State Championship Tournament  [March 21, 22, 23]

Courtesy of VHS Coaches

Thursday, March 21st:    Valdez 52, Monroe Catholic 42

Photos courtesy of Joe Prax

The Valdez Buccaneers were rewarded for their Aurora Conference championship by being seeded #2 overall entering the State Tournament, and earning an opening round matchup against Aurora Conference rival- and #7 overall seed- Monroe Catholic.  The matchup represented the 18th time the two teams have played over the last 4 seasons.

Given the level of familiarity with the Rams, the game preparation focused on things such as ball security, converting free throw opportunities, winning loose balls, and not allowing Monroe to penetrate into the paint for easy baskets.  The Bucs performed well in all those areas; they only committed 7 turnovers, went 15-20 from the free throw line, won most of the loose balls, and held Monroe to 4-of-22 shooting on 2 point field goals.

The game remained close after one quarter of play (with Monroe holding an 11-10 edge), but the Buccaneers took control of the game in the second quarter by outscoring the Rams 20-9 to establish a 10 point advantage at the half.  The second half was even (8 points apiece in the 3rd quarter, 14 in the 4th) as the Bucs secured a 52-42 victory and a berth to the semifinals.

The Buccaneers featured a balanced scoring attack, with 4 starters in double figures [Bennett Hinkle (14), Logan Heckathorn (13), Kyler LaBonte (11), and Jalen Freeman (10)].  Bennett Hinkle led the team with 7 rebounds and successfully drew an offensive foul.

Friday, March 22nd:  Valdez 62, Grace Christian 50

Thursday night’s other contest saw the Grace Christian Grizzlies defeat the Barrow Whalers, setting up a semifinal contest of Valdez vs. Grace Christian (the #3 overall seed).  The matchup represented only the 2nd time the two teams have played one another over the past 4 years.

The Bucs put forth an impressive and consistent scoring effort – notching 15 in the 1st quarter, 11 in the 2nd, 16 in the 3rd, and 20 in the 4th en route to a 62-50 victory.  The Bucs were efficient from all aspects, shooting 21-of-36 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from beyond the 3-point arc, and 83% (15-of-18) from the Free Throw line.  Additionally, the Bucs committed a mere 8 turnovers.

Valdez again featured a balanced scoring attack, with 4 starters in double figures [Kyler LaBonte (19), Jalen Freeman (17), Logan Heckathorn (11), and Bennett Hinkle (10)].  Logan Heckathorn led the team with 6 rebounds and successfully drew 2 offensive fouls.

The win secured a State Championship berth against the #1 overall seed Anchorage Christian School Lions, who defeated the Eielson Ravens in the other semifinal game.

Saturday, March 23rd:  Valdez 53, Anchorage Christian 56

The ACS Lions entered the State Championship game boasting a 27-1 overall record – with their lone loss coming at the hands of the Dimond Lynx at the Valdez Elk’s Tournament.  The Lions also sported a season-long #1 ranking in 3A, 8 Seniors on their roster, and an average winning margin of nearly 23 points per contest.

Undaunted, the Bucs entered the State Championship game with energy and confidence.  The pyrotechnics used during introductions weren’t the only thing lighting up the gym in the first quarter, as the Bucs jumped out to a 21-16 lead after the first quarter.  Scoring slowed for the Bucs a bit in the second quarter, with the half ending all knotted at 31-31.

The second half turned into a back-and-forth affair that ultimately came down to the final few possessions – during which time the ACS Lions outlasted the Bucs for a final score of 56-53.

The Bucs committed 9 turnovers while forcing ACS into 17 of their own.  Logan Heckathorn and Kyler LaBonte each netted 13 for the Bucs, while Jalen Freeman chipped in 10.  Bennett Hinkle led the team with 6 rebounds, and Ike Watson successfully drew an offensive foul.

State Championship Awards:

After each game, a Player of the Game was announced:

• Thursday (Bennett Hinkle)
• Friday (Kyler LaBonte)
• Saturday (Logan Heckathorn)

Additionally, following Thursday’s game, 2 players were announced as recipients of the Good Sportsmanship Award (as nominated by their head coach).  The players representing the Bucs:

• Douglas Cummins
• Hayden Howard

The awards ceremony for 3A took place immediately after the boy’s championship game.  The following awards were bestowed upon the Bucs:

• The 2019 Good Sportsmanship Award [Team] (for the 2nd year in a row)
• Kyler LaBonte was named to the All-State Tournament team
• Jalen Freeman was named to the All-State Tournament team
• 2nd Place State Championship trophy

Notes:

In addition to the aforementioned ASAA awards, the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches (AABC) also announced its’ postseason awards.  Logan Heckathorn and Bennett Hinkle were named First Team All-State (3A), and Jalen Freeman was named Second Team All-State (3A).  Additionally, for the second consecutive year, Todd Wegner was named the 3A Boys Coach of the Year.  Wegner also received Coach of the Year honors in 2004, which is the last time the Valdez Buccaneers were in the State Championship game.

Congratulations and Thank You to the following Seniors:

Logan Heckathorn

Bennett Hinkle

Kyler LaBonte

Justin Prax

Isaac Watson