Courtesy of VHS Coaching Staff & Athletic Department – The day after Christmas the Valdez Basketball teams began the season with a charter bus ride to Anchorage and then a flight to Ketchikan for the Clarke Cochrane Christmas Classic in Ketchikan.
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
The Girls opened their season with a game against the Petersburg Vikings. It was a scrappy defensive game that Valdez lead by 3 points at half time (24-21). With some defensive adjustments in the second half, the girls made a run on Petersburg in the 3rd quarter and lead 39-24 going into the 4th. A tough fighting Petersburg team battled back, but time ran out for them with a Valdez win, 41-36. Kylie Gilbert lead with 14 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists; Carsyn Hinkle had 8 points and 3 rebounds; Ambrosia Woodgate had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists; Lily Brown had 6 points and 3 rebounds.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Second game was against the host team, the Ketchikan Kings. In a prime time game with a pep band, cheerleaders, and boisterous crowd, and the girls found themselves against a might taller and very aggressive Ketchikan team. Turnovers plagued the girls in the first half and they found themselves trailing 9-29 at half time. Against a very tough defensive team, the girls never gave up and battled all 4 quarters. The final score was 26-60. Kylie Gilbert had 12 points and 4 rebounds; Lucy Selanoff with 7 points and 3 rebounds; Carsyn Hinkle had 2 points and 5 rebounds; Ambrosia Woodgate had 5 rebounds; Momoe Togaga’e 3 points; Kelsey Prax 2 points and 4 rebounds; Mya Christoffersen 2 rebounds .
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Third game of the tournament was against the Homer Mariners. The girls started out struggling on offense and were down 12-22 at half-time. In the third quarter they were able to make a run of Homer and ended the quarter 24-31. Homer came back in the 4th quarter and ended the game 33-45. Turnovers once again plagued the team.
Kylie Gilbert had 13 points and 7 rebounds; Carsyn Hinkle had 10 points and 4 rebounds, Kelsey Prax with 4 points and 4 rebounds; and Lucy Selanoff had 2 points and 5 rebounds.
The Valdez girls finished the Tournament in 5th place. Kylie Gilbert made the 7 member All-Tournament Team and had a good overall tournament.
The girls will hit the gym hard this week, and will then head North to Fairbanks for the Joe T. Classic Tournament at Lathrop High School on January 13-15.
