Riley Blatchley prevents Haines player Mark Davis from scoring during a home game win last month. The Wolves and Lady Wolves both head up to the northern panhandle for a rematch this weekend.
The Wrangell Wolves chalked up a pair of losses last weekend hosting the Metlakatla Chiefs, though it easily could have been a split between the two teams.
Friday's evening game was a blowout for the Chiefs, which controlled the court for much of the game. Though the final score ended up in a 52-42 win for them, Wrangell coach Cody Angerman acknowledged some last-minute catching up had helped close a larger gap between the two teams.
By now in the second half of the season, the teams' meeting is their second in the rotation. Previously Wrangell had trouble keeping up with Metlakatla's offense, which had set the pace for their first game. Angerman said the team subsequently tried a different tack, focusing more on slowing things down. That worked out well when sticking with this game plan, and in the following two games he thought the formula showed promise. Wrangell had held its own during Friday's first half, but lost its focus as the game went on.
"The second night was a different story," Angerman said.
The Wolves started out following just behind in the first quarter, trailing 14-16. Its defensive strategy began having its intended effect by the next quarter, with the Chiefs held to just two points during the eight-minute stretch. Wrangell took the lead from there, building it to a 31-27 difference at the start of the final quarter.
Angerman said some missed opportunities allowed Metlakatla the chance to catch back up, tying the game at 40 by the last buzzer. Heading into overtime, the Chiefs scored the one point it needed to pull off a 41-40 late-night win.
Considering the weekend, the coach saw his team making progress as a unit. "We're starting to gel," Angerman commented.
Players were fitting into their assigned roles on the court, putting their skill sets to the best use. Tymon Teat and sophomore Trevor Miller both led the team for points offensively, supported by teammates Brett Abrahamson and Riley Blatchley. Defensively, Brian Schwartz and Caleb Groshong "had some really important minutes," Angerman said, with Schwartz Saturday shifting the momentum with some important passes and rebounds.
Approaching the season's conclusion in only a few weeks, Angerman felt this progress was the most important part, becoming the best team it can by tournament time.
"We try to take it one game at a time."
Looking ahead, the team heads next to Haines for some Sunday and Monday games. "It's kind of a long trip," Angerman noted, with the team heading first to Juneau Saturday before taking the ferry early next day.
The coach anticipated the Glacier Bears would make for a pair of tough games. "They're a good team and they're well-coached," he said. "We have our hands full, that's for sure."
They will head back next Wednesday, with scant time to prepare for their homecoming versus Petersburg on March 2. The last games of the regular season, the following weekend will be Region V in Ketchikan, where the Wolves' progress will be put to the test.
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