By Van Williams
Classic Media Director
JJ Parker scored 19 of his game-high 25 points in the first half to help the Ketchikan Kings claim a 70-53 victory over the Metlakatla Chiefs in the seventh-place game of the Alaska Airlines Classic at West High.
These teams are located just 25 miles apart and flew more than 1,100 miles (about the distance from Florida to New York City) to play in Anchorage.
Ketchikan’s Andrew Kleinschmidt added 16 points, with 12 coming in the third quarter. Marcus Stockhausen scored nine points with a trio of 3-pointers and finished 11-of-25 from deep in the tournament.
This was Ketchikan’s second Classic win since 2019.
Parker was the man early and often, pumping in 15 of his team’s first 21points including a string of 13 in a row. He was in attack mode from the jump and made 11-of-14 shots inside the arc.
Metlakatla was led by Cameron Gaube’s 12 points. Mason Rolando hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 19 before Ketchikan answered with 13-0 run, highlighted by two triples by Jack Zink. Jayden Buhler also drained a logo 3-pointer as the Cheifs canned 9-of-20 shots from downtown.
Metlakatla 16 12 14 11 – 53
Ketchikan 16 22 21 11 – 70
METLAKATLA – Rolando 6, Buhler 6, B. Booth 0, Russell 5, Jackson 6, Gaube 12, H. Booth 12, Anderson 4, Marsden 2, O’Brien 6.
KETCHIKAN – J. Lorenzo 4, Zink 8, Parker 25, Kleinschmidt 16, Massin 0, Rhoades 2, Secrest 0, Dundas 3, R. Lorenzo 0, Scoblic 0, Stockhausen 9, Coronel 3.
Alaska Airlines Classic 