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Month: March 2026
President Donald Trump is bringing back 2020. Many Republicans wish he wouldn’t.
Conversations with nearly a dozen GOP state and county chairs and strategists reveal a party largely eager to move on from relitigating Trump’s election grievances, which they’re worried may detract from an economic message that actually motivates voters. But the president won’t let it go, subpoenaing 2020 election records and putting pressure on lawmakers to pass legislation to overhaul voter registration laws.
As Republicans stare down a treacherous midterm landscape, there’s a growing view inside the party that focusing on “stolen election” claims and voter fraud will kneecap them in the general election: That messaging might play well with the MAGA base in the primary, but it could alienate moderates tired of rehashing an election from nearly six years ago.
“I’m always one to believe you should look forward, not backward,” said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and Trump convention delegate who hosted a meeting of fake electors in 2020 at his Harrisburg-based public affairs firm. “It would be better if the midterms focused on the recovery of the economy and all the good things the Republican administration and Congress are doing to move the economy forward.”
In recent weeks, Trump has turned his sights on Maricopa County — Arizona’s largest county — subpoenaing records just weeks after the FBI raided an elections office outside Atlanta. He has revisited grievances that the 2020 election was “rigged,” suggested Republicans should nationalize elections and is demanding that lawmakers make passing the SAVE America Act, which would put in place stricter voting requirements, their “No. 1 priority.”
“Part of me understands it, and part of me just wants to move forward,” said Todd Gillman, chair of the Monroe County Republican Party in Michigan.
“Focus on the things that matter to everybody throughout the whole country,” he said, “or we’re going to have a problem in a few months.”
Trump does have backing from a number of Republicans, including some battleground-state GOP chairs who are not only embracing the president’s election probe, but openly encouraging his administration to audit their states’ records as they continue to push allegations of fraud from 2020.
Bruce Parks, the chair of the Washoe County, Nevada, GOP, said he would “absolutely” welcome a probe into his county and Clark County, the two largest in the state. And Jim Runestad, the chair of the Michigan Republican Party, suggested a review of records in Detroit, long a focal point of Trump’s 2020 election conspiracies.
“There’s no problem at taking a look at this and making sure everybody’s comfortable,” Runestad said.
Still, others say the risk is that voters simply don’t care — or have moved on. Republicans, including Trump’s own advisers, increasingly want him to focus on the economy ahead of the midterms.
That comes as polling repeatedly shows that economic issues — not election issues — top voters’ list of concerns. In a February POLITICO Poll, more than half of all Americans — 52 percent — said the cost of living was a top issue facing the U.S. By comparison, less than a quarter — 23 percent — said a top issue was the U.S.’ democracy being under threat, a view held predominately by Democrats.
Those cost of living worries are now being exacerbated by Trump’s war in Iran, which is driving up gas prices and wreaking global economic havoc as it enters its third week.
The White House said Trump’s efforts are aimed at restoring confidence in elections and reiterated the importance of passing the SAVE Act.
“[Trump] is committed to ensuring that Americans have full confidence in the administration of elections, and that includes totally accurate and up-to-date voter rolls free of errors and unlawfully registered non-citizen voters,” spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
Buzz Brockway, a GOP strategist and former state representative in Georgia, called election issues a “huge distraction,” adding: “Nobody outside of a small dedicated group are talking about this, they’re talking about the economy, they’re talking about, now, the price of oil.”
In Georgia, long an epicenter of Trump’s repeated efforts to litigate the 2020 election, some Republicans say voters are now largely “immune” to the issue that’s been rehashed endlessly for the past five years.
Some state-level GOP officials are hoping Congress passes the SAVE Act — despite the reluctance of many Republican lawmakers — so it will give them enough cover with MAGA voters but allow them to avoid talking about election issues themselves.
While Trump’s “stolen election” claims may still be a driving force for some primary voters, the general electorate is focused elsewhere. And if Republicans make those grievances central to their midterm message, they risk falling into a similar trap Democrats confronted during the 2024 presidential election — when former Vice President Kamala Harris’ warnings about democracy won over already loyal Democrats but failed to sway enough of the swing voters she needed to clinch the presidency.
“You’ve got to at least touch that base,” said one Georgia-based GOP strategist, granted anonymity to speak candidly. But “once you’ve got the nomination, then I think it really collapses down into economic issues.”
That dynamic can create a political conundrum for Republican candidates.
“A savvy Democrat will put a candidate on the spot and say, ‘You agree with [Trump], don’t you?’ and make a mess,” Brockway said. Republicans have “got to figure out a way to deflect that question somehow, in a plausible way that doesn’t alienate this loud minority.”
Politics
U.S. Forest Service leadership is in flux as the agency takes sweeping actions in managing the 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest, and making regulatory and administrative changes at all levels, Alaska-based officials reported this week.
At the beginning of a four-day federal subsistence Regional Advisory Council meeting in Juneau on Tuesday, Tongass Supervisor Monique Nelson spoke about shifts in the Forest Service since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025.
Nelson said staffing on the Tongass is down 30% from this time last year; in the wake of federal workforce reductions by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, 270 USFS employees are currently working in Southeast Alaska.
Nelson, who’s worked for the Forest Service in Alaska for several years, stepped into the Tongass supervisor role last spring. She said that “since the changes in the administration, we have shifted our work from the focus on the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy to other agency priorities that include active forest management, disaster recovery, minerals and energy and access to outdoor recreation.”
“While I say that there is a shift, those things are always our agency priorities, and so we are certainly happy and dedicated to doing that work in front of us,” she said.
USFS personnel are currently working through planning processes for logging, mining, and energy projects, Nelson said.
The largest of the planned logging projects are the South Revilla project east of Ketchikan and the Twin Mountain II project on eastern Prince of Wales Island, both of which include old-growth timber harvest, Nelson said.
“For both of those projects, we did find a significant likelihood of impacts to subsistence resources,” Nelson told the subsistence council members.
Among its energy projects, USFS is continuing to work on the Angoon-area Thayer Creek Hydropower project.
“With regard to minerals, I’ll say that really there is not a change. We are required to be very responsive to minerals needs,” Nelson said, noting there is currently a high price on gold.
The service is preparing for tourist season by hiring seasonal staff to take care of Tongass National Forest day-use sites, bear viewing areas, camp grounds and visitor centers.
Following Nelson’s presentation, council member Ted Sandhofer remarked on the size and scope of current USFS projects on the Tongass.
Sandhofer worked with USFS for about 35 years, starting in 1987 as a forester based in Hoonah, and retiring in 2021 as the head of the Petersburg Ranger District.
He said that the current USFS project list is “a big workload, as big as I’ve seen on the Tongass.”
“I know that there’s a reduction in (workforce), so it seems like you’re going to be doing more with less. … Do you have enough people?” Sanhofer asked.
Nelson told him the agency currently is working through “interim operations” while adjusting to staffing reductions.
“Our regional offices and our Washington office are acting as consolidated units where we have that high-level expertise working in much larger groups across much larger land masses,” Nelson said. “Now, we in Alaska are now working as part of a larger Pacific team with California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, overseen by a (Pacific Northwest) Regional Forester on their executive leadership team.”
Acting Regional Forester for Alaska, Jerry Ingersoll, started in the role in October. He previously worked with USFS in Ketchikan and Juneau for about seven years.
Introducing himself at the council meeting Tuesday, Ingersoll said that he’ll be retiring at the end of April.
The permanent Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region, Jacque Buchanan, spoke to the transition in USFS leadership for Alaska.
“When Jerry steps out, I’m going to step fully into it, to get us through the interim place to you getting back to a full staff at the Alaska level,” Buchanan said.
“This is the interim space,” Buchanan said. “I think we will probably be in this space for the next six to eight months. And so what the future is exactly going to look like, we don’t know.”
“I have pretty high assurance that, especially here in Alaska, there will remain a state-level leadership,” Buchanan said “It may be called something different, you know, it’s probably, it’s not going to be (an Alaska) Regional Forester, but it would be a state leadership at the same level.”
Buchanan said she’d like to help USFS get back to full staffing levels.
Nelson said that, with reduced staffing levels, “a lot of the local projects will be harder to address, and the emphasis on partnerships is really what’s going to make a difference for us to be able to make sure that we’re attending to those very local needs.”
She said partnerships remain a priority for USFS.
“Just recently, we entered into a shared stewardship agreement with the State of Alaska, and that agreement is focused on providing wood to the wood products industry, and pairing that with restoration actions on the forest,” Nelson said.
“We also have the opportunity to enter into more shared stewardship agreements, and we hope to be able to do so with many tribes and tribal partners, as well as other landowners in Southeast,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the Trump administration is prioritizing “deregulation and organizational efficiency, and then also an emphasis on partnerships as part of the deregulation agenda.”
Forest Service personnel in Washington, D.C., are working through the process to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule, which could open the Tongass to more logging. A draft environmental impact statement is expected this spring, and will be released for a public comment period.
Last month the Forest Service issued a notice of intent for its ongoing Tongass National Forest Management Plan; public comments are due by March 20 as to “purpose and need for action” driving the Tongass plan revision by USFS.
