Thursday action at the 76th Annual Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in the George Houston Gymnasium saw defending B Bracket champion Angoon win their semifinal over a game Hoonah squad, a masterful Sitka team topple Kake for a finals berth, the remnants of Prince of Wales — with some new pieces and renamed Craig — toppling Hooper Bay for a berth in the women’s finals and Metlakatla defeat Hydaburg for a finals berth in the C Bracket.

The Klukwan masters eliminated Metlakatla on a last-second shot, Kake eliminated Hoonah in the C Bracket, the Yakutat women eliminated Hoonah and Haines eliminated Hydaburg in the B Bracket.

MASTERS BRACKET

KLUKWAN 65, METLAKATLA 63

Trailing by 10 points with four minutes left to play Klukwan’s chances to win their morning game against Metlakatla in an, as yet, unheated gymnasium look doubtful.

Not that 10 points is a lot to make up in four minutes, but Klukwan had already shot 17-64 from the field and 3-6 from the free throw line and had nine turnovers.

And Metlakatla’s Willie Hayward had over 25 points already, including a basket that was waved off after he was fouled and lay on his back, his feet pointed towards the opponents basket, and put a bank shot in upside down.

Needless to say it is Gold Medal Tournament time and Stuart Dewitt hit a shot past the arc to close to 58-51 and had a steal on the next play which, in Klukwan fashion for that day, they turned back over.

But Metlakatla’s Hayward was fouled and made one of two.

Klukwan’s Dewitt hit has next shot past the arc to pull to 59-54 and Hayward scored to push that back to 61-54.

Klukwan’s Andrew Friske hit from outside the arc to close to 61-57 with roughy three minutes remaining and Metlakatla’s Archie Dundas hit one of two free throws to stay ahead 62-57 with two minutes remaining.

After a miss and a turnover by both teams Klukwan’s Brian Friske was fouled on a scoring shot and hit the free throw to close to 62-60 with 1:50 left.

Metlakatla’s Dundas was fouled and hit one of two for 63-60.

After another miss and turnover, again on both sides, Klukwan’s Michael Ganey hit from past the arc to tie the score at 63-63 with 1:11 remaining.

An errant inbounds pass by Metlakatla sailed out of bounds and Klukwan inbounded the ball on their side of the court with 55 seconds remaining.

They passed along the perimeter until Brian Friske posted inside, received a pass and put up a contested shot that bounced on the rim twice as the clock showed two seconds and fell in at the buzzer for the 65-63 win.

Metlakatla held a 16-14 lead after the first quarter and were up 35-24 at the half.

Klukwan went on a 13-2 run to open the third quarter and tied the game at 37-37 as A. Friske and Dave Buss hit shots past the arc, B. Friske off the glass, Ganey inside and Dewitt past the arc.

Metlakatla pushed out their own 10-2 run to go up 47-39 as Hayward scored the entire run on a variety of shots..

Dewitt hit a three to pull Klukwan to 47-42 and Metlakatla’s Hayward would hit back-to-back shots and a free throw to offset two free throws by Klukwan’s Ganey for a 52-44 lead with seven minutes left to play.

Klukwan’s B. Friske scored on a drive for 48 and Metlakatla’s Danny Marsden hit for 54.

After two Klukwan empty possessions Metlakatla scored on a John Marsden tip in and a Hayward layup for the 58-48 score with four minutes remaining.

Klukwan advances to a 3 p.m. Friday elimination game with a chance to reach the championship game.

Klukwan 65 – Ganey 20 (3F), Dewitt 17 (3F), B. Friske 15 (2F), A. Friske 10 (4F), Buss 3 (1F), Scott Forbes 1F). Klukwan hit 4-8 from the free throw line.

Metlakatla 63 – Hayward 32 (1F), Dundas 15, D. Marsden 6 (3F), J. Marsden 5 (1F), Steve Booth 5 3F). Metlakatla hit 6-11 from the line.

SITKA 87, KAKE 46

Sitka scored the first 19 points of the game and finished the first quarter with a 27-7 lead over Kake in their Thursday semifinal game. Tom Anderson, Syd Eubanks, Matt Love, Jeremy Plank and Mitch Mork all tallied five points in the first 10 minutes of action.

Kake played Sitka even in the second quarter as Jay Peterson, Nick Davis, Brandon Jackson and Anthony Ross all found the scorebook but the deficit at halftime was 46-25 and Sitka stretched that out to 71-39 after three quarters.

