Barrow's Colin Long races up court. The all-star guard averaged 20 points in the two-game series against Wasilla. - Photo Provided / for Alaska Newspapers

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Wasilla boys hold off Barrow boys

January 20th 3:09 am | Van Williams Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

Nobody likes to lose, but sometimes playing well in defeat can count for something.

That was the case for the Barrow boys basketball team last weekend against 4A power Wasilla.

Despite being undersized and overmatched, the Whalers hung with the juggernauts of the Northern Lights Conference in a two-game series that was back and forth. Wasilla won the first game 63-58 in OT and then hung on the second night 55-46 despite a late run by Barrow.

"We were right there with them," Barrow coach Jeremy Arnhart said.

In the first game, Wasilla's 6-foot-9 Connor Devine and 6-foot-5 Braydon Kuiper combined for 53 of the team's 63 points to lead the state's No. 2-ranked team on the road. The Warriors lived up to the big-and-physical label.

"Their size hurt us," Arnhart said. "Defensively we did what we could with those big guys - help side, ball pressure."

Colin Long led the Whalers with 21 points while Donovan Nungasak [11], Eddie Benson [11] and Eben Olemaun [10] also reached double figures.

Barrow led pretty much the whole game before Wasilla made a move in the fourth quarter. Benson hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to push the game into OT.

"We played our hearts out," Long said.

In the second game, Wasilla took command early and built a 10-point cushion at the half. Arnhart said the Whalers came out flat and Long agreed.

"We had no emotion," Long said. "None of us were pumped up."

That changed in the second half as the Whalers rallied and clawed back to within 1 point in the fourth quarter. Wasilla iced the game with free throws.

"We learned some valuable lessons," Arnhart said.

Long pumped in 20 points and Lawrence Kaleak scored 12.

"I played alright; I wouldn't say I played my best games, but I tried my best every night," Long said. "I hate losing, but these games will give us confidence the rest of the year."

Van Williams can be reached at sports@reportalaska.com.

 

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