Learning to fly: Hawks boast young hoops squads

HOUSTON — Houston High School basketball fans can expect the annual Senior Night ceremony to be fairly short this year. But despite the lack of seniors on both the boys and girls squads, each program boasts young talent that has the Hawks excited for the future.

“It’s a very unique year,” Houston boys head coach Steve Henderson said recently. “We have only two seniors in the program, no juniors and the rest are freshmen and sophomores.”

The Houston boys team made it’s first state tournament appearance in more than two decades last year. But the Hawks graduated all but two players from that squad. Those two athletes, sophomores Kade Taylor and Kendell Ruta, move into the role as team leaders. Henderson said it’s certainly unusual to look to sophomores to be team leaders, But it sort of goes along with Houston’s unique season this year.

“Those two guys, they understand the pace of practice, the way I like to do things. The understand what it takes to play at that level. They understand how to work, and the little things the other guys don’t quite get yet,” Henderson said.

Both have had a solid start to their sophomore seasons. Taylor has already enjoyed big games offensively for the Hawks.

Taylor scored a game-high 29 points against Nikiski during the final day Holland America Tournament in Sitka in December. He also scored 18 against Craig.

“He can shoot it. He can score,” Henderson said of Taylor. “If he gets hot, look out. He can really score.”

Henderson said Ruta is a crafty player, who has the ability to do a number of things for the Hawks.

Taylor and Ruta are expected to anchor the back court for Houston.

Henderson also noted Ben Bitler and Eli Lovelace, who should help provide an inside presence for the Hawks. Bitler was the most valuable player on the Houston junior varsity team last year, and Lovelace made varsity this year as a freshman.

The Houston girls are two years removed from their first state tournament appearnace in decades. This year, first-year head coach Colton Conner, will be leading a young Houston girls squad.

Conner replaced former head coach Pat Egelus, who moved to Michigan with his family after the 2013-14 school year. Conner, a Houston High School graduate, has spent six years as an assistant basketball coach at HHS.

Conner said the Hawks are looking to be competitive in the Southcentral Conference, and expects team defense to be a strength.

“We’ve really stressed that this year,” Conner said. “Full court defense of 32 minutes, and it’s been working.”

Saturday, the Hawks edged Glennallen, a team that advanced to the 2A state tournament last season, in overtime. The Hawks also nearly beat conference rival Nikiski during the Holland America Tournament in Sitka in December.

Senior Ashley Apangalook is among the veteran leaders on the squad. Conner also noted veterans such as Taylor Wilkerson, Aspen Ruth and Kimberly Quincy.

Sophomore Makayla Moore is also making an impact, Conner said. Moore scored a team-high 10 points during the loss to Nikiski. She hit a pair of three-pointers to put the Hawks within reach of the Bulldogs. Conner said Moore also won the shooting competition at the Sitka tourney.

** Editor’s note: The is the second piece of a four-part series previewing the prep basketball seasons for the 3A and 4A teams in the Valley. For a feature about the Palmer Moose, see frontiersman.com/sports. For stories about the Colony Knights and Wasilla Warriors, see upcoming editions of the Frontiersman.