The 76th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament starts on Sunday, March 23, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gym.
This year, three teams from the Chilkat Valley are playing, including Haines’ 18-and-older “B” bracket team which kicks off local play against Yakutat on March 23 at 9 a.m.
“It’s really entertaining basketball,” said coach Steve Fossman. It’s a real social event you’ve combined with real competitive basketball.”
Most of the people on the team have played high school basketball together on the same teams in one form or another.
“It’s a pretty fun reunion,” Fossman said. “And it’s always an interesting experience because guys come flying in from all different areas and they haven’t had time to play much and they need to gel as quickly as possible.”
Kyle Fossman, former Haines all-star basketball player who went pro briefly, is also coming back to play on the B team. He’s been living in Phoenix with his family and father Steve Fossman said his son is doing what everyone else is doing, which is working and trying to fit in basketball where he can. “There’s a lot of talent on the team,” he said.
The Juneau Lions Club said Wednesday that rosters are still changing so they wouldn’t be releasing anything official; the Juneau Empire released rosters on Thursday.
Fossman said his roster includes: Tyler Swinton, Dylan Swinton, Kyle Rush, Orion Falvey, Tyler Healy, Chevy Fowler, James Hart, Kyle Fossman, Jacob Friske, Kirby Faverty, Kai Franks and Eric Gilham.
Following the B team game, Klukwan Masters Bracket team is scheduled to take on Metlakatla on Monday at 9 a.m. Players in this bracket must be at least 42 years old and include Pete Dohrn, Stuart DeWitt, Michael Ganey, Dan Hotch, Charlie Spud, Daniel Klanott, and Jesse McGraw.
Klukwan’s “C” bracket is scheduled to play on Monday at noon. Players in that bracket must be at least 32 years old – that includes Jeffrey Klanott, and Cody Hotch, Christopher “Bubba” Hotch.
Gold Medal runs through the championship games Saturday, March 29.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with rosters.