18-17. Then it was like someone put a piece of plywood over the basket. Little to nothing would go in for Haines.
For Glennallen, Koiana Cooley made a 3-point shot with a minute to go in the third quarter, then with one second to go in the quarter, made another 3-pointer. It’s that type of coolness that wins games. Practice or practice your excuses.
At the end of the third quarter Glennallen led, 30-19. In the fourth quarter, Glenallen passed the ball around and basically stalled, a good strategy if you are ahead. Haines got a steal or two and had some shots but just couldn’t find the right touch to get the ball inside the rim.
The final score was Glennallen 37, Haines 22. Glennallen then made it to the championship game of Division 2A where they lost to Seward 51-29.
Haines went into the consolation bracket and took on their old nemesis, Metlakatla, the next day. Metlakatla, top seed of all the eight teams in this tournament, had been upset by Chevak in their first game.
Haines led at the end of the first quarter 14-11. Godinez-Long had a first-rate steal and lay-up at 4:45 in the first quarter. Emma Dohrn had four 3-point shots go down in the first half to make the game competitive.
Sophia Long contributed with a feisty steal. With 5:25 to go in the second quarter, Haines was behind by a point 18-17. But again, the shots just started missing and at halftime the score was Metlakatla 27, Haines 20.
In the third quarter, Metlakatla’s experience and skills were wearing Haines down. If Haines double-teamed the girl underneath, then someone was open for a three. If they left the girl underneath guarded by one person, she was often overmatched, classic basketball. Metlakatla led 39-27 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Metlakatla pushed the throttle down and pulled away. Haines seemed to be baffled by the speed bumps, i.e., turnovers, missed shots and a good opponent. The final score was Metlakatla 60, Haines 36.
Haines’ final overall record was 8-12. Via loss of two games in this tournament, they were eliminated.
“We stalled out probably due to our small numbers. Sometimes the players need breaks,” Haines coach Coleman Stanford said.
He also commented on the level of competition, which is of course, as high as it gets at the state championship.
“One of our players told me, you have to play a perfect quarter, every quarter,” he said.
The team has three graduating seniors. Stanford said they’ll be missed, particularly since they’ve been contributing since their sophomore years.
“But we have some younger players that could be outstanding,” he said. “Right now they probably want a break from basketball, though.”
Joe Parnell has lived a life that could have been a Wide World of Sports episode. He was a four-year letterman in tennis in high school, walked on as a football quarterback for Vanderbilt and Ohio universities and made the teams and practiced a lot. He was on the ski team at the University of Alaska Southeast. He surfed the north shore of Hawaii for a year, he worked out with a semi-pro Australian rules football team for a season. He got his 10,000 hours on fields, courts, and rec centers playing basketball, soccer, racquetball, tennis, dodgeball, golf, etc. He has won three gold medals at the famous Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in Juneau and won gold medals in pickleball at the Alaska Senior Games in Fairbanks this past summer. He lives for a good match.