SITKA — A national group has honored a group of Sitka High School basketball players who last year helped pull residents from a burning building in Anchorage.
The National Federation of State High School Associations announced Monday that the boys basketball team will receive the “National High School Spirit of Sport Award” for the western region, The Sitka Sentinel reported.
“The basketball team members employed the skills of teamwork and quick thinking that they had developed through many years of participation and sprang into action,” the federation said in a release.
The federation is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities.
The boys helped 11 people out of a burning apartment building while in Anchorage for a state basketball tournament last March. While the players were on their way to breakfast, one player noticed flames in a passing building. The van driver headed toward the building and Sitka High coach Andy Lee called 911.
The players then went around the building knocking on windows and telling residents to get out.
No one was injured in the fire.
Lee said he is “very proud” of the team members and of the national recognition.
“It happened very quickly and we realize we impacted those families and that is going to be with us forever,” he said. “Their actions that day are a reflection of their families and our community.”
The team has also received recognition from Gov. Bill Walker and the players were grand marshals of the Sitka Fourth of July parade.
