Star power: Gold Medal tournament gives fans a lot to cheer about

Yakutat’s Martin Sensmeier has been posing with fans all week. Not only is he a Gold Medal baller but he is also a Hollywood star on the rise, recently starring in The Magnificent Seven remake. (Photo courtesy Klas Stolpe)

Yakutat C-Bracket star Martin Sensmeier also shines off the court.

Young fans have been asking to pose next to the sweet jump-shooting guard all week.

Sensmeier had a major role as Red Harvest in the 2016 Hollywood remake of the classic “The Magnificent Seven.

“It’s all good,” Sensmeier said of the attention. “Being a positive role model means a lot to me.”

(Follow along with the 71st Gold Medal Basketball Tournament.)

Sensmeier, of Tlingit, Koyukon-Athabascan and Irish descent, said he couldn’t play much when filming for fear of injury, but now he has some down time to attend Gold Medal.

If his acting is just half-as-good as his balling, then Sensmeier will be adding an Oscar next to a Gold Medal trophy soon.

Kake basketball fan Annie Vernetti, 4, talks to Haines guard Kyle Fossman as his coach, and father, Steve Fossman tapes his ankle during Haines’ 82-52 win over Wrangell in B-Bracket action at the Juneau Lions Club 71st Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Monday. Haines won 82-52. (Photo courtesy Klas Stolpe)

Annie Vernetti, 4, could have a crush on Haines guard Kyle Fossman. When Fossman injured his ankle during Monday night’s win over Wrangell, she was right there watching and talking as he was taped up.

Of course, Vernetti is from the basketball hotspot of Kake, and she did have two large plastic thunder sticks in her hands, so maybe she was just letting him know what-was-what if the two towns meet in the championship.

Women’s bracket play begins at 12:30 today. Angoon vs. Yakutat and Haines vs. Hoonah (7:30 p.m.). This is the only time where you are actually encouraged to yell and whistle at the girls.

It is also elimination game time!

Teams playing today in the B- and C-brackets have one loss, another means their tourney ends.

Like the old saying goes, “You don’t have to go home … but you can’t play here anymore.”

Losing teams, and fans, get to sit and watch the other teams play and dream about next year.

C-bracket teams Kake and James Gang play at 2 p.m., and Hoonah and Angoon at 6 p.m.

B-bracketeers Angoon and Yakutat play at 3:30 p.m., and Metlakatla and Hydaburg at 9 p.m. This is the first time in many years where defending champions Angoon (last season) and Hydaburg (2015) have been on the cutting block so soon.

You really have to enjoy the fan cheers.

When Hoonah rocks out the “Hoo-Nah! Hoo-Nah!” And the Kake side follows with the long “KAAAAKKKE!”

When they do that while neither of the two communities are playing in that particular game it can really cause a severe psychedelic haze for a Scandinavian lad like myself who grew up in the ‘70s.

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker speaks to Gold Medal fans as Juneau Lions Club 1st Vice President and tournament co-chair Sasha Soboleff and Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott look on. (Photo courtesy Klas Stolpe)

Monday big performances

Angoon’s Frank Jack hit nine 3-point shots and scored 28 points in their late night masters win over Sitka.

Haines’ Kyle Fossman, Tyler Healey and Ben Golf combined for 70 points in their win over Wrangell — and Haines has been playing with just six men on the roster.

The Hoonah and Kake B-bracket game was one of the most athletic and competitive in the past five seasons.

Hoonah won 61-57, but Kake can easily be the Gold Medal champs this year.

Metlakatla’s Willie Hayward continues to electrify the fans.

Everytime he touches the ball the crowd draws a deep breathe and three seconds later they erupt into cheers as some incredible deception of the laws of science has occurred on the court.

Even Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott were giggling like little children last night as Hayward dribbled the ball around a defender, between his legs, stepped back and hit a 3-point shot

And speaking of our elected leaders. This photographer has a certain photo, taken at the game last night, that involves handfuls of popcorn being consumed from the distinguished guest seating section. Maybe that photo disappears if the First Session of the 30th Legislature ends on time (Just kidding! That is a joke! A poor joke at that but, remember, I am a Swede).

Seriously, it is always nice to see our governor and his crew out and about.

And did I notice a few Mallotts on the Yakutat roster?

Where are my herring eggs?

The Sitka Seine Herring Season is usually over by Gold Medal, at least that is the excuse Steve Edenshaw gave me last night when I asked where my herring eggs were.

Steve, a Sitka Masters deadeye from long range, usually always brings the delicacy to share with tourney folks and friends.

Folks bring a lot of things to share at the Gold Medal tourney.

 

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