Madison Cox breaks through the defense during the Boyd Worley Tournament earlier this year. (photo by Elise Giordano)
The Skagway high school basketball teams were eliminated from 1A Regionals in Sitka with two losses each. But the Lady Panthers put up a fight in a close final game.
The first three games the Panthers played were crushing losses. The Panther boys lost 62-14 to the Gustavus Foxes and 43-12 to the Thorne Bay Wolverines. The Panther girls lost 63-8 to the Yakutat Eagles.
But this morning, the girls’ game against the Hoonah Braves was close. They were neck-and-neck in the third quarter when a Hoonah player fouled out, leaving the team with four players on the court against Skagway’s five.
“Skagway hoping to get their first win of the season,” announcer Mike Swasey said as he watched the game. “Hoonah has a couple wins against Skagway.”
In the final 30 seconds, Skagway was down 25-20.
“Quick three point bomb by [Hailey] Jenson, she knocks it down, she knocks it down with ten seconds now!” Swasey said as he watched. “Coach Jess Callies calls a time out. 25-23 is the score.”
Hailey Jensen made the three-point shot and soon after she fouled out. With just a couple seconds left, Skagway wasn’t able to get another basket to catch up with Hoonah.
“And they get it in to Madison Cox, Madison’s full court press is unable to be handled by two Skagway players…they fall short on this one,” Swasey said. “26-23 is the final score on this one. What a game, what a game from Sitka…Skagway is winless on the season, next year it’ll be a different story for both squads, we sure hope so.”
As Skagway ends their run at regionals, the Haines Glacier Bears get ready for their first games at the 2A Tournament in Ketchikan tonight.The Glacier Bear girls play Metlakatla at 6:30 and the boys play Craig at 8:15. The games will be broadcast on KHNS.
