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Buzzer beater answers Kotzebue's prayers

January 6th 7:33 pm | Van Williams Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

In need of a miracle, Josh Tallon delivered the shot of his life to save the Kotzebue High School boys basketball team.

Tallon's 30-foot desperation heave beat the buzzer and helped Kotzebue beat Buckland 63-61 in Saturday night's Husky Shootout title game.

"You couldn't have painted a better scenario for a championship game, where the hometown team comes from behind," Kotzebue coach Craig McConnell said. "The gym was packed."

They watched an instant classic.

Kotzebue's Colton Jessup and Buckland's Justin Hadley shared game-high scoring honors with 23 points. Lyle Hadley added 20 points for Buckland while Peter Jones [15] and Tallon [14] each reached double figures for the Huskies.

The Buckland Sissauni seemingly had the championship clinched in their grasp, holding a 61-60 cushion with the ball under their basket with just 0.9 seconds to go. All they had to do was safely inbounds the ball.

But Kotzebue stole it and somehow Tallon got off a last-gasp, Hail Mary that was answered.

The wild win capped a 3-0 showing for the Huskies that also included victories over Noorvik and Selawik.

In the semifinals, Kotzebue beat Noorvik 77-74 in a game that featured high scorers Danny Wells of Noorvik and Peter Jones of Kotzebue.

Wells pumped in a tournament-high 43 points thanks in part to 6 3-pointers. Jones scored 37 points with 5 threes.

"We played some teams this weekend that had some outstanding individual players," McConnell said.

Kotzebue knocked off Selawik 65-46 in the first round.

"It was a big weekend," McConnell said. "For about the last five years Kotzebue has been down, with the team being beaten by 30, 40 points. Now we're competitive again.

"We've got a lot of guys that do a lot of different things for us. Together they are a good combination."

Four Huskies made the all-tournament team - Grant Magdanz, Jones, Jessup and Tallon.

Kotzebue girls go back-to-back

The Lady Huskies won the Husky Shootout for the second straight year thanks to an awesome all-around effort on both sides of the ball.

Kotzebue doubled up Selawik 48-24 in Saturday's title tilt.

This is a much different Lady Huskies team that lost five seniors, including a pair of all-state stars.

They just reloaded with all-tournament standouts Dessirea Kenworthy, Mary Sue Hyatt, Colleen Snyder and Stephanie Sampson.

"I think it's awesome we took it again this year," Kenworthy said. "We stayed strong. We all get along. We don't give up."

Kotzebue beat Shungnak 67-30 in the first round before beating Buckland 63-25 in the semifinals.

"We're a lot smaller this year, but we're quicker," Snyder said. "We block out more; that's the big difference."

The sophomore guard said Kotzebue coach Jake Stoops preaches fundamentals every day in practice and it is starting to pay dividends on the court.

"We have improved a lot on that," Snyder said.

Kenworthy is the point guard. She played shooting guard last year, but is adjusting nicely to running a motion offense.

"We like to move the ball around until we get a good shot," Kenworthy said.

Husky Shootout

Boys

First Place: Kotzebue

Second Place: Buckland

Third Place: Noorvik

Sportsmanship: Kiana

All-Tournament

Danny Wells Noorvik

Peter Jones, Kotzebue

Colton Jessup, Kotzebue

Josh Tallon, Kotzebue

Nathan Hadley, Buckland

Lyle Hadley, Buckland

Buff Schuerch, Kiana

Jason Stalker, Kiana

Walter Tebbits, Noorvik

Douglas Brown, Selawik

Grant Magdanz, Kotzebue

Justin Hadley, Buckland

Girls

First Place: Kotzebue

Second Place: Selawik

Third Place: Buckland

Sportsmanship: Kiana

All-Tournament

Dessirea Kenworthy, Kotzebue

Susie Lee, Buckland

Stephanie Sampson, Kotzebue

Robin Commack, Selawik

Amber Barr, Kiana

Lorenda Mitchell, Selawik

Kirsten Deecrost, Kiana

Mary Sue Hyatt, Kotzebue

Lila Barger, Buckland

Emily Outwater, Noorvik

Hannah Cleveland, Noorvik

Colleen Snyder, Kotzebue

 

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