Glennallen Girls Outlast Tok for Fifth Straight Regional Championship

When it comes to the 2A Interior Conference, the Glennallen girls basketball team continues to be atop the mountain. The Lady Panthers, taking on Tok in the championship game at Lathrop High School in Fairbanks on Friday, were able to defeat Tok 39-30, wrapping up their fifth straight regional championship, and sending them to the state tournament in the process.

“We were able to hold a tough Tok team to 30 points and scored well in the second quarter from the outside,” head coach Jubilee Sutherland said. Every one of the girls earned that title through their continued effort in practice all season. It is exciting and something very special to be able to add two more players (Chisana Korth and Raylie Sutherland) to the list of girls to win that recognition all four years of their high school career.”

Alianna Stone had a great fourth quarter for the Panthers, as she knocked down four shots from the floor, giving her all eight of the team’s points and things were knotted up at 8-8 after one. Glennallen proved to be stingy on defense in the second quarter, holding the Lady Wolverines scoreless. They also had threes from Chloe Palacios, Chisana Korth, Koiana Cooley and Raylie Sutherland in the second, which helped them take a 24-8 lead at the half. Korth hit a three-pointer as part of her five third quarter points and Stone knocked down a field-goal as well, and the Panthers led 32-23 entering the fourth. Palacios added four more points in the final quarter to help wrap things up.

Stone had a great game, getting a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Palacios had nine points, Korth added eight, Cooley and Sutherland had three points apiece and René Rock-Albert had two points. 

The Wolverines were led by Allison Demet with 16 points and Bernadean Simmonds added six points. 

Glennallen reached the championship thanks to their semi-final win over Cordova on Thursday, 41-32. 

Stone had a 16 point and 12 steal performance, Korth put in 10 points and Palacios chipped in with nine points. 

“We expected them to make adjustments as we had defeated them two times during the regular season,” Sutherland said. “They switched their defense to a zone, which we had prepared for during the week. All of the girls played tough defense and fought hard until the end of the game to move on to the championship.”

Glennallen (18-3 overall) begins the state tournament on Thursday, against Unalakleet in Anchorage. The Lady Panthers were runner-up in the 2A state tournament last year, and they have their eyes set on another solid run this year.