Sitka advances to Saturday’s 3 p.m. Masters Bracket championship game against the winner of Friday’s 3 p.m. Kake and Klukwan matchup.

Sitka 87 – Mork 26, Anderson 14 (3F), Eubanks 13 (1F), Love 10, Plank 8, Gary Smith 8, Harry Bradley 4, Cliff Richter 2 (1F), Ray Kitka 2. Sitka hit 6-9 from the free throw line.

Kake 46 – Peterson 15 (1F), N. Davis 10, Brandon Jackson 6 (1F), A. Ross 5 (1F), Lloyd Davis 4, Tim James 3, Pete Vernetti 2 (4F). Kake hit 6-8 from the line.

C BRACKET

KAKE 56, HOONAH 53

Derek Knudsen hit a basket with one minute remaining to give Kake a 54-53 lead over Hoonah in their elimination game and brought the Kake fans to their feet.

Then he kept them there as he pulled down a missed Hoonah shot and was fouled and calmly sank two free throws with 15 seconds remaining to ice the game 56-53.

Kake still had to play defense for 15 seconds, but they swarmed Hoonah shooters and after two misses the ball tipped out to Kake’s Rudy Bean who dribbled like a wizard past a defender as the buzzer sounded sending Kake to a 5 p.m. Friday elimination game for a spot in the championship contest.

The teams had stayed within four points of each other through the first quarter and Hoonah’s Jon Torres tipped a shot in at the buzzer to take a 13-13 tie into the second 10 minutes of play.

Bean gave Kake a 15-13 lead at the start of the second quarter. Hoonah’s Brayton Booze tied the game and Travis Dybdahl hit from past the arc for an 18-15 Hoonah lead.

The teams would exchange baskets into the half with Hoonah holding a 28-24 lead at the break.

Hoonah pushed out to a 10-point advantage, 36-26, to open the second half against a Kake zone.

Double fouls on Kake’s Dylan Lee and Hoonah’s Torres reminded players of the physical play looming for the remainder of the game.

Hoonah’s George Fisher would score for the largest lead of the game by either team. But Kake began a methodical climb back into the contest as Kelly Brown hit past the arc, Dean Cavanaugh tipped in a shot and Brown hit from distance again to counter a score by Hoonah’s Dybdahl and close to 40-34.

After two Hoonah free throw’s by Torres, Kake’s Bean floated in a shot and Knudsen stole a ball and scored to trail 42-38.

Hoonah’s Terrence Wheat hit two free throws and Kake’s Dylan Lee rolled back door and was fed by Larry Jackson to trail 45-40 as the third quarter ended.

Bean hit from distance and Cavanaugh inside to tie the game at 45-45 as the final stanza started.

Hoonah’s Dybdahl hit from past the arc for a 48-45 lead, but Kake’s Trevor Rostad began to dominate inside as he pulled down a missed teammate’s shot and scored.

Dybdahl would answer with a bucket for a 50-47 lead, but Rostad tipped in two straight Kake misses for a 51-50 lead.

Torres hit from the arc for a 53-51 Hoonah lead and Knudsen hit a free throw to pull to 53-52 with just under three minutes remaining.

Hoonah would miss three shots and then possession and kake would call timeout with a minute remaining that set the stage for Knudsen’s game winning heroics.

Kake 56 – Bean 14 (2F), Knudsen 13 (2F), Cavanaugh 11 (1F), Rostad 10 (5F), Brown 6 (1F), Lee 2 (2F). Kake hit 6-9 from the free throw line.

Hoonah 53 – Dybdahl 22, Brian Koenig 10, Torres 9 (4F), Brayton Booze 7 (4F), Wheat 3 (1F), Fisher 2 (1F), Jordan Coronell (1F).

METLAKATLA 74, HYDABURG 65

Clifton Guthrie hit six shots past the arc to lead Metlakatla to a 74-65 semifinal win over Hydaburg.

Hydaburg struck early as Darren Edenshaw, Joe Young and Eric Hamilton all hit from distance in the first quarter, and TJ Young, Devin Edenshaw and Greg Frisby added baskets as they opened a 20-14 first quarter lead. Metlakatla’s Guthrie scored five points in the first quarter, Apollo Marsden four and Bradley Martinez and Jace Scudero a basket apiece.

Hydaburg was deadly from the free throw line in the second quarter, hitting 8-10, and Eric Hamilton hit two shots past the arc. Metlakatla got two shots past the arc from Guthrie and Scdero to stay within 41-33 at the half.

