East Anchorage High School

Chuck White's Thunderbirds had won four straight Alaska 4A titles, the last after Trajan Langdon left for Duke. 6-2 senior Davy Registe (15.0), a second-team All-4A pick recruited by San Diego, had transferred in from title-game loser Palmer along with his cousin Robert; 5-10 senior guard Donteh Devoe (12.0) and 6-6 junior C.D. Doucet (10.0) joined him, with 6-7 senior Aaron Tromblay adding size. East Anchorage pressed, ran and went deep, and had lost to Science Hill in the final of its own tournament that month. 9-3 coming in.