Dec. 28, 2007
Final Stats
ANCHORAGE, AK- The Nanooks couldn't quite get the start to the AT&T Jamboree they would have liked, as Christian Brothers proved too much for them to handle on this day, knocking off the Blue and Gold, 77-60. Despite looking sharp early, Alaska, who dressed just 10 players for the contest, were eventually worn down by the Buccaneers, who effectively killed off the game early in the second half.
"We were shorthanded and undermanned, but we are still just not playing at 100% for 40 minutes," head coach Clemon Johnson said. "We play hard for 10-12 minutes, but after that, if we are not ahead, our heart gets weak and our youth starts to show. We just don't have the ability to come from behind and win. That comes from veteran experience, the experience of having come from behind in the past."
Alaska (3-5) could find no answer for the Buccaneers' Kevin Weybright, who posted a game-high 21 points behind 8-for-14 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Senior Nick Kohs also had 19 points and nine boards for Christian Brothers (6-4).
Kevin Atkins led Alaska with 18 points, though the team as a whole could shoot just 43.6 percent from the game. Colin Matteson also chipped in 14 points, but the team could only get limited minutes from their other co-captain Mike Titus due to a stomach virus.
Atkins would contribute the first four Nanook points in spectacular fashion: the first coming just seconds after the opening tip, when Keven Campbell's lob pass found the Long Beach native making a smart backdoor cut for an alley-oop dunk. Atkins would then take the initiative himself, coming away with a steal at half-court for a two-handed jam.
Atkins' buckets set the tone for the Nanooks, as they built a 22-17 lead behind their inside play early on. The Nanook forwards (Matteson, Atkins and Begojevic) were capitalizing on openings in the lane, with Begojevic hitting a particularly impressive jumper off the glass after a quick low-post spin move. The Blue and Gold enjoyed a number of second-chance points as well, grabbing seven offensive rebounds early on.
That advantage soon disappeared, however, as both Atkins and Begojevic found themselves in first-half foul trouble. With the Nanooks forced to play with a smaller lineup, the Buccaneers took advantage, embarking on a 10-0 run that boost them to a 35-27 halftime lead.
Christian Brothers did not relent after the break, quickly stretching their lead to 21 within five minutes of the restart as the Nanooks could not find their shooting touch. A 15-4 Buccaneers effectively put the contest out of Alaska's reach, as they were unable to threaten the Christian Brothers advantage.
The Blue and Gold return to the court tomorrow for the second round of the AT&T Jamboree, where they will meet Ferris State in their final tune-up game before beginning Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Jan. 3. Tip-off in tomorrow's game is set for 5:00 p.m. in Anchorage.
