The Thunder Mountain High School Falcons boys basketball team will play their school’s final games, marking an end of a high-polished educational institution as well as a top-notch extracurricular athletic foundation, when they open competition in the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
The No. 6 Falcons (19-9) will face the No. 3 ranked West Valley High School Wolfpack (21-4) from Fairbanks.
“We are just trying to come down from the regional high and shift focus to a team we haven’t seen since the end of January,” Blasco said. “It has been a long time so we are just trying to shift gears and shift strategies.”
TMHS has a lot to play for. Aside from chasing a title, they represent the last boys hoops team that will wear the blue, silver and black colors after a decision by the Juneau School District to consolidate high schools at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé.
“It is the final road trip for us,” Blasco said. “We have a lot of juniors and sophomores who have matured with this group of seniors, and it is the last time for them to wear these jerseys. We are really trying not to focus on that. The biggest thing we are focusing on, the biggest thing we are playing for, is for a state title. I think that is what is on everybody’s minds right now. I think everybody is excited for the opportunity to get to play at the state tournament.”
The Falcons boys didn’t get to play at state in 2020 after winning regions 41-38 over JDHS. That state tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The freshmen class after them saw it, and they are embracing the opportunity that we get to go and play in the state tournament,” Blasco said.
Those freshmen are now seniors and a serious threat to advance in the state tournament.
“I hope we win, of course,” co-captain TJ Guevarra said. “We don’t have much experience so it is just going to have to come from our seniors and the people who have been on varsity for most of their time in high school. We have been dialed in and focused on this state tournament…We want to win, we have that fire in our hearts to where we want to push and strive for greatness.”
On the same side of the TMHS state bracket are the No. 2 Service Cougars (20-8) facing No. 7 Wasilla (12-12). TMHS faced all three of their bracket teams in the Ice Jam Tournament at West Valley at the end of January. TMHS lost to Service 63-60, toppled Wasilla 79-56, and fell to West Valley 62-51.
“Oh gosh, they have four guys who I believe are all over 6’5”,” Blasco said of West Valley. “They work the ball through the post really effectively. So that is a tough challenge when you have a team that constantly has athletic, tall post players. It wears you down defensively. You really have to figure out how to contain them…”
On paper the Falcons don’t have the height to match the Wolfpack length inside, but heart is never listed in statistics. TMHS senior James Polasky at 6’6” is a proven force offensively and defensively in the post, and will get help collectively from the Falcons roster, including 6’3” top state guard Thomas Baxter and 6’3” swingman Kasen Ludeman.
“I’m nervous and excited,” co-captain Polasky said. “We have had some good practices. I think we will be doing good for our first state run. We’re a very close team. I think we are a lot closer than most teams everywhere. I’ve been on a lot of different sports teams over the last couple years, and I’ve never been on a team that is as close as we are. We’ve grown up together. Sam (Lockhart) and I were talking the other day and we, like, don’t even know where we met each other. We’ve just known each other for so long…it’s just a family.”
According to Blasco, West Valley also has “a really shifty point guard and a really good senior shooter…They are a well-balanced team.”
That sounds eerily familiar to the TMHS roster. The Falcons’ senior speed, ball handling, defensive skills and depth give them a solid chance against any of the state opponents. The under-six-foot exploits of sharpshooting senior Samuel Lockhart are noted across Alaska, as well the play of classmates Lance Nierra, Guevarra, Anthony Garcia, Jace Ribao, Harbor Thomas, Krishna Sanguni, junior Pedrin Saceda-Hurt and sophomore Joren Gasga. Helping Blasco on the staff are assistants Chase Saviers, Joe Tompkins and Braden Jenkins and manager Jayden Rosenbruch.
While the Falcons may seek to find Polasky, Baxter and Lockhart as first options, the team is comfortable finding any TMHS uniform on the court.
“I don’t think the whole school situation is affecting us much,” co-captain Lockhart said. “We are just focused on the goal at hand and that is to win state. We are all pretty dialed in on one goal as a group… We are probably the dark horse of the tournament. I think so. We have a great big man (Polasky) and Thomas (Baxter) is obviously an all-state guard, and I like to think I am one of the better shooters in the state. We have three solid guys and a great point guard (Guevarra), and Kasen (Ludeman) is a great role player. Kind of unexpected but I think we will make a run and show some love for TM.”
The other half of the bracket features top-ranked Bettye Davis East Anchorage Thunderbirds (25-1, undefeated in Alaska) vs. the No. 8 Palmer Moose (12-13) and No. 4 West Anchorage Eagles (18-9) vs. the No. 5 Monroe Catholic Rams (20-5). East and Palmer are the only teams TMHS has not played this season. The Falcons bested Monroe 62-61 and fell to West 65-52 early in the season. They have also defeated 3A state qualifier Sitka 64-47 and 61-49 and split their Southeast Conference matchups with top-eight RPI holder JDHS before sweeping the Crimson Bears in the Region tournament.
There is more for teams to face at state than just opponents.
“It’s a completely different feeling,” Blasco said. “At regions, the environment is unlike anything else in the state and then you get to state and you’re playing the biggest tournament of the season, and you’re in a college arena.”
While the venue stakes are higher, the teams are more removed from the fans surrounding the action. Region benches have fans courtside behind them and pep bands and cheerleaders are within earshot. State benches rest with scorers and media tables across both sides with secure distances and stadium bars between them and the first rows of seats that climb skyward to exits high above. Only players, coaches, cheerleaders, referees and tournament staff move through the bowels of competition.
There is no margin for the title. Win and move forward, lose and move backward.
“You’re kind of isolated on the court without the loud exterior noise and environment, but you’re playing at a higher tension and pressure of a big tournament,” Blasco said.
The Falcons open play in the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves’ Auxiliary Gym near campus, not the main court of the Alaska Airlines Center that teams advance to.
Blasco has been coaching the Falcons since the school’s inception in the 2008-09 school year. In August 2009 TMHS became a member of the ASAA.
The TMHS boys placed 7th at state in 2013 — their two losses were against third place winner, Colony, 60-56 and in double overtime to Palmer 62-57. They placed sixth in 2014 — defeating Kodiak by 16 points, and their two losses each by under five points, to Colony, 56-51, and the fourth place game to West Valley 62-59.
