Accompanied by his parents and sister, Nome-Beltz High School senior Finn Gregg signed his national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
A ceremony was held at Nome-Beltz’s library Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the star-senior’s accomplishment. But before signing, Nome-Beltz's Activities Director Patrick Callahan invited school staff to share their experiences with Gregg.
"I want to thank everybody for coming out. Teachers, I just coach them in the games and never had you in class. If you want to throw in a couple kind words for what he's done on the school side, I'd love to hear them," Callahan said.
"Hard works pays off and it takes grit and dedication and passion, and I'm glad you get to be a Nanook for eight years, as a graduate of UAF. Congratulations," Nome-Beltz's Principal, Teriscovkya Smith said.
Over the three seasons Gregg played for the Nanooks, the team earned a 73-11 record including state championships in 2022 and 2024. Callahan shared that during last year's state championship game, Gregg missed a shot with just 15 seconds left. Callahan said the way the then-junior responded spoke volumes about his character.
"A lot of really good players, they want to make the shot and they want the glory, and if they're not able to do that they're pouting," Callahan said. "Orson [Hoogendorn] made the shot, nobody was happier for Orson making that shot than Finn if you go back and look at the video."
Gregg earned a reputation for being a tough defensive player after leading the team in “take charges” as a freshman and junior. He also earned all-state honors at the end of last season along with his teammate, Richard Cross.
Beyond boasting 1,280 career points for the Nanooks, Gregg has set a high standard off the court too. He maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school and plans on majoring in civil engineering at UAF.
Before signing, Gregg took a moment to thank his teammates.
"I got one more thing to say, I want to thank all you guys," Gregg said. "You guys go and work out with me any time I ask you. Think about all the mornings we spent, all those late nights. It'll pay off for you guys too."
Gregg then signed his name and exclaimed "that's it" to applause from the crowd of students and teachers jammed into the library.
Gregg will follow in the footsteps of previous Nome-Beltz players who have gone on to play for UAF, including Kavik Hahn, Mike Kelliher, Brian Wassman, and Steff Andersen.
