Petersburg’s high school basketball teams played in Haines over the weekend, Feb. 15-16. Although the Vikings and the Lady Vikings lost both varsity games, their coaches said there was a stark difference between the two nights.
According to coaches, traveling to Haines took a toll on the players Friday. Both teams lost their games that evening: the Vikings 21–44, and the Lady Vikings 21–41.
But boys coach Rick Brock said the Vikings were able to bounce back on Saturday in a remarkably close, back-and-forth game against Haines’s Glacier Bears.
“It was a well played game on our part. Just … what you would want to see,” Brock said. “We battled and fought every possession … real proud of the guys for their fight.”
In the end, the Vikings needed just one more basket — but ultimately lost, 48–50. Even so, Brock’s happy with the progress the team made and he hopes the Vikings can channel that energy on the court for the rest of the season.
Girls coach Matt Pawuk said the Lady Vikings also had a much more competitive game on Saturday. He said they held a lead through the third quarter, and Haines had to switch defense tactics.
“Haines, you know, they haven’t lost very many games this year. So for them to have to kind of adjust because they were having so much trouble with our zone offense … I was very encouraged by that,” said Pawuk.
Although the Lady Vikings lost to Haines’s Lady Glacier Bears on Saturday, 27–36, Pawuk said the team is motivated to push forward.
“They were really encouraged with just the difference from one night to the next and the improvement that we made … spirits seem to be in good shape,” he said. “Regionals — it really could be any two of the five teams in Southeast that … go up to state this year.”
Next, Petersburg’s Vikings and Lady Vikings will compete against their rivals in Wrangell this weekend, Feb. 21-22, for the last regular basketball games before the regional tournament next month.
