The Soldotna Stars found themselves in their second overtime game in as many days on Sunday in the George Houston Capital City Classic. This time playing the Cordova Wolverines and without Stars leading senior scorer Izaiah Gilbert who had injured his ankle in yesterday’s overtime won over Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé.
“I knew I had to overcome the challenge of our star player being out,” Soldotna junior Bryan Berg said. “I knew that I needed to score more points and to step up on defense. When my team needed me I just filled that role.”
CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC COVERAGE:
Day 1: Chugiak girls run past Kenai | Federal Way gets past Soldotna 63-40 | 4A Crimson Bears girls topple 1A Chieftains | JDHS boys beat Cordova
Day 2: Chugiak girls defeat Klawock | Federal Way wins against Cordova | 4A Crimson Bears girls topple 3A Cardinals | JDHS boys battle in extra time with Soldotna
Day 3: Kenai girls defeat Klawock for third place
Berg had the unenviable task of guarding Cordova seniors Noah Pearson and John Itliong, the Wolverines two key ball handlers and shooters from distance. Stars junior Owen Buckbee also backed him up.
“I just knew to stay in front of them,” Berg said. “If I get beat I know there is help and I give them enough space on the shot.”
Knotted at 48-48 after four quarters the teams played another four minutes to decide the game.
While Berg was trying to contain Cordova’s backcourt his Soldotna senior teammate Easton Hawkins was upping his offensive game with a game high 23 points.
Cordova senior Chiko Jacob hit the first basket of extra time and Hawkins had a steal for a layup to tie the score at 50-50. He added a free throw for the 51-50 lead.
Soldotna junior Owen Buckbee (1) and senior Easton Hawkins (0) go for a loose ball with Cordova junior Blake Bailey (2)during the Stars 56-52 overtime win over the Wolverines during Sunday action at the George Houston Capital City Classic in Juneau. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Cordova’s Pearson would connect on two free throws for a 52-51 Wolverines advantage, but Hawkins did the same from the charity stripe to put Soldotna back on top 53-52 with 52.1 seconds remaining.
Soldotna junior Sam Peck had a key steal attempt on Cordova’s next possession and in the process put the ball off a Wolverines player for possession. Hawkins would benefit with two more free throws for a 55-52 lead and junior Jayden Stuyvesant put another free throw in for the final 56-52.
“I was just really hoping that I didn’t sell that game,” Hawkins said. “It was coming down to the wire and it shouldn’t be like that, but we had to fight it out. Everybody was tired from yesterday’s big overtime game. A lot of sore people, our best scorer not on the court with an injury so I am hoping he gets back…I just knew that somebody needed to step up and score a lot. Somebody needed to be that guy playing in transition, getting to the rim and I wanted to be that guy so I stepped up.”
Soldotna drained three shots past the arch in a 9-2 opening flurry that saw Stars senior Easton Hawkins drain one and junior Theo Huff a pair.
Cordova would stay in the fight as senior John Itliong hit from inside and caused havoc on drives, going to the free throw line three times in the first eight minutes of action.
Soldotna would lead 13-9 starting the second stanza, but Cordova senior Noah Pearson scored early to cut the deficit.
Soldotna sophomore Damari Adams hit inside and Stuyvesant found another basket for a 17-11 lead.
Cordova would go in a 5-0 run to pull trail 17-16, but Soldotna senior Kenai Lepule stopped the surge for a 20-16 lead. Cordova added another basket by Jacob to trail at the half 20-18.
Neither team had more than a five-point lead in the third quarter and Soldotna led 40-36 heading into the final eight minutes.
The teams exchanged baskets through the final period until Hawkins hit a free throw for a 48-47 lead with 1:53 left.
Cordova played for a final shot and was fouled with Itliong hitting one to tie the game at 48-48.
Soldotna could not find a clear shot and the game went to overtime.
Hawkins led Soldotna with 23 points, Berg had 11, Huff six, Stuyvesant five, Adams four, Lepule three, and Buckbee and sophomore Josh Babcock two apiece.
The Stars hit 9-13 at the free throw line, the Wolverines 13-22.
Pearson led Cordova with 18 points, Itliong added 16 and Jacob 15 and senior Thomas Nothstine three.
Boys Tournament Scores:
FRIDAY: Federal Way 63, Soldotna 40; JDHS 62, Cordova 39.
SATURDAY: Federal Way 64, Cordova 31; Soldotna 62, JDHS 60.
SUNDAY: Soldotna 56, Cordova 52; JDHS vs. Federal Way.