Meanwhile, personnel in Washington, D.C., are working on changing the agency’s National Environmental Policy Act regulations and administrative review regulations, Nelson said.
This story originally appearedin the Daily Sitka Sentinel.
The post Subsistence panel told of shifts by U.S. Forest Service appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.
The tenacious defense of the Haines boys basketball team came to the court for the championship game of the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball state tournament on Saturday in Anchorage, but the Glacier Bears scored just three points in the first quarter against the also defensive-minded Ninilchik Wolverines, who prevailed 53-38.
“I loved everything about our team, man,” Haines coach Bryan Combs said. “They had a never-give-up mentality from the very beginning. When you get a group of guys — 10, 12, 13 — that come to the court at 6:30 every morning, every day and show up for a two-hour practice in the afternoon…They put the work in to get to play in a state championship game. And that is the bottom line.”
The first quarter belonged to Ninilchik’s McCorison brothers. Sophomore Andon McCorison hit the game’s first points from beyond the arc and added a steal and another three-point shot minutes later. Senior Kade McCorison hit a pair of two-point field goals, one at the buzzer, and had two blocked shots.
In between the McCorison scoring, Haines senior Colton Combs hit two free throws, senior John Davis hit one and the Glacier Bears trailed the Wolverines 10-3.
Haines could not get closer than that seven-point deficit in the first half.
A. McCorison hit two free throws to open the second quarter and Haines’ C. Combs hit a driving shot to pull to 12-5. K. McCorison scored on a step-through, and Haines junior Brody Ferrin scored to trail 14-7. In between those traded scores. Haines inside senior force James Stickler picked up two fouls.
Ninilchik junior Holden Corwin hit from the arc, sophomore teammates Eric Rader and Onyx Allen hit two free throws and one free throw, respectively, for a 20-7 lead that also drew the third foul on Stickler. While Haines expects every player to rebound and play hard defense, Stickler is a force for the Glacier Bears.
“Definitely defense is what we pride ourselves on,” Haines’ Davis said. “That is where we start every game. That is where we get our energy from. Bringing the defense and then drawing up some stuff on offense, but really we just start on defense and the offense comes after that…We played some pretty good defense tonight. We played hard but some shots didn’t fall for us and shots fell for them. We haven’t played a team that big in the paint so it was a little rough down low…Shots just didn’t fall and that was how it went…In the moment it feels like a loss. It is always rough to not win but thinking about it, two years ago we were second worst in the state so to go from that to second best in the state – that is a pretty good feeling for us. I am pretty happy to be here. This is rough, but I am happy.”
Haines junior Kyran Sweet hit a put-back to pull to 20-9, but was answered by Ninilchik’s K. McCorison for a 22-9 lead.
A missed Haines shot became a tussle under the basket and jump ball possession went to the Glacier Bears. Sweet would score on an inbounds play for a 22-11 score at the half.
Ninilchik opened the second half on an 8-0 run behind a field goal and three-point shot by A. McCorison and a blocked shot that led to an old-fashioned three-point play, both by K. McCorison, for a 30-11 lead.
The Glacier Bears worked to pull within single digits for the last time as Ferrin and senior John Davis both hit from the arc to trail 30-17. Ninilchik’s K. McCorison bumped and bullied inside to draw the fourth foul on Haines’ Stickler and hit two free throws for 32-17. The Glacier Bears Ferrin, C. Combs and sophomore Isaac Jones each hit scoring drives to trail by nine points, 32-23, but it lasted just one possession as K. McCorison scored for a 34-23 lead as the third quarter ended.
“Throughout the season we have been hanging our hats on defense,” Haines’ Ferrin said. “We really try to create pressure the whole game. Just defense and pressure really. It was awesome to be on the court tonight. I don’t think Haines has been here for about 10 to 15 years. It is a big moment for us even with the loss. It is really just amazing that we made it this far.”
The fourth quarter started with Ninilchik’s Rader scoring an old-fashioned three-point play that drew the game-ending fifth foul on Haines’ Stickler.
Sweet answered from the arc to pull to 37-26, but Rader hit a basket and then three free throws for a 41-26 lead. Haines’ junior Wade Lloyd hit two free throws and C. Combs a field goal, but Ninilchik’s Rader went to the free throw line for five more points, the result being the fourth foul called on Haines’ Jones with three minutes left in the game.
“It was a huge experience here,” Haines’ Colton Combs said. “A huge moment. All the fans from Haines, so many people came up despite struggling with the weather, trying to drive up, but when it cleared up we were able to get a bunch of fans in the stands. It made the atmosphere way better, brought more energy to the gym. It was just a great experience. I am so proud of this team. Since day one our motivation was to cut down nets and hang banners and while we did that at regions, which Haines hasn’t down in a while, then came here and almost got the job fully finished. But just came a little short.”
Haines’ Jones hit from the arc only to be answered by Ninilchik’s A. McCorison from the field and K. McCorison from the free throw line for a 50-33 lead.
Ferrin scored for Haines, but Ninilchik’s K. McCorison scored and drew the fifth foul on Haines’ Jones.
A final shot from the arc by Haines’ Sweet was answered by a single free throw from Ninilchik’s K. McCorison for the 53-38 final score.
Haines coach Combs said the game plan was “to go out there and have fun but find your advantages, take advantage of them and play hard on defense. It has worked all season. Ninilchik, they are a great team. They are athletic, they are tall, they have been very well coached. They have done an amazing job. I have got years to go before I get to Nick’s (Ninilchik coach Nick Finley) level… So we start work as soon as we get home… We will be back. We don’t plan on being one and done. We are trying to build a culture and bring Haines basketball back and being competitive every single year.”
Sweet led Haines with 12 points, C. Combs had eight, junior Brody Ferrin seven, sophomore Isaac Jones five, senior John Davis four and junior Wade Lloyd two. The Glacier Bears made five three-point shots, nine two-point field goals and hit 5-6 from the free throw line. Haines had 23 team fouls and two players fouled out.
Senior Kade McCorison led Ninilchik with 18 points, freshman Anden McCorison had 15, sophomore Eric Rader 14, junior Holden Corwin five and sophomore Onyx Allen one. The Wolverines hit four three-point shots, 11 closer in, went 19-29 from the line and had 10 team fouls.
Ninilchik earned the title game by defeating Cordova 52-25 in the quarterfinals and Metlakatla 49-32 in the semifinals. The Wolverines finish with a 26-3 record. Their three losses were to 1A Minto (67-51) on December 20; 3A Kenai (56-27) on Jan. 8; and 3A Kenai (62-50) on Feb. 21.
Haines earned the title game by defeating Tikigaq 68-34 in the quarterfinals and Unalakleet 42-41 in the semifinals. The Glacier Bears finish their season with a 17-6 record. The losses include at Petersburg (57-38, 59-46) on Jan. 29-30; to Petersburg (52-51) on Feb. 21; and at Metlakatla (52-46, 50-42) on Feb. 26-27.
In other action for Southeast teams on Saturday during the state championships, the Craig Lady Panthers defeated the Metlakatla Miss Chiefs 52-36 in the 2A girls third/fifth place game behind 26 points from junior Sara Steffen while Metlakatla sophomore Haylen Ladnier led the Miss Chiefs with 11 points. The Metlakatla Chiefs lost to the Unalakleet Wolfpack 46-44 in the 2A boys third/fifth place game with Chiefs junior Cruz Lindsey scoring 17 and senior Sebashtin Martinez 13. And in the 1A boys consolation final for seventh place, the Klawock Chieftains defeated the Skagway Panthers 62-47 behind 26 points from Chieftains’ senior Connor Bagby, while the Panthers were led by 15 points from senior Camden Lawson.
2A STATE TOURNAMENT AWARDS
1st Place boys – Ninilchik Wolverines. 2nd Place boys – Haines Glacier Bears.
1st Place girls – Seward Seahawks. 2nd Place girls – Glennallen Panthers.
Sportsmanship (team, coaches, fans) – Metlakatla Chiefs boys, Craig Lady Panthers girls.
Team Academic – Su Valley Rams boys (3.84), Unalakleet Wolfpack girls (3.907).
Team Assists (through first two state tournament games) – Unalakleet Wolfpack boys (38), Seward Seahawks’ girls (34).
State All-Tournament boys – Joshua Smith (Unalakleet), Isaac Smith (Unalakleet), Gianni Scudero-Hayward (Metlakatla), Jacob Lane (Tikigaq), Austin Bernard (Su Valley), James Stickler (Haines), Colton Combs (Haines), Kade McCorison (Ninilchik). Andon McCorison (Ninilchik), Marvin Captain (Tok).
State Tournament girls – Baileigh Nelson (Metlakatla), Sara Steffen (Craig), Ashlynn Smith (Craig); Isabelle Nothstine (Cordova); Lily Esmailka (Su Valley), Alianna Stone (Glennallen), Violet Jack (Unalakleet), Ava Jagielski (Seward), McKinley Williams (Seward), Grace Ann Fleming (Seward).
1A STATE TOURNAMENT AWARDS
1st Place boys – Shaktoolik Wolverines 60-46 over Minto Lakers.
1st Place girls – Fort Yukon Eagles 52-49 over Newhalen Malamutes.
