Updated: seven hours ago Published: 8 hours ago
The trend of former high-profile Alaska basketball stars returning to their home countries to extend their college playing careers continued on Tuesday when the University of Alaska Fairbanks announced the signing of the Former Anchorage Christian School star Demarcus Hall-Scriven on his men’s basketball team.
The 6-foot-3 guard transferred from Skagit Valley College and is coming off a stellar 2021-22 season in which he earned all-conference honors after averaging 11 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3, 1 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
“Offensively, he’s a dynamic winger who can play point and both wingers,” UAF head coach Greg Sparling said in a statement. “He is very versatile and we look forward to helping Demarcus develop in all areas over the next two years.”
[UAA sports notebook: Another local basketball star is coming home, and Elena Cano claims regional heptathlon title]
Hall-Scriven is the latest hoopster to return to the final frontier to play for one of the University of Alaska’s two Division II programs.
He joins Da’Zhon Wyche, formerly of West High, and former East star Jaron Williams, who both signed with UAA, as recent and notable locals returning to Alaska.
[Alaska sports notebook: UAA basketball announces return of Da’Zhon Wyche; Lars Arneson breaks record in Matanuska Peak Challenge]
In high school, Hall-Scriven led the Lions to a 3A state basketball championship in 2019 by sinking a pair of game-winning free throws with less than 10 seconds left.
Two Seawolves, one Nanook named to all-conference preseason volleyball team
Both University of Alaska volleyball programs were represented in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) preseason roster announced Friday. UAA seniors Eve Stephens and Ellen Floyd were named to the team along with UAF sophomore Karli Nielson.
Both Stephens and Floyd are exiting All GNAC Campaigns in 2021 and are multiple All-Conference winners. Nielson is a rising talent after a first season in 2021 where she recorded 149 eliminations in over 20 games with just six starts and averaging 2.66 eliminations per set with a hit percentage of .209. She also recorded 42 digs on defense while posting 23 total blocks on the season.
Local runners take top spots in weekend’s 5k races
The third annual Christopher Walden Mini Mountain and Race the Planes 5K races were contested this past weekend. Riders in one of the races competed in less than ideal weather conditions while others were able to escape the rain.
Anchorage’s Julie Johnson and Ben Ward endured rain and mud at the Hilltop Ski Area to finish first in the Mini Mountain. Johnson won the women’s division with a time of 21 minutes, 49 seconds while Ward recorded the fastest time in the men’s division and the entire race overall with a time of 19:36.
A day later, across town alongside Ted Stevens International Airport, Race the Planes took place under much clearer skies and saw Anchorage’s Michelle Isaev finish first in the women’s division in 21: 09. Hunter Aman of Ridgefield, Wash., posted the best time in the men’s division and overall with a mark of 17:58.
East stays top and Colony rises in latest football rankings
The defending Division I champion Bettye Davis East High football team remained in first place in the latest Alaska Sports Broadcast Network top five rankings after beating the serve 39-18 during week 1. up to second after their 43-6 rout of South High. Previously seeded second-placed West High fell to fifth after losing to Lathrop in the Division II defense 49-33.
Third-placed Juneau-Douglas and fourth-placed Bartlett remain at the same locations they were last week and will face off in the state capitol in Week 2 on Saturday. While the Golden Bears had an opening weekend bye, the Huskies shut out the Dimond Lynx in a dominating 37-0 victory.
The game of the week is in Palmer on Friday when East and Colony face off at 7 p.m. on the Knights’ home court.