There will be a new champion in the 67th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament C bracket as Hydaburg went end-to-end with the seven-time-defending title holders Kake Tlingit Heat on Wednesday and sent the legends home 107-95.
The task was not easy, as Kake’s Rudy Bean scored a game high 34 points and was a hand full for a rotation of Hydaburg defenders.
“Rudy was our main focus,” Hydaburg’s TJ young said. “He was our main concern. He likes to attack the basket. I just try to give him different angles and always stay within an arms length. There is no one way to guard Rudy.”
Hydaburg tried several ways and several defenders, while Kake would have their hands full with Hydaburg’s Harold Dults and Joe Young.
Dults tallied 29 points, including six triples, and Young hit 24 points, including 8-8 at the charity stripe in the second half.
Dults hit three straight from beyond the arch to turn a 10-7 lead into a 19-12 advantage, with Kake’s Bean keeping pace with three baskets of his own.
Bean closed Kake within two points, 30-28 at the 10-minute mark of the first half but Dults buried another three for momentum again.
Hydaburg went on a 27-19 run to close out the half and lead 57-45 at the break.
“We wanted to plug up the inside and slow Rudy down,” Hydaburg’s Sid Edenshaw said. “We knew they were the seven-time champs and Rudy makes them run. If we could show him we are in there maybe he won’t get so many shots. We just had to defend the basketball.”
Hydaburg never relinquished the lead in the second half but could not get farther then seven points ahead until the 8:16 mark when TJ Young hit a free-throw, Sid Edenshaw stole a pass, and fed Young for two more and Joe Young hit a jumper.
Kake came back with baskets by Duane Brown, Nick Davis and Bean.
Hydaburg went up by 11 at the 5:45 mark and ten went on an 11-5 run to take control 100-84.
Hydaburg would only score seven more points while Kake ran up 11 but fell short 107-95.
TJ Young added 16 points for Hydaburg, Sid Edenshaw 12, Tony Peele 10, John Carle eight, Derek Edenshaw six, and Joe Frank two.
Nick Davis added 20 for Kake, David Watkins 12, Jay Peterson 10, Brown and Adam Davis six apiece, Lloyd Davis five, and Burt Jackson two.
Hydaburg hit 27-38 at the charity stripe, Kake went 14-21.
Hydaburg moves on to play Yakutat at 2 p.m. today in an elimination game.
• Contact Sports Editor Klas Stolpe at 523-2228 or at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
