The Lady Nanooks basketball team hosted Unalakleet at Nome-Beltz over the weekend, and both Nome middle and high school girls defeated the Wolfpack in each of four combined games.
Saturday’s junior high game was close: the final score was 32-31. Aryanna Ivanoff led Unalakleet with 26 points, but Nome’s own Asa Hukill turned the game around at the last minute, scoring 11 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Not so close was the ladies high school game, also on Saturday: the Nanooks won by 24, led by EJ Rochon, who scored 19, and Daynon Medlin, who added 16 points.
Unalakleet girls certainly put up a fight on Sunday, though. The Wolfpack shot 15-25 from the free throw line, 8 of 17 happening in the 4th quarter. Leading Unalakleet were Summer Sagoonick and Brianne Ivanoff, who each earned 18 points for their team. The Nanooks, who shot 24-35 from the free throw line, ultimately took home the win by just 3 points. A total of 44 fouls were called between the two teams in this heated game.
As for Nome high school boys, who traveled to Unalakleet, game results were an even split. Saturday brought a 59-50 win for the Nanooks. Nome’s Gareth Hansen scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Hansen’s consecutive free throw streak ended this game, though, standing at 52 consecutive makes. Still, his performance this season is impressive: this weekend, Hansen surpassed 1,000 points for his three seasons, placing him in the top 10 of recorded career scoring in Nome-Beltz recent history. In the same game, Unalakleet’s Aiden Ivanoff led the Wolfpack with 21 points.
In the second game, Unalakleet defeated Nome 64-43. According to Nome Coach Pat Callahan, the game was close until the 4th quarter, when Unalakleet boys outscored Nome 22-2. Hansen led Nome again with 20 points, and Dawson Evans and Caden Hanebuth each added 8.
Next up for the Nanooks: the Nome boys will travel to Barrow Friday and Saturday, while the Lady Nanooks will host the Barrow Whalers at home.
Image at top: file photo: Mitch Borden, KNOM.