Sportsmanship – Boys, Napaaqtugmiut (Noatak) Lynx. Girls, Shaktoolik Wolverines.
Team Academic – Boys, Skagway Panthers (3.46). Girls, Tri-Valley Warriors (3.93).
Team Assists – Boys, Shaktoolik Wolverines (57). Girls, Fort Yukon Eagles (37).
State All-Tournament boys – Alek McGarry (Cook Inlet Academy), Austin Rock (Shaktoolik), Brandt Rollman (Cook Inlet Academy), Chase Katchatag (Shaktoolik), Connor Bagby (Klawock), Frederick Olanna (Shishmaref), Gavin Hanshaw (Selawik), Ivan Davis-Nayokpuk (Shishmaref), Jonathan David (Minto), Marshall Dallman (Aniak), Nicholas Roberts (Minto), Riley Wilson (King Cove), Royce Borst (Skagway), Seth Paniptchuk (Shaktoolik), Terrence Nutting-Titus (Northway), Warren Charlie (Minto).
State All-Tournament girls – Analeigh Wassillie (Newhalen), Annette Paniptchuk (Shaktoolik), Brooklyn Hingesbergen (Selawik), Chloe Wassillie (Akiuk), CJ Kaganak (Scammon Bay), Easton Ross (Hoonah), Gracelyn Adams (Napaagtugmiut), Ida Lester (Newhalen), Iris Wappel (Tri-Valley), Jane Ward (Ft. Yukon), Kylee Carroll (Ft. Yukon), Krya Weyanna (Shishmaref), Missty Marine (Sand Point), Nellie Ward (Ft. Yukon), Pagan Lester (Newhalen), Summer Sampson (Shaktoolkik).
2A Girls Third/Fifth place game – CRAIG 52, METLAKATLA 36
In a rematch of the Southeast Conference championship game — and for the sixth time this season — the Craig Lady Panthers faced Metlakatla and repeated their regional performance with a 52-36 win over the Miss Chiefs in the third/fifth place game of the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball state tournament Saturday in Anchorage.
The Panthers had won three of the previous five meetings, with each team winning at home and Craig taking the Southeast crown.
“We faced Metlakatla in January and this year we saw them again at home and they won at their home court and we won at our home court,” Craig coach Vanessa James said. “And in Juneau we pulled off the win and now this one is big for us. We decided we were playing together as a team today for our seniors, and I have no doubt that getting here was what their goal was. And they lost sight of setting a new goal and we didn’t play our best basketball the last two games here at state. So coming out here and playing some pretty good basketball, I think they are leaving the state tournament on a high note.”
Craig led 14-8 after the first quarter as junior Ashlynn Smith found a rhythm with an early lay-in and two shots near the end of the stanza from the arc. Seniors Chelsea Thompson and Abigail Patten and freshman Alli Demmert added a field goal each as the Lady Panthers worked to contain the height of Metlakatla.
Miss Chiefs senior Morgan Hayward would score twice in the key on rebounds and add a free throw and senior Ma’Karii Martinez was fouled inside and hit three free throws.
The game became a real battle inside in the second quarter as Metlakatla junior Baileigh Nelson would score three times in the paint and add a free throw and Hayward added another inside score. The Miss Chiefs also had a lay-in and two shots past the arc from sophomore Haylen Ladnier.
Craig would pound the ball inside as well with junior Sara Steffen drawing four fouls on Metlakatla and hitting seven of her eight free throws.
Metlakatla would suffer a blow as Nelson suffered an injury midway through the quarter and would be lost for the rest of the game. Senior Mia Winter stepped up on the rebounding end in her absence. The Miss Chiefs trailed 26-25 heading into halftime.
“We know each other really, really well,” Metlakatla coach Mike Nigus said. “We knew what they brought and they knew what we brought. While we had our whole group healthy and ready to go, we knew it was going to be a great basketball game. And then as some injuries happened it really had an impact on the play and what we could do. It limited us.”
Craig would outscore Metlakatla 15-2 in the third quarter as Steffen hit 11 of those points and Thompson four. The Miss Chiefs’ two points came from Martinez at the free throw line.
Craig led 41-27 heading into the fourth quarter and Metlakatla would lose Martinez to an injury in the opening seconds. Steffen would score eight of the Lady Panthers 11 points in the stanza and Smith the other three.
Metlakatla’s nine points were divided among Ladnier with her third shot past the arc and seniors Saahdia Buffalo, Daycee King and Hayward.
Steffen led Crag with 26 points, Smith added 13, Thompson eight, Demmert three and Patten two. The Lady Panthers made three shots past the arc, 15 two-point field goals and hit 13-18 at the free throw line. Patten had five of the Lady Panthers 13 fouls and was lost in the fourth quarter.
“I felt like it was very emotional because we lost our last game and didn’t make it into the championship,” Craig’s Thompson said. “We wanted to do the best we could from here, which was to get third and put everything that we have learned from the last 12 years on to the court. We just wanted to let it all go on the court.”
Said Craig’s Patten, “We have been working on this our entire lives. We just wanted to put everything out there. Leave nothing undone, you know, leave no stone unturned. It felt really good to end my season and my career on a win, and it is extremely special to have these girls behind me. It was a team effort today. Everybody contributes and it is really good to be a senior and know that everybody has your back to get you that win.”
Ladnier led Metlakatla with 11 points, Hayward had eight, Nelson seven, Martinez five, King three and Buffalo two. The Miss Chiefs hit three three-point shots, nine two-point field goals and were 9-12 at the line. Buffalo had five of the Miss Chiefs 21 fouls and was lost in the fourth quarter. Martinez had her fourth foul before injury and Winter had four.
“It means a lot to know how far we have come from where we started to where we ended,” Metlakatla’s Martinez said. “I think we gave our all. I have nothing left in me to give to the floor. I played my whole heart out. We have played against Craig since middle school.”
Said Buffalo, “It feels like we all know all of each other’s plays because this is the sixth time we have played each other. Basketball has always been there my whole life. It meant a lot when I moved here as a seventh grader and started growing up with them… Because it is not only about basketball.”
Add Martinez, “Our whole team grew up together and when we added ‘Via’ in it just clicked. It is a sport that our parents played so we of course are going to play it. I felt like it created special bonds that are going to be helpful in the future because it is about the connections you make all around Southeast.”
Craig seniors Thompson and Patten were honored after the game along with Metlakatla seniors Martinez, Winter, King, Hayward and Buffalo.
“It is a joy,” Craig coach Vanessa James said. “Because I have been coaching most of these girls since kindergarten through middle school and high school. So seeing their growth and watching them grow as young women has always been bigger than basketball for me. Seeing them grow and become good human beings is the ultimate goal. I wish my two seniors the best of luck and I know they will do great moving forward in life.”
Metlakatla coach Nigus spoke to the impact his seniors had on the future of the Miss Chiefs program, saying, “They will forever be Miss Chiefs. They have won state championships and battled through the grind of making a trip to state every year that they have been in the program. I am not sure how many can say that… anywhere.”
Craig finishes the season with a 24-5 record. The five losses came against 4A Service (98-45) on December 28, at Metlakatla (42-34, 53-50) Jan. 7-8, at Petersburg (43-40) Jan. 31 and in the state semifinals to Glennallen (48-37) on Friday.
Metlakatla finished with a 20-7 record. The Miss Chiefs losses included Glennallen (24-14) on Jan. 29, Dillingham (26-20) on Jan. 31, at Craig (41-28, 40-32) on Feb. 6-7, at regions to Craig (47-41) on March 6, at state to Seward (53-23) on Friday, and Craig (52-36) Saturday.
Note: The Seward Seahawks defeated the Glennallen Lady Panthers 42-26 for the 2A championship. The Seahawks also beat the Lady Panthers last year for the state title.
2A boys third/fifth place game – UNALAKLEET 46, METLAKATLA 44
The Metlakatla Chiefs lost in the finals seconds of the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball State Championships third/fifth place game on Saturday, 46-44, to the Unalakleet Wolfpack at the University of Alaska Anchorage’s AVIS Center.
“We have played Unalakleet three times now over the last two years and they were all battles,” Metlakatla coach TJ Scott said. “They got us by three last year, we got them by five and then they got us by two today and we just match up really well. They go on some huge runs whenever we play them and we just have to kind of chip away. And dang it. If I just had one more time out tonight.”
Trailing 44-38, Metlakatla senior Sebastian Martinez hit from past the arc to pull the Chiefs to 44-41 with 49 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Scott called his last time out to set up the Metlakatla defense and tell the Chiefs to not foul immediately.
The Metlakatla defense came up with a loose ball with 20 seconds left and Martinez buried another shot from the arc to tie the game.
With Metlakatla having no way to slow the action, the change of possession gave Unalakleet a hurried inbounds pass under pressure but the Wolfpack were able to find sophomore Joshua Smith under their basket for a layin with four seconds left and the Chiefs could not strategize a final play or a final shot as time expired.
“We were in that full court press mode still and we gave up an odd-man break going the other way because I just didn’t get pulled out of it,” Scott said. “I wish I had one more but most of our timeouts were trying to bail us out of bad spots from their press. They kind of caused me to burn my time outs.”
