The Nome Subway Showdown concluded this past weekend, with Soldotna claiming victory over the Nanooks basketball teams. The Nome boys’ team was led by high-scorer Dawson Schaeffer and the girls’ team by Lisa Okbaok.
Overall, the Nanooks boys took 2nd in the Subway Showdown, with the team losing only to eventual tournament champions Soldotna, 62 to 36. The Nome girls’ team got their lone win against Kotzebue in a tight 57 to 55 game and finished 3rd overall.
“The Kotzebue game was good for us. It allowed the girls to play under pressure the whole game and, of course, we got the victory, so that always helps.”
– Joe Musich
That’s Nanook girls coach Joe Musich. While his girls went 1-2, Soldotna was undefeated in three days of play. The Unalakleet boys went 1-2 with a win over Kotzebue while the Wolf Pack girls went 2-1, losing only to Soldotna. Kotzebue finished winless on both sides.
Nome boys coach Pat Callahan says that one of his players had a record-setting effort in the third day of tournament play.
“Dawson Schaeffer made 16 free throws – 16 out of 18 – which, for all my records that I have, that’s a boys school record for makes in a game.”
– Pat Callahan
According to Callahan, the previous record for made free throws in a boys game was held by Jesse Blandford, who made 15 out of 18 against Unalakleet during the 2006-2007 season.
The last day of Subway Showdown action saw a skills challenge, with athletes competing for supremacy in free throws and three pointers. Even though Schaeffer had set a school record for free throws made, the boys free throw challenge winner was Adrian Pleasant of Unalakleet, and the girls’ winner was Nanook Jelsey Gologergen.
In the 3-point shootout, the boys winner was Jersey Trusdell of Soldotna and the girls title went to Jewel Wilson of Unalakleet.
Last was the hot shots competition, where players have one minute to shoot from different parts of the court, with each part being assigned a point value. Cody Ivanoff of Unalakleet and Nome’s Lisa Okbaok took home 1st place in this event.
The Nanook boys had three all-tournament players: Caden Hanebuth, Stephan Anderson, and Dawson Schaeffer. The girls had one of their own in Lisa Okbaok.
Next up for Nome basketball is the Delta Tournament, an eight-team tournament just outside of Fairbanks, starting today.
Photo at top: NBHS gymnasium, photo from Nome-Beltz Student Activities, used with permission. (2018)
