Alaska's Junior Mens' and Womens' Basketball Teams both played tough games and lost to Team NWT (Northwest Territories) in Semifinal play on Friday.  See story and photos below.

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The Basketball action Friday started out at Grande Prairie's Maude Clifford Public School at noon with a Semi-Final match between Team Alaska and Team NWT.  Alaska had defeated NWT on Wendesday in an exciting game - the score was tied with three seconds left on the clock when Milo Hajdukovich of Fairbanks put the ball in from the corner to win by two.

Thursday's game was intense with the score remaining close much of the game.  The teams traded the lead several times with NWT was never ahead by more than one point.  In the fourth period Alaska caught fire and built a ten point lead.  NWT came back late in the game and whittled Alaska's lead down to one point.  Then with about 50 seconds remaining, Alaska gave up control of the ball and NWT scored first one then a second basket.  As the crowd was on th edges of their seats, Alaska missed a couple three point shots and NWT went on to win 82 to 78.

Team Alaska's Junior Women faced NWT in a 2pm Friday Semi-final.  First seeded Team NWT is very strong and has not lost a game all week.  While Team NWT was more dominant, Alaska played well and managed to stay in the game.  In the Fourth period Team Alaska really came back and was leading with 18 seconds to go.  Then 2 fouls were called on Alaska and Team NWT made all four free throw shots to win 59-61 

Earlier in the week #13 Miranda Beach of Homer was awarded a Fair Play pin by an Official.

#10 James Neko Ridgway-Young moves the ball in towards the net

#21 Jarred Laws of Anchorage looks for the open man

 #13 Calvin Hoffman of Anchorage takes a free throw

Team Alaska's Junior Women watch the men play Team NWT in a
Semi-Final game

#21 Ione Fischer goes for a three point shot

#24 Aminata Cole of Anchorage takes the ball down the court for
Team Alaska

Team Alaska's #14 Heidi Westerman of Homer