The high school boys basketball team lost both games at Metlakatla on Jan. 3 and 4. The pair of away matchups was the second half of a four-game series against Metlakatla, dating back to Dec. 20-21 when the Chiefs came to town for Wrangell’s home opener.
Despite a valiant third-quarter surge, Wrangell’s efforts were not enough to surpass Metlakatla’s early lead in the Friday game. After the Chiefs closed out the game with a strong fourth, Wrangell started off the weekend with a 41-55 loss.
The Saturday matchup was more of the same. Wrangell started off well, scoring 15 in the first — enough to eke out an early three-point, first-quarter lead over a team that had now beaten them in three games straight. Unfortunately for the Wolves, the scoring well dried up quickly and they managed just 22 points for the rest of the game compared to Metlakatla’s 42. The Chiefs won handedly, 37-54.
This was a point of concern for head coach Cody Angerman last week as he prepped his team for the trip to Metlakatla. In the two home games last month, Wrangell struggled to score in the late stages of both games. And while those woes don’t appear to have dissipated, the Wolves will unlikely face a team as tough as the Chiefs for the rest of their regular season.
Additionally, Angerman is still “in the experimental phase” of building out his rotations. He said that against a team as big as Metlakatla, he frequently found himself having to opt for defensive lineups that were more limited with the ball in their hands.
Angerman described Metlakatla as the most difficult place to play in Southeast. And the fact that the team has improved since its opening day, 23-point defeat will likely be a silver lining despite the 0-4 start.
Next up, the Wolves will travel to Petersburg for a two-game series Friday and Saturday, Jan. 10-11. The Vikings, who graduated five seniors last year, were walloped by Craig last weekend, so both teams are seeking much needed in-conference wins at this early point in the season.
“We’re ready to get some games in the winning column,” Angerman said.
After the Petersburg trip, Wrangell will host their second-of-four home series this season in matchups against Haines on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18.
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