Submitted by VHS Boys Varsity Basketball Coach
This week the Valdez Buccaneers traveled to Nome, Alaska to participate in the Nome Subway Showdown tournament. This round-robin tournament featured Valdez, Nome, Unalakleet and Kotzebue.
After a nice day of travel, featuring a 6-hour bus ride followed by over an hour of flight, the Bucs arrived in Nome. Although the tournament set to begin Thursday, Nome’s coach Callahan was able to set up a fun practice and scrimmage for some of the guys.
Both Nome and Valdez’s second unit players were able to get some great work in by participating in a set of scenario scrimmages.
Thursday was the first official day of tournament play with the Varsity Bucs facing off against the hometown Nome Nanooks.
With the home crowd roaring, the Nanooks came out with some hot shooting, making 5 threes in the first quarter. Valdez was a little cold coming out of the gate but still managed to score 6 points to Nome’s 23.
From the 2nd quarter onwards, the Bucs ran a variety of defensive schemes and offensive sets and played a better more inspired brand of basketball.
Over the final three periods, Valdez managed to outscore Nome by two points, however, that initial run in the first quarter by Nome was ultimately too much for the Bucs to overcome and they ended up taking a 49-64 loss.
On day two of tournament play Valdez matched up against the Unalakleet Wolfpack.
Carrying some of the momentum from Thursday’s game, Valdez came prepared to play and jumped out to an early 13-8 lead after the first quarter.
With a renewed focus offensively of attacking the paint first, it opened up perimeter shots for Valdez throughout the game. Defensively in the 2nd quarter, the Bucs were able to hold the Wolfpack to just two field goals made and extended their lead to 34-13 going into the half.
Valdez continued to dominate on both ends of the floor in the 2nd half which allowed many of the 2nd unit players to get some extended game time and valuable experience. In the end, Valdez secured a 74-33 win.
Saturday the Bucs faced their final opponent of the tournament, the Kotzebue Huskies.
With this game being both teams’ final matchup of the tournament, everyone came out with a sense of urgency to start the game.
The first quarter was a physical matchup that went back and forth the whole way through, as Valdez managed a 14-9 lead.
The second quarter saw the same intense level of play and the Bucs were able to slightly extend their lead to go up 32-23 at the half.
Valdez came out hot to start the new half and had their best offensive quarter of the day in scoring 20 points to further extend the lead. From there the Bucs never looked back and held on comfortably to the lead in what would end up as a 63-44 win.
After the final records were counted, Valdez ended up placing second in the tournament. The Bucs also earned the sportsmanship award as well as having Jarrett Gage and Tino Tucker named to the all-tournament team.
The Buccaneer’s next games will take place next weekend in Delta at the Dean Cummings tournament.