The Nikiski girls basketball team used a defensive tiebreaker to win the Holland America tournament on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Sitka.
The Bulldogs started the tournament by defeating the hosts 30-27 on Thursday.
Friday, Nikiski lost to Mt. Edgecumbe 34-16.
“We couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn,” Nikiski coach Scott Anderson said. “They played really well.
“One of the things about us is we’re fairly young and still figuring things out.”
Rachel Thompson led the Bulldogs in that game with nine points.
Saturday, Nikiski topped Houston 25-22.
Sitka had beaten Mt. Edgecumbe in the round-robin tournament, so that left three teams at 2-1.
The Bulldogs were declared the champion due to the least total points allowed in all three games.
“We did play really great defense the whole weekend,” Anderson said. “When we get the other parts of our game going, we know that part is going to be there for us.”
Alison Litke made the all-defensive team for Nikiski, while Thompson was honored on the all-offensive team.
Nikiksi boys coach Reid Kornstad also was happy with the weekend his team had.
The Bulldogs started with a lopsided loss to Mt. Edgecumbe on Wednesday in a game that was not part of the tournament. But Kornstad then said the team played really well in losing 68-62 to Sitka in the tournament opener Thursday. Nikiski then defeated Craig 48-43 on Friday and Houston 56-44 on Saturday to take second in the tournament.
“It was a good tournament,” Kornstad said. “It was a good learning experience. We didn’t play well on Wednesday against Mt. Edgecumbe, but then we came back and played a good Sitka team tough on their home floor.”
Cade Anderson made the all-offensive team for the Bulldogs, while Nathan Carstens, just one week after winning a state wrestling title, was on the all-defensive team.
