Ronan Maidens tip off Alaska Airlines Classic

By the time you read this, the Ronan Maidens will have already tipped off against the Metlakatla Miss Chiefs, in the opener of the Alaska Airlines Classic basketball tournament in Anchorage.

Ronan vied with 1,200 schools for a spot in the tournament through the “Alaskan Nets High School Movie Night” sweepstakes, nailed it down last April and both the Maidens and Chiefs flew to Alaska Sunday.

The Maidens play a round robin-style tournament with three other Alaskan teams: Metlakatla; the Tikigaq Harpoonerettes of Point Hope (they play at 8 p.m. Mountain Wednesday) and West Anchorage (tip-off is at noon on Thursday).

The Maidens and “Met” tipped off at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

While West Anchorage plays in Alaska’s highest classification, 4A, Metlakatla and Tikigaq are in 2A. Point Hope is a village of about 800 on the Arctic Slope that is known for whaling and basketball: The Harpoonerettes are defending 2A state champs, and bring everyone back including top guard Jennifer Nash.

Ronan is in Montana’s second-highest classification, Class A, and is 2-6 going in. Olivia Heiner (11.1) and fellow senior Leina Ulutoa (10.4) lead the Maidens in scoring, and Ulutoa snares eight rebounds a game.

The Ronan Chiefs begin play Thursday at 12:15 p.m. Mountain against West Anchorage, which is 11-13, in an 8-team boys bracket. Their tip-off times Friday and Saturday depend on how the previous day’s game goes.

The Chiefs are 3-5 and led by Marlo Tonasket (12.3 ppg), Koby Finley and Josiah Misa. Elijah Tonasket, Marlo’s brother, has missed the last four games with an ankle injury.

The Metlakatla Chiefs, the subject of the “Alaskan Nets” documentary, are on the same side of the boys bracket as Ronan and are 14-8 this season. They play the 3A (and 23-6) Grace Christian Grizzlies out of Anchorage.

Other teams are: the 27-2 East Anchorage Thunderbirds; the Higley Knights out of Gilbert, Ariz.; the Class 3A Ketchikan Kings and the Heritage Christian Warriors out of Northridge, Calif.

Heritage Christian plays Division III in California, has Mater Dei (and Bronny James) in the same sectional and several college prospects, including 7-foot freshman Howie Wu.

Higley plays Class 5A in Arizona and has an NCAA prospect in guard Yarell Greer.

The tournament dates back to 1989 and often draws high-test out-of-state teams. Several NBA players have competed, including Scot Pollard (Torrey Pines, Calif.), Jeff McGinnis (Oak Hill, Va.), Trajan Langdon from East Anchorage and Daishin Nix, who went pro after leading Trinity Nev. to the 2020 title and is now with the Houston Rockets.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have been represented at the classic; Ronan is the first Montana school that has gone. One thing going for the Chiefs and Maidens is they’ve had several games with a 35-second shot clock, which was introduced in Montana this season.

The Alaska Airlines Classic is using a 35-second clock though Alaska’s high school association has yet to bring it in.

You can follow the games live and for free at www.alaskaairlinesclassic.com; updates can also be found on Twitter at @akair_classic.