Hooper Bay snaps winless streak at 2A state tournament with blowout win over Unalaska

After going winless in each of the previous two 2A Alaska state tournaments, the Hooper Bay boys basketball team is now one more win away from making their first state championship game since 2013, when the team took the title.

The top-seeded Warriors’ 54-39 victory over Unalaska in the quarterfinals on Thursday was both a strong performance and a huge relief.

“It feels good because I finally got my first state win in two years,” senior Latrell Lake said. “We worked hard for this and I’m glad we finally got it.”

The last time he experienced the sweet taste of victory at a state tournament was when he was a freshman. After dropping a game-high 21 points that included drilling a trio of 3-pointers, he earned his fifth career Player of the Game honors at a state tournament.

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The Warriors never trailed in Thursday’s opening-round statement win, and even when the Raiders made it a three-point game at one point early in the second quarter, they responded with a 10-0 to reassert their authority.

Their mindset all offseason was to “be better than we were last year, work harder, and come out stronger,” Lake said.

“Everything we worked for over the summer and during practice and fought for is why we wanted it so bad,” Lake said. “The Hooper boys haven’t got (a title) in over a decade and we’re trying to bring one home.”

Even though they’re more than 500 miles from home in Western Alaska, the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage still felt like a home game for the Warriors because they had their rowdy fans filled with friends and family in the stands showering them with cheers and encouragement throughout the game.

“They’re here for us, it makes us feel better and makes us feel at home,” Lake said.

In other boys 2A action on Thursday. Metlakatla topped Unalakleet 51-47. On the girls side, Unalakleet topped Glennallen 41-38 and Nenana blew past Hooper Bay 62-27. The Metlakatla girls team also got a win, topping Susitna Valley 57-30.

ASAA 2A State Tournament

At Alaska Airlines Center

Girls

Thursday

Unalakleet 41, Glennallen 38

Nenana 62, Hooper Bay 27

Metlakatla 57, Susitna Valley 30

Tikigaq 64, Haines 28

Friday

Consolation

Haines v. Glennallen at 8 a.m.

Hooper Bay v. Susitna Valley at 9:30 a.m.

Semifinals

Tikigaq v. Unalakleet at 4:45 p.m.

Nenana v. Metlakatla at 3:15 p.m.

Saturday

Fourth/sixth place, 8 a.m.

Third/fifth place, 11 a.m.

Championship, 6:30 p.m.

Boys

Thursday

Hooper Bay 54, Unalaska 39

Metlakatla 51, Unalakleet 47

Petersburg 44, Ninilchik 42

Cordova 48, Wrangell 45

Friday

Consolation

Unalaska v. Unalakleet at 11 a.m.

Ninilchik v. Wrangell at 12:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Hooper Bay v. Metlakatla at 6:15 p.m.

Petersburg v. Cordova at 7:45 p.m.

Saturday

Fourth/Sixth place, 9:30 a.m.

Third/Fifth place, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 8:30 p.m.