The Ketchikan Kings made a run for the title owned by the East Anchorage Thunderbirds on Saturday in the final game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.

The two teams were similarly matched with good coaches, patient offenses and aggressive defenses. But defending champ East outlasted the Kings 43-25 for their third state championship in a row and fourth in five years. The Thunderbirds were second to West in 2022, won in 2021, 2020 was the COVID year and Kayhi had won in 2019.

“East is a very well-coached team with very good players and athletes,” Kayhi coach Eric Stockhausen said. “They play great aggressive defense. They are extremely deliberate on offense. We would have needed to shot the ball well, but they made that difficult.”

Ketchikan senior Marcus Stockhausen (34) drives to the basket under pressure by East Anchorage senior Deng Deng during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Ketchikan made the game difficult for East at the start.

Kayhi senior Marcus Stockhausen opened play with a shot past the arc and senior Jonathan Scoblic scored inside for a 5-0 lead.

East would go on a 13-0 run by senior Wal Tharjiath, junior Kharmello Delaney, senior Deng Deng, junior Braeden Speakman, senior Muhammed Sabally and Deng again for a 13-5 lead that was stopped when Stockhausen hit a shot in the key to end the quarter.

East senior Gianni Hill hit a layup to start the second stanza and then a shot past the arc for 18-7. It appeared the game was getting away from Kayhi, but Kings senior Gage Massin hit past the arc, Scoblic battled for a basket and junior Jozaiah Dela Cruz hit from distance to close to 18-15.

East would add a free throw for a 19-15 lead at the half.

“We were prepared for their offense, but they capitalized on every mistake we made,” Kayhi coach Stockhausen said. “We tried to be more aggressive on offense after the half, but could not get a shot to drop.”

After hitting 3-7 from the arc in the first half Kayhi went 0-7 in the second half.

That cold streak proved to be the difference. Although the Kings’ Massin opened the second half with a score East outscored Kayhi 17-3 in the stanza and led 36-22 after three quarters.

Ketchikan senior Gage Massin passes around East Anchorage senior Jai Tharjiath (32) during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Both teams continued to weave their offense patiently and their defense aggressively through the final eight minutes. East scored just seven points in the final stanza but Kayhi scored just three.

“Our effort was there, we just got beat and that happens sometimes,” Kayhi coach Stockhausen said. “I’m still proud of the growth this team showed and how they overachieved all expectations.”

Massin led Ketchikan with nine points, M. Stockhausen added eight, Scoblic and J. Dela Cruz four apiece. Massin led with five rebounds.

The Kings were 10-27 from the field (3-14 from the arc), 2-3 from the free throw line, had four assists, 12 total rebounds, four steals, 12 fouls and 16 turnovers.

The Thunderbirds hit 16-36 from the field (2-17 from the arc), 9-12 from the line, had eight assists, 16 rebounds eight steals, nine fouls and six turnovers.

Deng led East with 10 points, Sabally added eight, Hill seven, Speakman four, junior Kharmell Delaney and senior James Curry two apiece. Sabally led with eight rebounds.

Coach Stockhausen wore the bright gold lucky suit worn when Kayhi won the Dimond Classic earlier this year.

Ketchikan senior Jozaiah Dela Cruz is pressured by East Anchorage sophomore Jamal Ozuna and senior Gianni Hill (2) during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

The story of the suit relates to 20 years ago when E. Stockhausen was an assistant coach in Fort Worth, Texas. The head coach would “dress to the nines” and Stockhausen let it be known ever after he wanted a gold suit. Marcus got him one this Christmas and coach Stockhausen wore it for their Coaches vs. Cancer this season, senior night and the team requested it for Saturday.

“Why not, we don’t get here often and may as well have fun with it,” Coach Stockhausen said.

Marcus Stockhausen said, “He looks pretty darn good in it I think. Best darn present I ever got him that’s for sure. He’s definitely the best-dressed coach in the state.”

And of playing for the best-dressed coach Marcus Stockhausen said, “It’s been a dream I have had since I was a little kid. I’ve seen him come up here a lot and it’s really just something I wanted my entire high school career. It as really awesome to be able to do it in my last year, I’m really happy I had the experience.”

Coach Stockhausen said of coaching his son, “Ninety-five percent of it is he is just a player but you’re always happy to see your kids succeed in whatever they choose to do. I just love the leader that he was and that his teammates held him accountable and we had such a great team experience. I know he is going to a good program with coach Ostanik (Frank Ostanik, University of Alaska Fairbanks) and we’re excited about what the future holds for him.”

The 4A tournament awards were presented following the game.

East earned the championship trophy and Ketchikan the runner-up.

The boys State All-Tournament Team were Kayhi’s Massin and M. Stockhausen; East’s Deng and Sabally; West Anchorage senior Buob Marial; Monroe junior Armani Smith and senior Jett McCullough; Wasilla senior Noah Kroon; Grace Christian junior Bristol Tobin; and Dimond senior Marek Hajdukovich.

The 4A Boys Sportsmanship Award went to the Wasilla Warriors. The Boys 4A Academic Award went to the Grace Christian Grizzlies with a combined 3.86. The Boys 4A ‘Alaskan Assist Award went to the Ketchikan Kings with 20 assists in their first two state tournament games.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.