Learning to adapt and improvise can be a key strategy in basketball, which is what Wrangell’s basketball teams had to do last weekend against Metlakatla. However, it was not enough.
The Wrangell High School varsity boys and girls teams traveled to play against the Chiefs and Miss Chiefs on Friday and Saturday. But once the Metlakatla teams got a solid lead, they never let it go, winning all four games.
Originally, the Wrangell players were scheduled to play at the Stikine Hardwood Classic in Petersburg, but those plans fell through and the teams were able to pivot and get to Metlakatla.
The Metlakatla boys basketball team is currently ranked first in the 2A Southeast Division and the girls team is ranked third. Wrangell’s boys are third in the division and the girls are ranked fourth.
In the opening minutes of Friday’s game, the Wolves scored the first two baskets and were looking to give the Chiefs problems. The two teams traded the lead a couple of times but stayed close in points. Metlakatla hit a couple of three-pointers to give them a lead at the end of the first period, 12-8.
The second period was much the same, with the Wrangell boys tightening up the lead. They scored 11 points, whereas Metlakatla gained eight and led 20-19 at the halftime buzzer.
In the second half, Metlakatla upped their speed and scores, sinking bucket after bucket. Once the Chiefs started to pull ahead, the Wolves had trouble keeping up. The third period ended, 41-27.
Wrangell fell even further behind in the fourth period. The game went to the Chiefs, 57-36.
Saturday’s game proved to be even tougher for Wrangell, though they kept up the defense and stalled Metlakatla’s attempts at scoring until nearly two minutes into the first period. Once the Chiefs began scoring, it was like trying to stop a runaway freight train. The period ended with the home team 12 points ahead, 20-8.
Wrangell’s scoring efforts were rewarded in the second period, as the Wolves outscored the Chiefs, gaining 22 points, whereas Metlakatla only gained 12 but held a 32-30 lead at halftime.
The Chiefs owned the second half of the game by outscoring the Wolves, keeping the point spread to nearly 20. Wrangell didn’t score in the third period until almost four minutes into play. By the end, the score was 51-37 for Metlakatla.
Even though senior Jacen Hay scored an impressive 32 points, the highest of any player during the game, it wasn’t enough to catch up and overtake the Chiefs, who ultimately won, 67-48.
“(Jacen) had 23 the first half and it was the best offensive half I’ve seen from a player in quite a while,” said head coach Cody Angerman. “We played Metlakatla a lot better than the previous games. We just need to learn to put together a full four quarters. It was nice to compete against a good team this weekend and help us prepare for Petersburg and regions.”
The Lady Wolves faced the same tough competition as the boys, though they kept a closer point gap with their opponents. Still, the Miss Chiefs led at the end of all four periods in both games.
Head coach Christina Good said the games were tough, “but overall, the girls handled things well.”
Wrangell was only a point behind at the end of the first period of Friday’s game, 8-7, and was able to tie it up during the second period, 11-11. However, Metlakatla took the lead with a couple of successful free throws and the period ended with the home team ahead, 23-19.
The Lady Wolves didn’t get on the board in the second half until senior Kiara Harrison landed a bucket with just under two minutes left. Metlakatla was able to add 10 points, while Wrangell added six, ending the third period, 33-25 for Metlakatla.
Both teams kept up the defense in the fourth period. Wrangell added another six points to the board and Metlakatla added nine, winning 42-31.
Metlakatla didn’t let up Saturday, as the Miss Chiefs once again outscored the Lady Wolves, leading all four periods.
In the first period, Metlakatla plowed ahead, leading 19-8 at the buzzer. By the end of the second period, they were up 20 points, 33-13. Wrangell senior Kiara Harrison scored the majority of points to help close the gap. By the end of the third period, the Lady Wolves only trailed by 11, 45-34. Though Wrangell held on, they couldn’t quite catch up and Metlakatla won 58-47.
This weekend is homecoming for Wrangell. The teams will compete against visiting Petersburg on Friday and Saturday. Regionals will take place in Juneau on March 8-11.
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