College Hoops: Anchorage’s Angelline Nageak sets up winning basket for Adams State in 83-82 win over Seawolves

Angelline Nageak

Angelline Nageak couldn’t have drawn it up better.

The Adams State guard from Anchorage was back in her hometown for some holiday hoops and set up the winning basket in Friday night’s 83-82 nonconference win over the Seawolves at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Nageak’s nice interior lob pass to Kiiyani Anitielu led to the go-ahead layup with 9 seconds left that proved to be the difference as the Grizzlies held off a UAA squad that pulled within a point after Senya Rabouin threw in a 25-foot bank shot 3-pointer to make things interesting with 4.1 seconds left.

Adams State’s Harmanie Dominguez dropped in a game-high 30 points and Nageak added 14 points and a season-high seven assists in the first meeting between the RMAC and GNAC teams.

Nageak set up two baskets inside the final minute, including another post feed to Riahana Davis to give Adams State an 81-77 lead. Her assist to Anitielu was the dagger as the Grizzlies advantage swelled to 83-79 with just a few seconds left.

Jazzpher Evans led the Seawolves with 21 points and Tori Hollingshead added 20 points and nine rebounds.

King Cove’s Elaina Mack netted 15 points, her third-highest total in 28 career games. The catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist knocked down two shots in the span of a minute late in the third quarter to put UAA ahead 64-59.

The Seawolves’ last lead came at 77-76 on Hollingsworth’s layup on a nice feed from Rabouin with 2:26 remaining.

NCAA D2 Women’s Basketball
At Alaska Airlines Center
Friday
Adams State 83, UAA 82
Saturday
5:15pm Adams State (4-3) vs. UAA (2-2)

Tied 77-77, Nageak forced a turnover that set up the first of two assists down the stretch. The former Dimond High standout is one of two Alaskans on Adams State, with former West standout Nyeniea John being the other.

There were back-to-back possessions in the third quarter when the three Alaskans stood tall.

First, Mack drained a 3 to put UAA up 51-50. On the other end, John crashed the boards and soared for a loose ball that resulted in a tie up, with the possession arrow favoring Adams State of Alamosa, Colo.

Nyeniea John

As John walked to the bench for a timeout, her fan club went wild in the stands behind her team’s bench. Someone in the crowd held up a sign: We love NayNay.

Coming out of the timeout, Nageak canned a 3-pointer to put Adams State ahead 53-50.

The Seawolves outscored Adams State 21-9 from the free-throw line. Evans made 7-of-13 field goals and 7-of-10 free throws but missed a pair of attempts with 1:17 to play that proved costly.

Rabouin handed off six assists for UAA, however, Adams State had better ball movement in the game and racked up 30 assists on 32 baskets.

This Alaska trip has been good for Adams State. In addition to Friday’s victory, the Grizzlies announced on Tuesday that they have signed another Rage City all-star in reigning Cook Inlet Conference Player of the Year Maile Wilcox from Dimond.

✍️ It’s official!

Maile Wilcox is the newest Grizzly!

– Cook Inlet Conference POY
– 17 PPG
– 6 RPG
– Straight Hooper pic.twitter.com/6p3BzuaaOJ

— Adams State Women’s Basketball (@AdamsStateU_WBB) November 21, 2023