The game started with a long-scoring first half as both teams fell into a patient offense due to hard nosed defense by opponents.
Metlakatla led 10-7 after eight minutes behind six points from junior Rocco Lindsey, and two apiece from Martinez and junior Gianni Scudero-Hayward. The Chiefs would go into the half leading 17-13 behind a basket apiece by R. Lindsey and junior Cruz Lindsey, three free throws from junior Cordell Buxton and one from Scudero-Hayward.
A brief break rejuvenated both sides and the scoring inflated from distance with Metlakatla’s C. Lindsey hitting two from the arc and senior Bryce Olin one, and C. Lindsey netting a shot closer in and a free throw. Scudero-Hayward would be called for his second and third foul in the quarter and have to take a brief break.
Unalakleet senior Carter Gray hit two shots from the arc in that stanza and sophomore Connor Doty one, while senior Trevin Soderstrom and Smith connected on put backs inside to cut into the Metlakatla lead and trail 29-26 starting the final eight minutes.
C. Lindsey was whistled for his third foul in the opening seconds and R. Lindsey hit a basket for a 31-29 lead but Unalakleet’s Soderstrom hit for 31-28. R. Lindsey hit inside again on a wrap-around pass by Olin for a 33-28 advantage.
Unalakleet would tie the game with an old fashioned three-point play that drew the fourth foul on R. Lindsey and Smith drew the fourth foul on Scudero-Hayward and made both free throws to knot the game at 33-33.
After both teams had a steal and a turnover, a rebound by Metlakatla’s Olin led to a fast break basket from Martinez for a 35-33 lead and coach Scott called his second to last timeout as Unalakleet had a man alone on the other end.
Unalakleet sophomore Oliver Ivanoff scored to tie the game at 35-35 and Smith stole the inbounds pass and scored an old-fashioned three-point play for a 38-35 lead. Another steal by Unalakleet’s Ivanoff drew a fifth and final foul on Metlakatla’s ball handling wizard Scudero-Hayward and Ivanoff hit one free throw for a 39-35 lead.
Martinez knocked down a three-point shot with 1:57 left in the game to pull the Chiefs to 39-38 but was answered by the Wolfpacks Doty for a 42-28 lead.
“Every shot I take I think it is going in,” Martinez said. “You have to have that shooter’s confidence even if you have missed all your other three-point shots or missed every other shot. You just have to shoot with confidence and they will start to fall.”
A loose ball tussle became a jump ball possession for Unalakleet and Smith was fouled, making two free throws for a 44-38 lead.
Martinez would then hit the first of his last two high school shots from the arc, pulling the Chiefs to 44-41 with that 49 second time out giving the Metlakatla players their final instructions. The plan worked as the ball came back to Martinez and he hit with under 12 seconds but Unalakleet’s Smith would sneak along the back court infront of his own bench for the game winner.
“The season has had ups and downs,” Martinez said. “Six weeks ago we lost to this team and we were their first win, and only win of the season at that time. But to come back from that and from losing the first round in regionals and battled our way through and took down the first seed Petersburg that lost in the championship and making it to state with Haines is huge. We weren’t really even supposed to be here so it was an honor to just come up here and play and make it to the semifinals and battle against that really tough Ninilchik team… We play with 110 precent the whole time. It is never over until it is over really. That true second game at regionals against Petersburg we were down five with a minute to go, a two possession game. But luckily we got two stops and boom we were tied up with 30 seconds left and then went into double overtime and ended up coming out on top and coming up here. I love these guys. They are my brothers. Even now that I am out of high school basketball they will always be close to me.”
C. Lindsey led Metlakatla with 17 points, Martinez added 13, R. Lindsey six, Scudero-Hayward and Olin three apiece and Buxton two. The Chiefs hit six three-point shots, 11 two-point field goals and were 4-12 from the free throw line.
Smith led Unalakleet with 13 points, Doty, Soderstrom and Grey nine each, and Ivanoff six. The Wolfpack made six three-point shots, 10 two-point field goals and were 8-12 at the line.
“I just told them I was super proud of them,” Scott said. “They battle and have heart. You know yesterday we got down 17-4 and just couldn’t stop the bleeding early and then played fine the rest of the day. And today they come out, it was 7-2 or something and we were down, and then we fixed it. We didn’t let it get to double digits and then we played really good, smart basketball the rest of the half and really good defense. We caused them into some quick, bad possessions and really rattled them. Obviously that is a hell of a coach on the other side and he made some adjustments at halftime. They exposed our defense a little bit and they have five or six guys that are willing and capable to take those shots from distance and have so many good players it is hard to match up at times. But we battled hard and played hard and we had a shot for sure.”
Metlakatla finishes their season 17-11. The Chiefs 11 losses came at Petersburg (44-26, 58-50) on January 3-4, at Haines (57-48, 50-41) on January 16-17, against Unalakleet on a neutral court (59-44) on January 30, to Dillingham on a neutral court (31-21) on January 31, at Craig (42-35) on February 7, at Petersburg (47-31) on February 14, against Haines at Juneau regional (42-31) on March 4, at state to Ninilchik (49-32 on Friday and Unalakleet (46-44) Saturday to finish in fifth place.
Metlakatla seniors Bryce Olin (2), Sebashtin Martinez (11) and Robert Ridley (5) along with Unalakleet seniors Isaac Smith (15), Carter Gray (25), Chace Doty (5) and Trevin Soderstrom (22) were honored after the game.
Note: Ninilchik defeated Haines 53-48 for the 2A state championship. Unalakleet won the title last season over Cordova.
1A boys seventh place game – KLAWOCK 62, SKAGWAY 47
Klawock defeated Southeast Conference foe Skagway 62-47 on Saturday for seventh place in the March Madness Alaska 1A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage.
“It was only appropriate we played them,” Skagway coach Ross Barrett said. “They are a good team and we always have a good battle with them. Our team always puts in a 100% effort, that has never been an issue with us. The effort is always there. Some days it is just not falling for us and some days the energy just isn’t there but they played a really good game today. We just couldn’t get it going today.”
Skagway had beaten Klawock 64-60 for the region championship, an upset as the Chieftains held the conference top seed.
“It is fun to play them again,” Skagway senior Camden Lawson said after Saturday’s game. His emotions led to tears. “We have played them like five times this year but it is always a battle. I knew it was going to be close but yeah, I don’t know what to say, sorry… Basketball is just, just so fun. I get to be around all my friends and get to travel with them to bigger places. It is pretty special.”
Skagway held a 14-12 lead after eight minutes with C. Lawson hitting a shot past the arc and a lay-in and senior Royce Borst hitting from the arc and driving inside for two more scores.
“I was honestly surprised we would play them again,” Borst said. “We played them in the regional title and it is always a good game against them. A pretty good rivalry. I don’t think it has hit me that this is my last high school game. I don’t even know what to say. I’m speechless, kind of sad, but moving on is exciting.”
Klawock junior Paul Lingley also found both a shot from distance and a driving layup in the first quarter and Chieftains senior Connor Bagby was aggressive on his drives, scoring on a lay-in and going to the free throw line for three more points.
Skagway’s C. Lawson hit another shot from distance to spark the Panthers’ second quarter and junior Ryder Calver added a couple baskets inside while Klawock’s Bagby and sophomore Dahani Peel each hit from the arc and added a free throw in the stanza. Skagway held a 25-22 lead at the half.
Klawock went to a full court defense to open the second half, and the pressure allowed Lingley to get the ball in transition and when not hitting two shots from the arc, he dished off four assists to senior Tristin Ryno, junior Raymond Fairbanks and Bagby. Skagway junior Ryder Calver scored six of the Panthers’ nine points in the stanza. The Chieftains took a 42-34 lead into the final eight minutes.
The fourth quarter belonged to Klawock’s Bagby, as he hit five field goals and two free throws on an assortment of fast break shots with assists by Lingley and rebounds by Ryno as the Chieftains scored another 20 points. Skagway’s C. Lawson added another six points for the Panthers and senior Kaleb Cochran hit from the arc, added a lay-in and finished his night with a free throw but Klawock had avenged their regional title loss 62-47.
Klawock seniors Bagby, Ryno and David Friday were honored after the game along with Skagway seniors Borst, Cochran and C. Lawson.
“It is a lot, man,” Klawock senior C. Bagby said, breaking down into tears. “This team man. We worked our (butts) off to come to state. And to have this last, final game and kick the heck out of our competitors… I love the game, man… You get to practice with guys who you might not know yet but once the season ends you realize they are family. You all work together and come to state or win regionals, whatever, it is just the love of the game. I love to play and have fun.”
Bagby led Klawock with 26 points, Lingley added 16, Ryno and Fairbanks six apiece, Peel five and junior Cesar Vasquez three. The Chieftains made five three-point shots, 17 two-point field goals and were 13-16 at the free throw line. Klawock had 12 fouls with only Ryno reaching his fourth.
C. Lawson led Skagway with 15 points, Borst added 14, Calver 10, Cochran six and Malcolm Lawson two. The Panthers made four three-point shots, 14 two-point field goals and were 7-13 at the line. Calver had five of the Panthers 13 fouls.
