The Thunder Mountain girls basketball team fell 39-30 to Ketchikan on Tuesday at the Region V Basketball Tournament at Mt. Edgecumbe High School.
Neal Garcia scored a team-high 14 points for the Falcons, who couldn’t take advantage of the Lady Kings’ early offensive struggles. Thunder Mountain scored six points before halftime to Kayhi’s 12.
Ketchikan advances to the Class 4A semifinals against Juneau-Douglas today at 3 p.m.
In the boys tournament opener, Thunder Mountain defeated JDHS 52-51. The Crimson Bears had four chances at a game winner over the final 30 seconds, but each attempt missed the mark.
“You’re trying to contain them as far out as possible and make them shoot as deep and contested shot as possible,” TMHS coach John Blasco said. “They got some looks — we’re just very fortunate they didn’t fall.”
Bryson Echiverri had 15 points and Brady Carandang had 11 points for the Falcons. For the Crimson Bears, seniors Krishant Samtani and Philip Gonzales combined for 30 points.
Thunder Mountain trailed 45-33 entering the fourth, but evened the score within four minutes. The Crimson Bears maintained possession for most of the final two minutes after Carandang’s go-ahead layup with 1:30 left. JDHS went cold from the field though, and their final shot at the buzzer was short.
Thunder Mountain plays Ketchikan today at 4:45 p.m. for a chance to go to Friday’s championship game. It’s been four years since either Ketchikan or Thunder Mountain have won the Region V 4A Tournament.
JDHS will play in an elimination game Thursday at 9:45 a.m.
THUNDER MOUNTAIN 3 3 12 12 — 30: N. Garcia 14, Fenumiai 6, Lewis 6, Hauck 2, K. Garcia 2. KETCHIKAN 2 10 20 7 — 39: Huffine 14, Guevarra 14, Zhuta 7, Rose 2, Rhodes 2.
JUNEAU-DOUGLAS 8 24 13 7 — 51: Samtani 16, Gonzales 14, Bryant 7, Kriegmont 6, Yadao 5, McCormick 3. THUNDER MOUNTAIN 14 10 9 19 — 52: Echiverri 15, Carandang 11, P. Toutaiolepo 8, M. Toutaiolepo 7, Hinckle 7, Mendoza 3, Jenkins 1.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.
