Mt. Edgecumbe Edges Barrow 98-97 in Triple Overtime for Class 3A Title

Barrow's Alex Fruean poured in 46 points Saturday night at Alaska Airlines Arena in Anchorage, and it still was not enough to stop Mt. Edgecumbe from making school history.

The Braves from Sitka outlasted the Whalers from Utqiagvik 98-97 in triple overtime, claiming the ASAA Class 3A boys basketball state championship and finishing the season 20-5. The game will be remembered as one of the finest in Alaska high school sports history.

Mt. Edgecumbe spent most of the night chasing. The Braves trailed by double digits in the third quarter and were still down 60-51 heading into the fourth. They scrapped their way back into it, and with Barrow leading 75-72 and roughly a minute left in regulation, Mt. Edgecumbe buried a three-pointer to pull even. The clock ran out with the score knotted at 77.

The first overtime was no kinder to Mt. Edgecumbe's nerves. Barrow looked ready to put the game away with 1:36 remaining, leading 86-81, before a quick Mt. Edgecumbe flurry tied it at 86 at the buzzer and forced a second extra period.

The second overtime produced perhaps the most agonizing sequence of the night. Barrow led 93-92 late and missed a wide-open layup that would have iced it, then fouled to send Mt. Edgecumbe to the free-throw line. The Braves converted two free throws to take the lead, but a lane violation call on the shooter wiped out the points and left the score tied at 93, sending the game to a third overtime. In all, Mt. Edgecumbe was called for four lane violations at the free-throw line across the course of the game.

The third overtime belonged to the Braves, barely. Mt. Edgecumbe led 98-95 with 2:33 to play and still held that margin at the 1:32 mark. Barrow chipped away and trailed 98-97 with 25 seconds left. The Whalers got the ball back with 5.6 seconds remaining, needing only a basket to win, but could not convert. Mt. Edgecumbe held on.

Fruean's 46-point performance was extraordinary by any measure, yet the Braves found enough collective resistance to deny him a championship. No individual Mt. Edgecumbe scoring totals from the title game have been confirmed in official records.