“Paul Lingley was huge for us,” Klawock coach Nate Yockey said. “He controlled our pace the entire tournament and had his best stretch of games all season. His personal growth as well as a player has been fun to watch, he’s grown a tremendous amount and ended the season on a great note. The trajectory of the game was similar to our region final — we threw a good punch first, they swung back and were up at half. The difference between this game and the region final was our ability to respond to adversity when we got down. I’m super proud of the guys’ effort.”
Klawock finishes the season with a 26-6 record and Skagway 22-7. In an early tourney at Skagway, the two teams split with Klawock winning 38-34 and Skagway winning 66-50. The Panthers defeated the Chieftains 46-43 for the regional title at Mt. Edgecumbe.
Klawock opened state tournament play with a 64-60 loss to Walter Northway on Wednesday, defeated Eek 67-42 on Thursday, and toppled Chief Ivan Blunka 66-36 Friday. Skagway opened state with a 67-50 loss to Shishmaref on Wednesday, defeated Nunamiut 99-41 Thursday and Aniak 83-48 on Friday.
Note: Shaktoolik defeated Minto 60-46 for the 1A boys state championship. Shaktoolik defeated Cook Inlet Academy last season for the title.
In the 1A girls state championship game the Fort Yukon Lady Eagles defeated the Newhalen Lady Malamutes 52-49. This is Fort Yukon’s third straight state title.
This story was originally published by the Juneau Independent.
The post Haines loses to Ninilchik in 2A boys state championship game 53-38 appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.
The #3 seed Haines Glacier Bears won a 42-41 semifinal cliff hanger over #2 Unalakleet and the #4 Metlakatla Chiefs fell 49-32 in a semifinal to #1 Ninilchik at the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball State Championships on Friday in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. Haines will face Ninilchik at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for the state championship. Metlakatla will play Unalakleet in a 12:30 p.m. third-place game.
2A Boys – HAINES 42, UNALAKLEET 41
In the nightcap of the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball state championships the game came down to a free throw, or two.
With 14.3 seconds remaining in a semifinal clash between the #3 seed Haines Glacier Bears and the #2 Unalakleet Wolfpack, senior James Stickler was on the line with the score tied 39-39.
Stickler banked in the first free throw, which elicited a joyous jump in the air from the 6’3” center. His next shot bounced away, but junior Kyran Sweet put the rebound up and in for a 42-39 lead.
Unalakleet sophomore Oliver Ivanoff was fouled on the other end with 3.5 seconds remaining in the game and he hit the first shot to pull to 42-41 but missed the second, and Stickler was involved in the rebounding carnage that ended the game with the Glacier Bears heading to the state championship game on Saturday.
“I feel amazing,” Stickler said. “But there are a lot of things we can fix to make our game a little bit better. That was a pretty rough game. But we made enough points.”
Stickler was key for battling inside against Unalakleet’s 6’3” senior Isaac Smith and 6’2” sophomore Joshua Smith.
“It was pretty physical,” Stickler said. “A lot more physical than down in Southeast, they actually let us play up here.”
Haines led 37-34 starting the fourth quarter, and both teams suffered a series of miscues, one missed dunk, and missed easy shots.
Unalakleet scored the first basket of the stanza with three minutes left on a fast break by Ivanoff and 20 seconds later senior Carter Gray hit from the arc for a 39-37 lead.
Both teams went through steals and turnovers before Stickler hit a layin with 1:35 left to tie the game at 39-39. The excitement followed for the Glacier Bears as they earned the state title matchup against the state’s top seed, the Ninilchik Wolverines.
“One more step,” Haines coach Brian Combs said. “An even bigger game tomorrow. We have to do a better job of handling pressure and keeping our heads up. If you make a bad play you have to keep your head up and move on. When that pressure comes you have to accept it and be strong with it. You have to be strong mentally and strong with the ball…We know as a team we can play a whole lot better than that. But give credit to Unalakleet, they played hard. They were scrappy and we didn’t handle their pressure all that well.”
Haines led 13-10 after eight minutes of play, 25-22 at the half and 37-34 starting the fourth quarter.
Stickler led Haines with 11 points, Sweet added nine, sophomore Isaac Jones seven, seniors Colton Combs and John Davis five apiece, junior Brody Ferrin three and junior Wade Lloyd two. The Glacier Bears hit just two three-point shots, 15 from closer in and 6-12 from the free throw line.
J. Smith led Unalakleet with 17 points, I. Smith and sophomore Oliver Ivanoff nine apiece, Gray and junior Teyler Johnson three apiece. The Wolfpack hit six three-point shots, nine from closer in and 5-9 from the line.
2A Boys – NINILCHIK 49, METLAKATLA 32
The Metlakatla Chiefs were hit with an early barrage of three-point shots from the Ninilchik Wolverines on Friday and could not fully recover in a 49-32 semifinal loss at the March Madness Alaska 2A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
“We knew that the pressure they were going to apply full court was going to be a problem because we have never seen it. We don’t play teams that do that to us, at least we haven’t this year,” Metlakatla coach TJ Scott said. “It shocked us early.”
Ninilchik opened the game on a 14-2 run behind four straight shots past the arc, two apiece from sophomore Onyx Allen and freshman Andon McCorison. Allen added a lay-in.
Metlakatla had an early basket from junior Gianni Scudero-Hayward. Junior Rocco Lindsey added a score and was answered again from the arc by Allen for a 17-4 lead.
A basket by Metlakatla junior Cruz Lindsey was answered by two scores from Ninilchik senior Kade McCorison for a 21-7 lead after eight minutes.
“Then we just battled,” Scott said. “We got it to eight or nine a couple times, but they always hit a big shot. We got looks once we adjusted and just relaxed a little bit… I thought we played fine, we just didn’t knock down shots.”
Metlakatla had good looks from the perimeter, but the shots wouldn’t fall and Ninilchik had one gear when they touched a rebound.
The Lindsey brothers scored two shots from the arc and two closer in to keep Metlakatla within 10 points at 27-17 in the second quarter. Scudero-Hayward hit to make the score 27-19, but was answered by Ninilchik sophomore Eric Radar for 30-19. Ninilchik’s K. McCorison blocked a shot at the buzzer to give the Wolverines momentum going into halftime.
“They just hit threes that kept us at a distance,” Scott said. “It’s sad. But they were a good team and certainly the better team tonight, so respect to that coach and how he runs that program.”
Both teams forced an offensive turnover to start the third quarter, and Metlakatla pulled to 31-22 on a pair of Scudero-Hayward free throws. Ninilchik answered with a shot past the arc by K. McCorison, forcing a timeout by the Chiefs.
“I just told them right then that we had to gamble,” Scott said. “Julian and Danny (assistants Russell and Marsden) shared some insights with me, they have been crucial working with these boys, and we told the boys to just keep doing what we are doing. If we knock some shots down, if we get this thing to six they are going to get tight.”
Metlakatla would break down the Ninilchik defense with drives and kick it out to the perimeter yet couldn’t break the 10-point deficit the remainder of the game and trailed 36-24 after three quarters.
“We just never hit that one more shot to get the deficit to single digits,” Scott said. “Super proud of my kids and the fight they had because we could have rolled over and gotten beat by 30 tonight pretty easy. But what I really like that I saw was our guards actually wanted the ball, went to the ball, spaced the floor well and then we got the ball across. We didn’t turn the ball over that much after the first quarter. That first quarter was rough, we were just in panic mode.”
Metlakatla plays in the third-place game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Unalakleet, a 42-41 loser to Haines. Ninilchik advances to the 7:30 p.m. championship to face the Glacier Bears.
“We’re going to play somebody really good,” Scott said before the final nightcap game had begun. “We’ll either play Haines for the sixth time this season or Unalakleet for the first time, and I have a ton of respect for both those teams. I want to thank my team and my two assistant coaches. They carried the load for me this season. We are here because of them.”
Scudero-Hayward led Metlakatla with 13 points, C. Lindsey added eight, R. Lindsey seven and senior Sebastian Martinez four. The Chiefs made three three-point shots, 10 two-point field goals and were 3-4 from the line.
Allen led Ninilchik with 17 points, K. McCorison had 14, A. McCorison eight, junior Brandt Mill five and junior Holden Corwin two. The Wolverines hit nine three-point shots, eight two-point field goals and were 6-10 from the line.
1A Boys – KLAWOCK 66, CHIEF IVAN BLUNKA 36
The Klawock Chieftains will play in the consolation bracket finals Saturday at the March Madness Alaska 1A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
“Live to play another day,” Klawock coach Nate Yockey said. “I told the guys before the game that the consolation bracket is hoops at its purest form. Because you are not playing for any accolades, not playing for a trophy, just having another opportunity to extend your career because if things go your way in this gym this team is no more. Some guys may continue to play, but this team won’t survive. So it’s a beautiful thing. They will know and remember each other, but as a team, will not be playing after Saturday.”
The Chieftains defeated the Chief Ivan Blunka Eagles 66-36 Friday in the state consolation bracket semifinals.
“This team, to come to state our senior year just means a lot,” Klawock senior Connor Bagby said. “We worked our butts off in practices all season. We started off with a struggle, but have turned into a real family. It is fun, and I am glad we will be able to keep it going and have one more game tomorrow.”