Metlakatla went on a 14-5 run to open the second half and take a 47-46 lead with four minutes left to play in the stanza.

Hydaburg’s Darren Edenshaw took the lead back with a pair of free throws and would add another. But Metlakatla’s Guthrie hit a shot past the arc and another closer in for the 52-49 lead after three quarters.

Hydaburg would close to 54-51 on a pair of free throws from Hamilton. But Metlakatla would get scores from Chris Bryant and Guthrie and match each Hydaburg score to keep a five-point margin and push the lead out to 69-59 with two minutes to play.

Hydaburg’s Devin Edenshaw hit a free throw to pull to 69-60, but Metlakatla’s Bryan Hayward hit one from the line and Guthrie scored to push the advantage out to 72-60.

Hydaburg’s Darren Edenshaw hit from past the arc with a minute left to pull to 72-63 and Don Alander scored for 65 but Guthrie hit the final bucket for the 74-65 win.

Metlakatla advances to Saturday’s 5 p.m. championship game against the winner of Friday’s 5 p.m. contest between Hydaburg and Kake.

Metlakatla 74 – Guthrie 32, Bryant 10 (2F), Scudero 8 (1F), Jason Enright 6 (1F), Marsden 4 (4F), Ian Hudson 4 (1F), Martinez 2 (4F). Metlakatla hit 4-15 from the free throw line.

Hydaburg 65 – Darren Edenshaw 25 (4F), Hamilton 13 (2F), TJ Young 8, J. Young 7 (1F), Devin Edenshaw 6, Frisby 4 (1F), Alander 2 (1F). Hydaburg hit 23-31 from the line.

WOMEN’S BRACKET

YAKUTAT 67, HOONAH 50

A close first half with two teams in the colors of the physicality of the action turned into a second half of attrition as the blue-uniformed Yakutat women outlasted their black-clad Hoonah opponents for a 67-50 elimination game win and advancement to another win-or-go-home game at 1 p.m. Friday with a chance for Saturday’s championship contest.

Hoonah’s 7 hit two shots past the arc to start the game, but Yakutat’s 10 answered the first one inside and teammate Trinity “Trin-a-three” Jackson put one down past the arc.

Hoonah’s Jonelle Staveland then hit two shots in a row from past the arc for a 12-5 lead and Yakutat’s Rose Fraker and Nadine Fraker answered to trail 12-10. Hoonah’s Alona Howland hit from past the arc for the 15-10 lead after 10 minutes of play.

The teams were nearly even in the second quarter with Yakutat scoring 18 and Hoonah 16.

Jackson hit from distance for Yakutat and R. Fraker, Janie Jensen and S. Jensen inside while Hoonah’s Fisher hit twice from distance and Antonia Fogg and Rachel White inside.

Hoonah held a 31-28 lead at the break, but Yakutat started the second half on a 14-3 run and then finished the stanza up 51-37.

The two sides exchanged baskets through the final stanza, but Hoonah could not close the scoring gap.

Yakutat 67 – Jackson 18 (4F), Shaye Jensen 16 (1F), Rose Fraker 10, Lorena Williams 8 (4F), Nadine Fraker 5 (1F), Cheyenne Latu 4 (1F), Janie Jensen 4 (1F), Kim Armendariz 2. Yakutat hit 14-20 at the free throw line.

Hoonah 50 – Melissa Fisher 21 (5F), Antonia Fogg 9, Jonelle Stavland 8 (2F), Alona Howland 6 (3F), Alice Johnson 2, Krissy Bean 2 (1F), Rachel White 2. Hoonah hit 7-13 at the line.

CRAIG 70, HOOPER BAY 49

Craig will return to the Women’s Bracket championship…well, the Craig version of last season’s Prince of Wales title winners.

Craig overcame a 15-10 first quarter deficit to Hooper Bay and a 35-33 defect to take a 10-point lead after three quarters at 52-42 and continue on to Saturday’s 1 p.m. championship game. Hooper Bay will play an elimination game at 1 p.m. Friday against Yakutat.

Hooper Bay was on fire in the first quarter as Florence Kargi and Brandi Hale hit shots past the arc to open up the inside for drives by Ernie Joe, Ivana Andreanoff and Zoey Lake.

Craig got established in the second quarter as Vanessa James and Michaela Demmert both hit two shots past the arc and Nani Weimer one and they were able to cut into the deficit.

