It has been said that the third time is a charm, and for the Cordova Wolverines, that held true as they topped the Tok Wolverines 52-45 in the third round of the Service High Tournament in Anchorage for their first win of the season.
CHS was overwhelmed by 4A Palmer 77-29 and 4A Thunder Mountain 65-28 in the first two rounds of the tournament, played Dec. 16-17.
Coach Jake Borst felt his squad looked at it as a learning experience.
“The pace of the game is something a lot of these younger players, who do not have the experience at this level, are going to have to get used to,” he said. “We have to remember that a lot of our players were 8th and 9th graders the last time they saw the floor against another team. And even then, it was seldom. Defensive intensity and pressure from these opposing teams is something we’re going to have to get used to and embrace as we move forward.”
Borst felt better about the results of the matchup against 2A Conference rival Tok at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18.
“We did win against Tok in the third game,” he said. “We were trailing the entire game, down by 10 early in the fourth, we were able to finally find that next gear and ramp up the pressure out-scoring them 20-5 for a 7-point victory.”
Asa Carter led CHS with 16 points against Tok; Trevor Dundas was also in double digits with 10. Chairo Espinosa led Tok with 22, including all 5 points scored by Tok in the final eight minutes.
The Wolverines will next play at home Jan. 13-15, in the 38th Annual Cordova Tipoff.
Individual scoring
Cordova-Tok game: Cordova: Itliong 5, Heidbrink 5, Dundas 10, Witsoe 2, Corales 8, Russin 4, Nothstine 2, Carter 16. Tok: Espinosa 22, Charlie 17, Jacobs 4, Albert 2, Paul 2.
