The Thunder Mountain High School boys’ basketball team finished third in the three-day Clarke Cochrane Christmas Classic in Ketchikan that concluded Saturday, with two Falcons players making the all-tournament team.
TMHS defeated the Ketchikan High School Kings 60-48 in the third-place game, taking a narrow lead early and then extending the margin throughout, to claim third place among the eight boys’ teams in the tournament. The Falcons’ Samuel Lockhart, a 5’10” senior guard, led all scorers with 21 points and James Polasky, a 6’6” senior center, had 19 points for TMHS.
The Falcons opened the tournament in dramatic fashion with a 62-61 overtime win against Monroe Catholic. The Falcons fell behind 17-9 in the first quarter before tying the game 28-28 at halftime, 42-42 in the third quarter and 55-55 at the end of regulation. Thomas Baxter, a 6’3” senior guard, led the Falcons with 21 points.
TMHS in their next game found themselves down by 22 points early in the third quarter to eventual champion West Anchorage High School before rallying to close the gap to eight, only to see West prevail 65-52 and earn a spot in the title game. Lockhart was the dominant scorer for the Falcons with 24 points.
West Anchorage won the boys’ championship by defeating Service High School 52-48. West took a 26-17 lead late in the second quarter, but Service came back and kept the score close throughout the second half.
Grace Christian High School in Anchorage won the girls’ bracket, dominating Ketchikan in the championship game 57-38.
Lockhart and Baxter were named to the boys’ all-tournament team.
THMS, now 4-3 on the season with conference play yet to begin, next plays at home against Sitka High School on Jan. 12 and 13.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