Craig outscored Hooper Bay 19-9 in the third quarter and 18-7 in the fourth quarter.

Craig 70 – Weimer 20, Dement 17, James 13 (1F), Liz Thomsen 8 (1F), Lillian Barromeo 5 (2F), Tina Steffen 4 (2F), Molly Sharp 3 (4F). Craig hit 12-23 at the free throw line.

Hooper Bay 49 – Kargi 16 (4F), Z. Lake 12 (2F), Hale 8 (3F), Susie Long 5, Andreanoff 4 (2F), Joe 2, Sandra Lake 2 (3F), Mary Long (4F). Hooper Bay hit 5-8 from the line.

B BRACKET

HAINES 85, HYDABURG 60

A close-scoring first half battle between Haines and Hydaburg took a turn in the third quarter when Haines opened the second half with a 10-0 run for a 56-41 lead.

Hydaburg then lost Vinny Edenshaw to a two-minute referee induced “time out” for an unbasketball type play and Haines went on a 13-4 run behind a shot by 4 and two shots past the arc by Kyle Fossman, a post-up score by Tyler Swinton and a rebound score by Swinton for the 69-45 third quarter final.

Haines would not be challenged in the fourth quarter scorewise, but could not let up under the Hydaburg text-book defense. The two teams exchanged baskets through the first half of the final stanza.

With four minutes left to play and trailing 76-60 Hydaburg had to put Haines in the bonus and they hit 7-8 for the 85-60 final.

Hydaburg had taken a 22-21 first quarter lead as V. Edenshaw scored nine points in the stanza, Jessie Louie five and Trevor Olsen and Claude Young four apiece. Haines had 10 points from Kirby Faverty who hit from past the arc twice, and two shots past the arc by James Hart and Kyle Fossman and a workman’s score inside by Kai Sato.

Haines would outscore Hydaburg 25-19 in the second quarter with five shots past the arc, two by Kyle Rush who scored 12 points in the stanza.

Haines advances to a 7 p.m. elimination game Friday with a spot in the championship on the line.

Haines 85 – Fossman 22, Swinton 20 (4F), Faverty 14 (1F), Rush 12 (2F), Hart 6, Eric Brouillette 5 (2), Sato 2 (2F), Tyler Healy 2. Haines hit 12-14 at the free throw line.

Hydaburg 60 – Jessie Louie 18 (3F), V. Edenshaw 15 (4F), Trevor Olsen 10 (2F), Donald Edenshaw 7 (4F), Tyler Bell 5 (1F). Hydaburg hit 8-9 at the line.

ANGOON 89, HOONAH 79

Hoonah’s Sean Oliver hit a shot past the arc to start their semifinal matchup against defending B Bracket champion Angoon and then hit a driving shot, both were answered by Angoon’s Aquino Brinson to trail 5-4 and that would set the tone of the first half.

Both teams would show athleticism on both ends of the floor and end the first 10 minutes tied at 19-19. Hoonah’s Orion Dybdahl would score six points inside in the stanza.

Oliver opened the second quarter from past the arc for Hoonah, but Clayton Edwin answered with the same distance for Angoon and once again both sides would go full tilt, full court into a 36-33 Angoon lead at the half.

Angoon outscored Hoonah 33-14 in the third quarter behind a balanced attack from Brinson, Edwin and Dominic Brinson with Kendrick Payton providing a presence in the middle. Brinson would score 11 points in the quarter for Angoon and Oliver nine for Hoonah.

After Angoon’s A. Brinson, D. Brinson and Payton countered a couple scores by Oliver and Samuel Lamebull-Morcueda for a 48-38 lead, Edwin pushed that to 50-38 and Angoon would then go on a 19-9 run to end the stanza and earn control of the game.

Angoon 89 – Edwin 24 (3F), A. Brinson 22 (1F), D. Brinson 21 (1F), Duncan O’Brien 6, Payton 6 (1F), Isaiah Nelson 5 (1F), Christian Nelson 2, Anthony Johnson (1F), Levi Johnson Jr (1F). Angoon hit 11-14 at the free throw line.

Hoonah 79 – Oliver 28 (3F), Lamebull-Morcueda 13 (1F), Dybdahl 12 (1F), Joseph Cornell Jr 7 (3F), RJ Didrickson 5 (1F), Jaylin Prince 4 (2F), Tyrell Cromer (1F). Hoonah hit 8-16 from the line.

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