‘We cried as a team’: Alaska town rallies around girls basketball team weeks after tragic death

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Sand Point girls basketball team competed in the Class 1A Alaska high school state basketball tournament this week for only the second time in nearly 30 years, playing in honor of a classmate who died two weeks before the tournament began.

Kaipo Kaminanga, 15, drowned in a canoeing accident two weeks ago. His older sister, Precious, 17, is a junior on the Sand Point basketball team.

‘We cried as a team, but we played as a team too’

Precious Kaminanga said the team was not mentally prepared when regional play began in the aftermath of her brother’s death on Feb. 23.

“We played some hard games, we weren’t mentally ready, but we went into our games and we were all playing for Kai … and then we made it,” Precious said Friday at the tournament, which is being held at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

“We literally beat our first and second seeds, we couldn’t beat them for like years, this is our first year. We got first place at regionals.”

She said basketball has helped her cope in the weeks since her brother’s death.

“I don’t think I’ve processed it yet, because we had regionals, then we had practice for state, and then we’re here at state,” she said. “Basketball’s been kind of a distraction.”

She said her brother had planned to attend the state tournament and shared her love of the game.

“He’d always make fun of me, like if I missed a shot, if I airballed or something, so like, in the game, I’d just be like, aw shoot, Kai would say something,” Precious said. “He would [have been here], he was planning to come out here.”

Precious described her brother as someone known for his humor and his presence on the court.

“He’s very well known for being super funny ... super nice,” she said. “During games, he’d always pick his teammates up.”

She said the community’s support during the weeks following Kaipo’s death meant a great deal to her family.

“There was food coming in for them, there was search and rescue — it was just like everyone was there for them,” Precious said. “I want to thank the community for being there for my parents … we cried as a team, but we played as a team too.”

Community travels long distance to attend

The Sand Point and King Cove communities are part of the Aleutians East Borough School District with many traveling to Anchorage to support the team at state.

Community member Ingrid Carlson said the cost of traveling to Anchorage is significant for residents of the region.

“You could travel to Europe for what we pay to get out here,” Carlson said.

Despite the distance and expense, supporters made the trip. Carlson said the high school in Sand Point has fewer than 100 students.

“This is what we do, we show up, and we support,” Carlson said.

Carlson said the community was glad to be there to celebrate the team following a difficult stretch.

“It’s been a tough couple weeks out there. I’m really glad that we get to come here and celebrate these kids,” Carlson said. “Kaipo would have loved this, and he’s got a lot of fans, and a lot of people that love and miss him.”

A family tradition at state basketball tournaments

For many of the 1A and 2A schools represented at the tournament, the trip to Anchorage is a family event.

Sand Point girls team parent George Cromer III said the tournament is about more than basketball.

“It seems like it’s a chance to see friends, family, ya know, and be able to come out and support,” Cromer said.

Ebba Paniptchuk, a grandparent of players on the Shaktoolik Wolverines, said the tournament carries meaning beyond the games.

“It means a lot to the community,” Paniptchuk said. “We support the kids in doing something positive. It’s something that they look forward to. Basketball is a thing in Shaktoolik.”

The Sand Point girls were eliminated from the state tournament on Friday after going 1-2 over the first three days.

Services for Kaipo Kaminanga are expected to be held in Hawaii later this month.

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