In the span of two minutes, Klawock showed why the Chieftains are heading into the consolation bracket finals.
With under four minutes to play in the second quarter, and Klawock leading 16-9, senior Tristin Ryno followed a shot to score. On the other end, Bagby rebounded a missed shot and threw an outlet pass to junior Paul Lingley, who moved the ball on to Ryno for a lay-in.
Another rebound by Klawock junior Raymond Fairbanks led to an outlet pass to Lingley, who hit a lay-in for a 22-9 lead. Fifteen seconds later, Lingley hit from the arc for a 25-9 lead and a lead that would not be lost.
“That is Chieftains basketball,” Yockey said. “That is what we have been preaching all year and waiting for it all to come together. And that is what it looks like when we play the right way. Have that program mentality. Really proud of the guys.”
The Chieftains led 27-12 at the half and pulled out to a 46-20 lead after three quarters. The Chieftains had led 20-15 after the first eight minutes of the game.
Fairbanks led Klawock with 24 points, Ryno added 14, Lingley 12, C. Bagby nine, Cesar Vasquez three, and freshman Quinton Bagby and eighth grader Charlie Roberts two apiece. The Chieftains had six three-point shots, 23 two-point field goals and hit 2-4 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Kevin Andrew led Chief Ivan Blunka with 12 points, sophomore Bryson Andrew added seven, seniors Joel Hanson and Hunter Gumlickpuk six apiece, senior Camellia Andrew three and senior Wassillie Chunak Jr. and freshman Cade Petla one apiece. The Eagles had eight three-point shots, three two-point field goals and hit 6-18 at the line.
Klawock will face familiar Southeast Conference foe Skagway at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Panthers defeated Aniak 83-48 in an early Friday consolation bracket semifinal.
“This means a lot,” Klawock senior Tristin Ryno said. “We played them in the championship game and we lost by three. It is nice to have the opportunity to play them again. State has meant a lot. Losing in the first round was tough for us. We want to come back and do the best that we can.”
Added C. Bagby, “We had a heck of a game against them in the regional tournament, so this will be a revenge game, but among friends. We know each other pretty well.”
1A Boys – SKAGWAY 83, ANIAK 48
The Skagway Panthers broke open a close first-quarter game to run away with an 83-48 win over the Aniak Halfbreeds.
“We are just playing better,” Skagway coach Ross Barrett said. “That first tournament game was an off game and we are kind of back to normal. A balanced scoring attack, roll players are doing good things, our starters are doing good things so just back to where we should be.”
Skagway seniors Royce Borst and Camden Lawson and juniors Malcom Lawson and Ryder Calver each hit a pair of baskets in the first eight minutes, and senior Kaleb Cochran and C. Lawson added two free throws as the Panthers held a 20-15 first-quarter advantage.
Skagway held Aniak to nine points in the second quarter and took a 45-24 lead into the half. The Panthers led 66-40 after three quarters with Aniak junior Marshall Dallmann and sophomore Gavin Smith each scoring seven points in the stanza to give the Halfbreeds hope. The Panthers defense shut the door in the final eight minutes.
“The state tournament has been hard,” Skagway senior Kaleb Cochran said. “Especially the first game. I think we could have won. We came out slow. I think we underestimated them and now we are expecting a hard game. Hopefully we can come out with some fire and scrape by. We know those guys, Klawock, we played them for regionals and won by three. They are good. We are just hoping we can come out strong, play our game that we know how to play and win.”
Seniors C. Lawson and Borst led Skagway with 21 points apiece, M. Lawson added 20, R. Calver 12, sophomore Logan Rupprecht five, senior Kaleb Cochran and sophomore Julius Thole two apiece. The Panthers hit four three-point shots, 30 closer in and hit 11-15 at the line. Skagway will play in the consolation final against Southeast Conference foe Klawock at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Junior Marshall Dallmann led Aniak with 13 points, sophomore Muhammad Konteh added eight, sophomore Gavin Smith seven, freshman Ralph Steeves six, seniors Dylan Nicholson and Rylan Lang five apiece, and senior Karson Peterson two. The Halfbreeds made four three-point shots, 13 closer in and 10-12 from the line.
“We’re just telling the kids to stay locked in,” coach Barrett said. “Just keep doing what we have been doing. We will see a familiar foe on Saturday so we are excited to get the chance to play one more game.”
This story was originally published by the Juneau Independent.
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Best Jhené Aiko Songs: R&B Essentials
Any article outlining Jhené Aiko‘s best songs needs to start right at the beginning. After years of developing her craft, Jhené released her debut mixtape, Sailing Soul(s) independently on her 23rd birthday – March 16, 2011. It was on that day that R&B began to flow differently.
Jhené Aiko is soft yet commanding, sensual, and explicit. Over the course of her career, she’s challenged the conventional look and feel of love while openly discussing the struggles that come with being a young mother, artist, and sister. Aiko has said that she goes through “12 different personalities” in a day. Penny (a nickname given to her by her late grandfather) is her purest, most honest self. Her J. Hennessy rapping persona is an aggressive singer who “really likes to talk a lot of s***,” she once told Rap Up. “[Someone that] talk[s] about things that a lot of R&B singers don’t talk about.” Last but not least, there’s the committed sound healer that’s interested in chakras, sound bowls, and meditation. In short, Jhené Aiko’s best songs contain multitudes. This is an introduction to some of them.
Listen to the best Jhené Aiko songs on Apple Music or Spotify.
The Open Lover
(New Balance, While We’re Young, Bed Peace, Blue Dream)
“I’m a true hopeless romantic,” Jhené once said. “I feel like you have to not be afraid of love.” Many of Jhené’s love songs are celebrating her longtime relationship with Big Sean. But some of the most powerful songs reference her late brother, Miyagi. On “New Balance,” she opens the song with the lyrics, “I can’t put my finger on it/I don’t know, it’s weird/It feels like I’ve known you my whole life/I know what it is/You remind me of my brother…” Jhené often spoke of the closeness of her and Miyagi’s relationship, explaining “…that was the best male relationship I’ve ever had in my life, you know? And so, in a lover, those were the things I was looking for, and I still do. But I know I’m more aware and I know that my brother cannot be replaced, but I know that because I’m still here, that he is within me.”
Jhené’s best love songs are ballads. She described “While We’re Young” as her “ideal love situation.” The song is endearing and innocent with a hint of rebellious adventure, just like young love. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, but you’re open to the risk. This feeling carried over from 2013’s “Bed Peace,” a song about slowing down and enjoying the present with a partner. Telling someone “you are the reason, my love/My mind is open so wide since you came inside/I feel so alive/Without you life just passes by,” is as open as it gets.
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The Sexual Siren
(P*$$Y Fairy, Maniac, Living Room Flow, First F**k, 2 Minute Warning)
It’s one thing to casually mention “[eating] the booty like groceries,” but it’s another to start a song with “hop on that d*** like a maniac.” During Jhené’s early days, she would allude to her pleasure preferences and sexual nature in her 2011 song, “Hoe,” but as she got older, she essentially said ‘f*** it,’ and opted to be honest with who she is: “a lowkey freak.” “Living Room Flow” is a sensual 2011 ballad that details the desire for lust – not love. The year after, alongside her partner, Big Sean, she released “2 Minute Warning.” The accompanying visual was risqué, something that Jhené later admitted she rarely shows to the public.
When the aforementioned “Maniac” rolled out, though, all bets were off. She followed up “Maniac” with the titillating collaboration with 6lack, “First F**k,” and the jaw-dropping verse on Saweetie’s “My Type Remix. “I like a BBC in some BBC/That’s the type of s**t that make a b***h DTD/That’s drop them drawers, I’ma lock them jaws/You ain’t never had a b***h from Slauson, yeah/I like the type to eat the p***y ’til I levitate/I’m the type to make him beat it up, then meditate…”
Not long after, she sent the internet into a further frenzy with the surprise release of “P*$$Y Fairy.” This provocative ballad features a specific singing bowl that “corresponds with your second chakra (sacral chakra), which governs your sexual organs below your navel and your hips,” according to an interview with Billboard. Knowing your intimate self is key with Jhené, and aside from the lyrics getting you “sprung off in the springtime,” the melody literally hits you in the soul.
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The Slauson Sound Healer
(WAYS, Ascension, Never Call Me, Beautiful Ruin, Everything Must Go, Speak)
Jhené Aiko is the self-proclaimed “Slauson Hills Sound Healer.” On her latest project, she incorporated crystal sound bowls, designed to correspond with your chakra system, into every track. However, her interest in healing came long before Chilombo. She considers 2013’s “Everything Must Go” to be the “the realest s**t [she] ever wrote.” It’s all about realizing that, once you’ve lost everything a fire, you begin to understand what’s really important. “Nothing belongs to you, so be free,” she reflected.
3:16 is Jhené’s birthday, but is also a prominent number she often references in her music. “3:16 AM” has been referenced as the time to reflect on her dark moments, while “3:16 PM” is a period full of literal and figurative light. When she released “W.A.Y.S.,” the opening line alludes back to 3:16: “at forty-four minutes to four…” Given Jhené’s interest in spirituality, it’s not hard to imagine it being a reference to angel number 444. The ‘WAYS’ acronym stands for “why aren’t you smiling,” which is one of her late brother Miyagi’s final tweets. (Jhené has a tattoo of the words.) Jhené self-medicated while battling the grief associated with the loss of her brother, and you can hear her struggle play out at the end of her 2017 album, Trip, on “Ascension.” The song features Brandy, and highlights what it’s like to find your way out of a personal hell.
