FLYING HIGH AGAIN: Houston Hawks net new confidence

HOUSTON — It’s no secret, the Houston girls basketball squad has faced its fair share of tough times during recent seasons.

But now the Hawks are flying high again.

Houston is amid one of its best stretches of basketball in recent memory, fresh off winning a tournament title at the Nikiski Tip-Off at Nikiski High School last week. And with that success, first-year head coach Sean Seamands is seeing a newfound confidence in his players.

“They’re coming out of their shell, starting to see what they can actually do,” Seamands said of the Hawks, who face Eagle River today at 6:30 p.m. at Eagle River High School. “I’ve seen the attitude improve a lot.”

Houston finished 3-0 in the round-robin Nikiski tourney, earning wins over Dillingham, Skyview and host Nikiski en route to the title. The week before, the Hawks were in reach of another tourney title. Nome edged Houston by a point during the final game of the Nome Subway Showdown, but the Hawks beat Bethel and Point Hope during the first two days of the tournament.

Rather than being the first team that opponents want to play in a tournament, Seamands’ squad has shown it’s a contender.

“I thinking having these games in these tournaments has opened their eyes,” Seamands said of his players.

The new confidence has also sparked his team on the court.

“If we lack certain skills, we still have heart,” Seamands said. “If we play four quarters, go 100 miles per hour, we can hang in there with a lot of those teams.”

Seamands said veterans such as seniors Amber Acton and Savannah Ritter, and junior Paige Wagner have stepped into leadership roles.

“My first year coming in, I laid down expectations for them,” Seamands said. “This is (the seniors’) last year, go out and do the best they can, have a good mindset win or loose, but also pay it forward to the other girls coming through the program.”

The veterans have responded, with not only leadership, but contribution.

Acton was named the most valuable player of the Tip-Off. She scored 19 points during a 46-28 win over Skyview, and collected seven rebounds and seven steals during the 44-24 victory over Nikiski.

Another key for Houston is junior Savanna James, who was named MVP of the Nome tournament. James had 18 points and six blocks against Nikiski.

Standing 6-feet, James is an athlete who can play inside or out, but Seamands said he has placed more of an emphasis on the junior’s role in the paint.

“She definitely has a specific role on the team,” Seamands said. “This year, we wanted to make her a better post player, keep her down low. Keeping her down there puts some pressure on some of the other girls and takes some pressure off her.”

Janae Shannon has also stood out for Houston. She scored 10 points and grabbed 10 steals during the win over Skyview. Freshman Vicki Baybado has emerged as a valuable player coming off the bench. Baybado snagged 14 steals in just 15 minutes on the court against Skyview.

Tonight, Seamands hopes his Hawks can pick up where they left in Nikiski and continue gaining momentum as they move into their conference schedule. The Hawks begin Mid-Alaska Conference play next week in Fairbanks.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.