Stifling defense lifts Petersburg boys to Class 2A basketball crown

The mantra "defense wins championships" couldn't have been more true for the Petersburg boys basketball team Saturday.

The Vikings held Metlakatla to the fewest points allowed in a 2A boys title game in their 46-26 championship win at the Alaska Airlines Center.

It was Petersburg's first state title since winning the championship at the 3A level in 2007. The Vikings lost to Unalaska in last year's 2A championship.

"It's something else," said Petersburg's Blaine Volk, who gave the Vikings the lead for good with a pair of free throws in the second quarter. "Winning regions was one thing but to be No. 1 in the state in 2A, it's unbelievable. I can't even put it into words."

After playing only five minutes in the first half with foul trouble, 2A Player of the Year Stewart Conn rallied in the second half to lead the Vikings with 15 points and seven rebounds. Conn sat the entire second quarter after picking up his second foul with 2 ½ minutes to go in the first quarter.

"I was feeling kind of down on myself, getting in foul trouble and having to sit on the bench, but my teammates really helped me," Conn said. "They really helped me pick myself up.

"It's all thanks to them, all props to them for helping me get back in there."

Metlakatla, playing in its first championship in five years, scored nearly half its points in the first quarter. The Chiefs (21-6) ended the first quarter on a 12-2 run and went into the second quarter leading 12-6.

Then, Petersburg's defense took over.

The Vikings (19-3) slowed the down the pace of the game and jammed the box with bodies, using their length to snag 24 defensive rebounds to 13 for the Chiefs.

Petersburg's 6-foot-5 center, Wolf Brooks, pulled down 10 rebounds, while Conn (7) and Volk (6) also contributed.

"We're all long and athletic, so we can cover a lot of ground," said Volk, a 6-1 senior. "It's hard to get into us and get easy shots. We kept them out on the perimeter shooting 3s most of the game."

The Vikings took a hit late in the second quarter, when starting point guard Alan McCay went down with an ankle injury after making a layup. Fans from both sides groaned when the replay McCay's injury showed up on the video board. McCay had seven points and three steals in 11 minutes before limping off the court.

But Petersburg didn't miss a beat in the second half. The Vikings switched to a Box-and-1 to better account for Metlakatla's Danny Marsden, and they held the Chiefs scoreless in the third quarter.

Marsden finished with five points. Carsen Winter led Metlakatla with seven points.

The Chiefs struggled to find a rhythm for most of the game, committing 18 fouls and making 3 of 23 shots from inside the arc.

The Vikings led 21-17 at halftime and 35-17 after the third quarter.

The previous lowest point total by a single team in a 2A boys championship was Kake's 27 in the 2000 championship. Angoon won that game 37-27.

"Petersburg is a great team, give them all the credit," Metlakatla coach T.J. Scott said. "That was the sixth time we've played them this year, so we knew them really well. They just came out and made more plays today."

Unalakleet 65, Unalaska 62

Arctic Ivanoff poured in 29 points to lift Unalakleet over Unalaska 65-62 in the third-place game.

The Wolfpack rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit and snagged 17 steals.
Taylor Harvey joined Ivanoff in double figures with 16 points.

Kevin Ho led Unalaska with 18 points and Matthew Faoasau recorded a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Point Hope 45, Glennallen 40

Point Hope used a fourth-quarter comeback and 20 points from Charlie Tuzroyluk to defeat Glennallen 45-40 in the fourth-place game.

The Harpooners trailed 23-15 at halftime, but they rallied with a 17-6 fourth quarter.

Patrick Turner added 10 points and Tuzroyluk went 4 of 8 from the 3-point line and tallied four steals for Point Hope.

Aidan Fields (13 points) and Gabe Jones (11) paced Glennallen.

All-Tournament Team

Arctic Ivanoff, Unalakleet
Aiden Fields, Glennallen
Stewart Conn, Petersburg
Charlie Tuzroyluk, Point Hope
Danny Marsden, Metlakatla
Wolf Brooks, Petersburg
Christian Adams, Cordova
Matthew Fauasau, Unalaska
Trenton Clark, Metlakatla
Blaine Volk, Petersburg