When she isn’t creating a soundtrack for personal growth, Jhené is piecing her heart back together in an empowering way. On “Beautiful Ruin,” she speaks of being mistreated by a lover, but finding the silver lining – “what a beautiful woman you’ve made of me.” “Speak” is written in the key of E, corresponding to the solar plexus chakra intended to channel one’s personal power. She sings, “f**k your opinion ’bout it, I’m feelin’ my best/I won’t hide it […] I’ll celebrate my freedom, I’m gon’ speak up…”
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Nothing depicts the “Slauson Hills Sound Healer” side of Jhené better than 2017’s “Never Call Me,” however. It features friend and gangsta rap legend Kurupt, and directly addresses her relationship with ex-husband, Dot Da Genius. At the time of its release, rumors were circulating about their breakup and those closest to Jhené kept asking how they should handle him. To eliminate any further back-and-forth, Jhené used the song to make herself clear. “You ain’t know I’m a crazy b***h/And tell your lawyer that I ain’t paying s**t” shows that while she is a sweet, loving woman, she’s still from Slauson Hills and has a tribe of people ready to ride for her. Kurupt’s voicemail bluntly stating, “the homie called me and was like ‘Man, Jhené trippin, man, this buster ass n***a got her mind f**ked up’/I’m like ‘No, not Jhené’/Né-né, you hit me I got you, you understand me?” Sometimes, you’re the one who requires tough love in order to heal.
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LoanDepot Park (Miami) – The epic semifinal between the United States and the Dominican Republic was everything it was hyped up to be. Between both countries, including hitters and pitchers, there were 17 players who have already been All-Stars — the most All-Stars starting in a World Baseball Classic semifinal or final, surpassing the 11 who played in the 2017 WBC final between the USA and Puerto Rico. It was quite possibly the most talent on a baseball field in a single game with stakes, ever. Powered by powerful pitching, heads-up plays and excellent offensive timing, Team USA knocked off the Dominican Republic with a 2-1 win in the semifinals on Sunday night at loanDepot Park. The Dominican Republic, which featured its most dominant roster in the history of the WBC, suffered its first loss of the tournament as their “platano-powered” run came to an end. “The World Series I was in versus the crowd here and the one we had against Mexico, it’s bigger and better than the World Series,” Team USA captain Aaron Judge said. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing their favorite players, there’s nothing like it. That’s what you dream about as a kid.” Here are my takeaways: 1. Don’t Run on Captain America This was, arguably, the play of the game. The Dominican Republic took a 1-0 lead over the USA in the second inning and they were threatening to pile on in the third, just like they had done all tournament. But their previous five games in the WBC, two of which included mercy-ruling the opponent, didn’t feature a Gold-Glove caliber, three-time MVP patrolling right field. With two outs in the third, the top of the Dominican Republic lineup was cooking after Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base on a fielder’s choice. The heavily-favored Dominican crowd urged the team to tack on some runs against Paul Skenes and the USA when Ketel Marte laced a single to right field. Tatis, who doesn’t have elite sprint speed but can be pesky on the basepaths, opted to test Aaron Judge’s arm in right field. As Tatis went from first to third, Judge fired a 95.7 mph laser to USA third baseman Gunnar Henderson, who tagged Tatis for the final out of the inning. Juan Soto, meanwhile, watched it all happen from the on-deck circle. As much as Tatis and the Dominican Republic found out the hard way not to run on Judge’s superhuman arm, it was also a silly decision to try and advance to third with his team’s best hitter due up. All the momentum they generated instantly vaporized on that play. The USA put up a pair of runs on solo shots from Roman Anthony and Henderson in the next inning, and the Dominican Republic never scored again. “It was beautiful,” said Pete Crow-Armstong, who watched Judge cut down Tatis from center field. “Very rare that somebody can throw a ball on a line that is a cuttable baseball. So the right throw to make, and still get it there with ease. The transfer to release is one of the cleanest things I’ve ever seen. “I think that that throw today definitely changed something. It made a shift somewhere, for sure.” 2. Home Run History: Dominican Republic Sets New Mark Junior Caminero put the Dominican Republic on the board and in the history books with his third home run of the tournament on Sunday. The 22-year-old’s solo shot off Skenes marked the Dominican Republic’s 15th home run of this year’s WBC, setting a new record for the most home runs by a single team in the tournament’s history. The previous record of 14 home runs was set by Mexico in the 2009 WBC, which was headlined by Adrian Gonzalez. Besides Caminero, five other Dominican Republic hitters had multiple home runs in this year’s tournament. Despite how stacked the lineup was, the country met its match against a dream team USA squad that flourished with their pitching on Sunday. Team D.R. manager Albert Pujols said afterward that it just wasn’t their time to win the Classic. He was proud of the way the team played together in the tournament, bringing an undefeated record into the semifinals. “Too bad we have to wait another three years,” Pujols said. 3. Sevy Holds It Down This was a memorable outing for Luis Severino, who had the odds stacked against him, but still gave the Dominican Republic all he had in the semifinal. Severino was amped up throughout his 68-pitch outing, throwing so hard that it seemed like he was willing to risk blowing his arm out later in the year for the Athletics. Severino threw six pitches that clocked in at 99 mph or more against the USA on Sunday. He had five such pitches in the entire 2025 season for the Athletics, when his four-seamer averaged 96.1 mph. His best moment of the game came in the third inning, when he delivered back-to-back strikeouts against Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber and stranded runners on second and third. “I came up in the minor leagues with Severino, so there were many outings I had in right field watching him throw 100 miles an hour past people,” Judge said. “He’s a big game pitcher who loves a big moment, loves a spotlight like that, and he showed out for them tonight. He had all his pitches working.” Going into Sunday, the Dominican Republic was being criticized for failing to line up one of their best pitchers, Sandy Alcantara or Cristopher Sanchez, to start the semifinal. USA, on the other hand, planned in advance for Skenes to take the hill on Sunday. Severino’s 4.54 ERA last season didn’t tell the whole story. He struggled at home in the Athletics’ hitter-friendly ballpark (6.01 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 15 starts) and excelled on the road (3.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 14 starts). On Sunday, Severino showed why he was once upon a time the Yankees’ No. 1 pitching prospect, and eventually a two-time All-Star. 4. Bednar Gets Away With It Again David Bednar just can’t help himself sometimes. The right-handed reliever came out of the bullpen to pitch the seventh inning of a tight, one-run game when he allowed a one-out double to his Yankees teammate, Austin Wells. Geraldo Perdomo followed with a single to center, moving Wells up to third, and then Perdomo promptly stole second base. Bednar didn’t even bother paying attention to him. He was locked in on the top of the Dominican Republic lineup, and he delivered some of the fiercest outs of the game. Tatis swung wildly at Bednar’s perfectly executed splitters in the dirt, striking out on four pitches for the second out of the frame. Rinse, wash, repeat. Ketel Marte, too, was fooled by Bednar’s nasty arsenal, this time flailing at his 78 mph curveball and whiffing for the final out of the seventh. Bednar is known to create chaos on the basepaths late in the game, in high-leverage moments. It’s just a part of his act, and Yankees fans will have to become familiar with that stress this season as he gets ready to take on full-time closing duties in the Bronx. 4 ½. What’s next for Team USA? Right-hander Nolan McLean will take the mound for USA in the championship game on Tuesday night in Miami. McLean will face the winner of Monday’s semifinal matchup between Italy and Venezuela. The Americans attempting to lock down their first WBC title since 2017.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
At last, the madness is upon us. Five long months of buildup to Selection Sunday came to an end with another glorious reveal of this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. There are heavyweights at the top in 1-seeds Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida. There are newcomers like Queens and California Baptist. And there are more enticing storylines than fans can consume: from Miami (OH) in the First Four to potential No. 1 overall draft picks in BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, from Nebraska seeking the first March Madness win in program history to the all-important health of Duke’s two injured starters. Without further ado, let’s break down the field: [MARCH MADNESS: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket] 1. Of the No. 1 seeds, which team has the clearest path to the Final Four? Arizona. Given the legitimate injury questions surrounding Duke, a string of sluggish performances from Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament and a blowout loss by Florida in the SEC Tournament, there’s no question that Arizona enters the Big Dance with the most encouraging trajectory of the top seeds. The Wildcats are one of only two teams to rank among the top five nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency at this point, alongside Duke, and they’ve won nine consecutive games ahead of a first-round matchup with No. 16 LIU. A roster littered with future NBA Draft picks, including two likely lottery picks in shooting guard Brayden Burries and power forward Koa Peat, gives head coach Tommy Lloyd his best chance of advancing beyond the Sweet 16 since taking over at Arizona. The Wildcats’ potential path to the Final Four seems relatively friendly, too. Second-seeded Purdue only rose to the 2-line thanks to an upset over Michigan in the Big Ten title game, which means the Boilermakers’ overall profile is more in line with that of a 3-seed. Third-seeded Gonzaga, while talented, is not believed to be on the same level of classic Bulldogs teams under head coach Mark Few. Arkansas and Wisconsin, seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, also needed strong runs in their respective conference tournaments to land on those lines. The West feels like a region with a handful of overseeded teams trying to take down arguably the strongest 1-seed. It’s worth noting, though, that the Wildcats haven’t reached a Final Four since 2001 — and that will only increase the pressure with each passing game. 2. What is the most intriguing first-round matchup in this year’s tournament and why? No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M This is a fascinating stylistic matchup between two coaches and two programs on opposite ends of the spectrum. Saint Mary’s is led by ultra-respected head coach Randy Bennett, who is in his 25th season leading the Gaels. He’s made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances during that span as the primary rival to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference, leaning heavily on international prospects to fill his roster. Coaches across the country marvel at the high-quality offense his teams run year in and year out. This particular group ranks among the top 15 nationally in 3-point percentage (38.6%), free-throw percentage (81.1%) and offensive rebound rate (37.4%) — all while operating at a deliberate pace that checks in at 297th in the country. Four of the Gaels’ five losses this year came against fellow NCAA Tournament teams. On the opposite side, Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan is a 42-year-old revolutionary in his first season with the Aggies. McMillan spent the previous five seasons at Samford, one of which included an NCAA Tournament appearance. His teams employ an up-tempo, aggressive style known as “Bucky Ball” that relies heavily on the full-court press and forcing turnovers. The Aggies rank 29th nationally in tempo, which sets the stage for a delightful contrast in approach between these two teams. 