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            The Kodiak High School basketball teams kicked off the season over the weekend, splitting with the Lathrop Malamutes on Saturday. The Bears and Lady Bears swept a pair of preseason games on Friday, while the boys won Saturday as well.

            The Kodiak girls won 41-30 on Friday and the boys 67-62, in games that don't count toward the regular season record. On Saturday, the Kodiak boys led wire-to wire, but had to scramble in the fourth quarter as Lathrop closed within one. The final was Kodiak 60 to Lathrop's 52. The Malamutes swamped the Lady Bears in the third quarter, outscoring them 11 to 4, on the way to winning 41-33.

            Kodiak boys coach Dave Anderson appeared on Jock of the Rock recently to talk about his team.

(Bears 1           30 sec              "You know we are a team ... intensity of the games will be good, too.")

            The Bears graduated three players last year who each averaged in double-figures, but Anderson says the players on the team this year should be able to make up for that lost offensive firepower:

(Bears 2           34 sec              "We have an offense that ... and so it's a good match.")

            Kodiak once again this year is largely at a height disadvantage, especially compared to the teams from Mat-Su schools, but Anderson thinks the Bears' speed and quickness will neutralize that.

(Bears 3           37 sec              "You know, when you have that ... advantage of that in a lot of games.")

            He said the teams from the valley will be the toughest competition this year, and that the Northern Lights Conference is about to undergo a major reshuffling:

(Bears 4           43 sec              "Wasilla is always going to be tough ... down to 3A next year.")

            The Kodiak teams have Christmas weekend off, though the Lady Bears will be headed to Ketchikan for the Clarke Cochrane Christmas Classic from December 27th to 29th.