Nome-Beltz teams get plenty of basketball
The squeak of Nikes on the Nanook gym floor was a sign that basketball was back last weekend. One reason you could hear the squeaks is because there were very few fans present. Each player was allowed two tickets to the controlled entry games. But the games were broadcast on the radio and the Nanook cheerleadermore than made up for the empty seats in the stands with their high-volume enthusiasm.
The Nome boys varsity went 4-0 for the weekend, downing the Kotzebue Huskies twice and Unalakleet twice as well. The Nome JVs went 3-0. The Nanooks defeated the Huskies 77-30 and 59 to 34. Unalakleet fell 69 to 61 and 81 to 61.
The Lady Nanooks travelled to Kotzebue first and there they lost two to the Huskies, 71 to 39 on Friday and 53 to 39 on Saturday. Kotzebue’s seniors were too much for the young Lady Nanook squad. The team then travelled to Unalakleet where they won both by scores of 37 to 30 and 40 to 37.
“It was a good weekend for us,” said Nanook head coach Pat Callahan. “We talk a lot about how we’re fortunate to be playing games right now. There are schools in Alaska that aren’t playing, they’re done already. North Slope, 1A villages, Barrow, Bethel, all of the 2As in Southeast, they are all done playing. So, we talk about how lucky we are to be having games and having a chance to go to the state tournament and that we should take advantage of it. Even though it’s a whole different deal because you go to the Regional tournament and there you qualify for state. It’s a lot a different but let’s enjoy it and see what we can do.”
After four good solid games it’s easy to see where the Nanooks are in their preparation for whatever comes next. “I think we we’re better now than we were five days ago,” said Callahan. “Now we’ve got two games up in Kotzebue but I think we’re heavily favored.”
Unalakleet’s head coach Thurman Jack was pleased that Scammon Bay was stuck in Nome because of bad weather and that they’d be playing them later that evening. He said it was unfortunate for Scammon Bay but lucky for Unalakleet. “We got approval from three or four different superintendents to make that happen tonight,” he said. “We have the possibility for games next weekend but we don’t know who those opponents will be.” He was hopeful that an opponent would be found. The following weekend is scheduled to be their conference tournament.
But what other teams in the conference are playing? “Point Hope has travelled quite a bit,” answered the coach. “They are three and seven. They went to the Valley and played three private schools and they went up to Fairbanks and played four games there. Then they had a tournament last weekend with Hooper, Scammon and Glenallen. Their three wins were at their tournament. Selawik is playing but I’m not sure if they’ll have approval. We’re waiting to see. Bristol Bay said they want to play but I don’t know whether they’ve played any games yet. So, there’s four teams. If we have four teams, we’ll have a tournament. If we don’t have four they’ll just distribute the bids. I don’t think we’ll need a conference tourney.”
This coming weekend the Nanooks travel to Kotzebue and the Lady Nanooks will host the Lady Huskies in the Nome-Beltz gym.
Statistics:
Nome Boys Varsity 59 Kotzebue 34; Dawson Schaeffer 19, Caden Hanebuth 11, Stephan Anderson 7, Ethan Hannon 8, Jade Greene 12, Richard Cross 2
Nome JV Boys 48 Kotz JV 42; Richard Cross 15, Son Erikson 11, Beah Jorgensen 2, Jon Smith 2, Joe Martinson 10, Deacon Callahan 3, Alfred Omedelina 3, Hayden Leeper 2, Bert Kuzuguk 0, Michael Marvin 0, Thomas Dempsey 0, Owen Smith 0
Nome Varsity 77 Kotzebue 30; Dawson Schaeffer 24, Caden Hanebuth 10, Stephan Anderson 13, Haylen O'Connor 4, Ethan Hannon 6, Jade Greene 14, Son Erikson 2, Richard Cross 4
Nome Boys Varsity 69 Unalakleet 61; Schaeffer 26, Hanebuth 8, Anderson 17, Hannon 2, Greene 14, Erikson 0, Cross 0
UNK - K. Ivanoff 19, C. Commack 5, C. Ivanoff 9, M. Haugen 18, J. Katchatag 2, A. Ivanoff 5, J. Soderstrom 1, K. Erickson 2
Nome JV Boys 57 Unalakleet JV 51; NBHS - Richard Cross 19, Son Erikson 8, Beah Jorgensen 4, Jon Smith 2, Joe Martinson 10, Alfred Omedelina 6, Deacon Callahan 8
Nome Boys Varsity 81 Unalakleet 61; NBHS - Schaeffer 34, Caden Hanebuth 14, Haylen O'Connor 6, Stephan Anderson 6, Ethan Hannon 5, Jade Greene 12, Richard Cross 4
UNK - Kanay Ivanoff 5, Carter Commack 9, Cody Ivanoff 26, Michael Haugen 13, Jonathan Katchatag 6, Kael Erickson 2