3. Who are three under-the-radar players everyone should know entering March Madness? Donovan Atwell, G, Texas Tech: A torn ACL suffered by Texas Tech power forward JT Toppin, who was averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, meant the Red Raiders have needed more contributions from their role players in recent weeks. Atwell, a transfer from UNC Greensboro, will enter the NCAA Tournament ranked second nationally in made 3-pointers per game at 3.9, trailing only Jadin Booth (4.2) from Samford. He’s averaging 17.8 points per game since Toppin went down with the season-ending injury and has made at least five 3-pointers in four of his last six games. Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia: Onyenso was a highly coveted four-star prospect and the No. 36 overall player in the 2022 recruiting cycle when he signed with Kentucky out of high school. Two years with the Wildcats and one year with Kansas State have now led him to Virginia, where Onyenso enters March Madness ranked second nationally in blocked shots at 3 per game. Though his season-long statistical output isn’t necessarily eye-catching — he only averages 6.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game — Onyenso was a force during Virginia’s run to the ACC Tournament title: eight points, six rebounds, eight blocks against NC State; 17 points, five rebounds, four blocks against Miami; six points, eight rebounds nine blocks against Duke. Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida: One of the calling cards for Florida under head coach Todd Golden is a team-wide relentlessness on the offensive glass. The Gators ranked fifth nationally in offensive rebound percentage when they won the national title last season and will enter this year’s NCAA Tournament second in the country for that category, grabbing more than 43% of their own misses. Chinyelu, who averages 11.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, is the unquestioned leader of that charge. His mark of 4.1 offensive rebounds per game ranks sixth nationally and third among players from the power conferences. 4. What is the most likely first-round upset featuring a 12-seed or higher? No. 12 Akron vs. No. 5 Texas Tech Unfortunately for Texas Tech, the outlook for this season changed quite significantly when Toppin (21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds per game) suffered a torn ACL in mid-February, an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the year. And while the Red Raiders enjoyed an encouraging response immediately after Toppin went down — winning three straight games over Kansas State, Cincinnati and Iowa State — the momentum soon fizzled. Head coach Grant McCasland and his team will enter March Madness having dropped three straight to TCU, BYU and Iowa State, which throttled the Red Raiders in the Big 12 Tournament last week. It’s unclear which version of Texas Tech might show up with the season officially on the line. So, why not Akron? The Zips boast one of the most explosive offenses in the country this season under head coach John Groce, who has now reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive years. Akron ranks seventh nationally in scoring at 88.6 points per game and has impressive underlying metrics to validate the top-end production: eighth nationally in effective field goal percentage (58.5%), 14th in 3-point field goal percentage (38.5%) and 12th in 2-point field goal percentage (59.1%). The Zips have seven players averaging at least 7.0 points per game this season, led by an excellent senior guard in Tavari Johnson (20.1 points, 5 assists per game). If Groce’s team gets hot from beyond the arc, then Texas Tech might be in trouble. 5. Who are your Final Four picks and who wins it all? Duke: If the Blue Devils could roll through the ACC Tournament without starting point guard Caleb Foster and starting center Patrick Ngongba II, both of whom missed the event due to injury, then there’s no reason to think they can’t navigate the East Region unscathed. That’s especially true if, or when, either player can return to the lineup for head coach Jon Scheyer. Duke has arguably the single-best player in the country in power forward Cameron Boozer (22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds per game) and a rotation that runs nine deep when everyone is available. The Blue Devils’ two defeats this season came by four combined points to Texas Tech and archrival North Carolina, with the Tar Heels winning on a buzzer beater. Houston: Even with four defeats over the final month of the season, Houston remains one of the most analytically sound teams in the field under head coach Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars enter the NCAA Tournament as one of only five programs ranked among the top 15 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency, placing them in an elite group that includes all four 1-seeds in this year’s field. The Cougars finally have a legitimate difference maker on the offensive end of the floor in freshman guard Kingston Flemings, a likely lottery pick. Flemings has a dozen 20-point games already this season. Arizona: Not only does Arizona have perhaps the easiest path to the Final Four of any 1-seed in this year’s field, but the Wildcats are also playing better basketball than pretty much anyone in the tournament. Head coach Tommy Lloyd assembled an exceptional roster that includes legitimate size at every position — Arizona’s smallest starter is 6-foot-3 point guard Jaden Bradley — and two bonafide difference makers off the bench in shooting guard Anthony Dell’Orso (10.1 points per game) and center Tobe Awaka (9.4 points, 9.5 rebounds per game). The only things holding Lloyd’s team back from being a prohibitive national championship front-runner are a starting lineup that includes two freshmen and a Final Four drought that spans more than two decades. Michigan: When the Wolverines traveled to Washington, D.C., for a rare, late-season non-conference matchup with Duke on Feb. 21, it felt like a showdown between the sport’s two best teams. To that point, Michigan had obliterated one opponent after another under the direction of head coach Dusty May, who launched his team to the top of the Big Ten pecking order in just his second year. And while there are a few cracks in the foundation for May and Co. to contend with in the coming weeks — the Wolverines were nearly beaten by Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin before falling to Purdue in the Big Ten title game — few rosters across the field will be able to handle Michigan’s unparalleled positional size. National champion: DukeLatest Sports News from FOX Sports
Italy continues its unlikely run at the World Baseball Classic and will next take on Venezuela in Monday’s semifinal game. The Venezuelans are having their own storybook run after eliminating Shohei Ohtani and defending WBC champions Japan in the quarterfinals. Next up is a spot in the final. The game will be Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. How to Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic FOX is your exclusive home to the WBC with games spread across the FOX family of networks. The Italy vs. Venezuela semifinal is on FS1 on Monday (8 p.m. ET). The Championship Game will be on FOX on Tuesday, March 17 (8 p.m. ET). All games will be available for streaming on the FOX Sports app and FOX One. Catch the action on the following streaming options: Italy Lineups, Pitchers Aaron Nola will start Monday night’s World Baseball Classic semifinal for Italy against Venezuela rather than Michael Lorenzen. Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said he made the decision Sunday but waited until Monday to make the announcement. “My reason was my gut,” he said. “Everyone is available, but I think Nola is the right person. That’s my opinion, and I’m taking responsibility for my decisions.” A 32-year-old right-hander, Nola got the win in the group stage finale against Mexico on March 11. He allowed four hits over five scoreless innings with five strikeouts and one walk, throwing 69 pitches. Italy has the second most home runs (12) at the tournament behind the Dominican Republic’s tournament record of 15 dingers. Leading the way is the heart and soul of this Italian squad, Vinnie Pasquatino. The Royals first baseman has three homers (all against Mexico in the pool play win). A trio of Italian players (Dominic Canzone, Andrew Fischer, and Dante Nori) have five RBI each. Nori leads the team with .438 batting average. Venezuela Lineups, Pitchers Keider Montero, a 25-year-old right-hander, pitched three scoreless innings of relief on Monday in a 4-0 first-round win over Nicaragua. He made his big league debut on May 29, 2024, and was 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 12 starts and eight relief appearances last year for Detroit during a season in which he was optioned to Triple-A Toledo six times. Monero was 4-4 with a 5.91 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances for the Mud Hens. Luis Arráez has been a hitting machine for Venezuela. The Padres star has two home runs and nine RBI with a solid .368 batting average. Maikel Garcia and Ronald Acuña Jr. had homers in the win against Japan, as did Wilyer Abreu who hit the definitive three-run homer that sealed the win over Japan. WBC Schedule Semifinals Monday, March 16 Final Tuesday, March 17Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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