1A boys: King Cove crushes Napaskiak

Victoria Barber

March 20, 2008 at 9:04PM AKST

 

After a heart-breaking, fourth-quarter loss to Kalskag on Wednesday night, King Cove T-Jacks came back blazing for their final 1A tournament game on Thursday, March 19.

The T-Jacks took control of the ball early in their final match against the Napaskiak Hawks on and never let go it go – taking third place by a huge margin in King Cove’s first state championship since 1995.

“They did good – they were better handling the ball tonight,” said Joe Calver.
Calver, King Cove’s referee and a chaperone for the trip, was filling in for team’s coach, Ralph Lindquist, who suffered a mild heart attack on the court shortly after the team’s first game – a hard-fought win against Fort Yukon.

Lindquist was doing fine after an operation but would be in an Anchorage hospital for three days, said Calver.

In the first quarter, the King Cove boys showed unusual caution in their defense, perhaps the result of the disastrous fouls that threw their match against Kalskag the night before. The first quarter also saw its first injury, when Charley Dushkin toppled over Hawk Herman Evan, who was escorted off the court by a team of EMTs.

Nevertheless, T-Jacks closed the first quarter ahead 10 to six, and continued to pick up steam in the second quarter with powerful drives by sophomore Jonny Samuelson – the high scorer for the first half – and plays by senior Charley Dushkin, altogether pulling in 21 points in the second quarter for a lead of 32 to 19.

Throughout the second half, Napaskiak fought hard, but struggled to cut through the bulwark of towering players such as Dushkin, Jordan Hamilton, and Miles Walker on the inside and failed to make enough baskets from the outside. When the Hawks made their shots – regardless of whether they sank them – the T-Jacks easily captured the rebounds and lobbed them down court for a lay up.

At the end of the third quarter the T-Jacks led by 51 to 25 and continued to score on rebounds and free throws. As they maintained their shooting rhythm the Hawks grew more frantic and disorganized – missing passes, fouling often and giving 11 free throws to the T-Jacks, 9 of which the T-Jacks sank.

The T-Jacks wrapped up the game at a crushing 74 to 29, led by Dushkin with 18 points, Samuelson with 16 points and six assists, Darcy Mack with 14 and Jordan Hamilton with 13. Mack was named the “Player of the Game.”

Victoria Barber can be reached at (907) 348-2424 or toll free at (800) 770-9830, ext. 424.