Jaron Williams
Anchorage’s Jaron Williams became the fourth Alaskan this season to reach the 1,000-point career benchmark for a college basketball team. The UAA guard out of East High stands at 1,051 points – 132 in 17 games for the Seawolves and 919 in three seasons at Spokane Community College. The 6-foot-4 junior has been a steady hand for UAA with averages of 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game coupled with an outstanding 41-16 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has reached double figures four times, highlighted by a season-high 19 points against Portland Bible College. He also had 16 points against UAF. Williams is the latest Alaskan to join the 1K Club recently alongside Anchorage’s Tobin Karlberg (Point Loma), Fairbanks’ Daniel Hornbuckle (Western Washington) and Anchorage’s Alissa Pili (Utah).
Ituau Tuisaula
Soldotna’s Ituau Tuisaula tonight made history by becoming the first Alaska player to grab 24 rebounds in a college game. The 6-foot-1 freshman for Peninsula College ripped down 24 rebounds to go with 16 points in a 77-40 victory over Everett in the NWAC. Tuisaula broke the previous Alaska record of 23 rebounds shared by three players – Anchorage’s Soyna Welch at UAA in 1987, Juneau’s Gabi Fenumiai at Peninsula in 2015 and Anchorage’s Jordan Todd at Southern Idaho in 2021. Tuisaula, a former SoHi standout, has produced other games with 21 and 19 rebounds. She ranks second in the NWAC with 13.4 rebounds in 14 games. She is averaging 14.7 points per game with a .470 FG%.
Jeriah Coleman
Anchorage’s Jeriah Coleman of Clarendon College became the second 7-footer from Alaska in 20 years to notch double-digit blocked shots in a single game. The first time it happened was in 2003 by Kodiak’s Nick Billings, who had 10 blocks for NCAA Division I Binghamton. The 7-foot-1 Coleman bettered that total against Wayland Baptist, rejecting a state-record 15 shots to break the previous highwater mark of 13 blocks set in 2004 by Wasilla’s 6-foot-4 center Brittney Kroon at Seattle Pacific. In the game he had 15 blocks, Coleman added 15 points and 15 rebounds for one of the most impressive triple-doubles ever by an Alaskan. He ranks second nationally in the NJCAA with 4.3 blocks per game, trailing only Moberly Area’s Tre’von Spillers (4.5). They are the only junior college players averaging 4 blocks per game. Coleman, a sophomore, has had other games with eight and seven blocks. The former West High standout is averaging 9.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in 21 games. He is a surefire D1 signee.
Tobin Karlberg
Tobin Karlberg of Anchorage has helped Point Loma clinch a share of the PacWest Conference title with a month left in the regular season. That’s what a 17-game winning streak will do. The Sea Lions haven’t lost since before Thanksgiving after beating Holy Names 67-56 Monday night in Oakland. Kalberg netted 11 points, including back-to-back jumpers to open the second half and push the lead to 39-32. The former Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year out of Grace Christian has cashed in for double figures in 12 of 18 games this season, fueling a 9.3-point scoring average. The 6-foot senior starter has also flashed a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio to help Point Loma (21-3) matched the 1953-54 team for the second-longest winning streak in school history. Karlberg has hit 197 career 3-pointers (161 came at UAA) as he seeks to become the 11th Alaska men’s player to record 200 treys. His older brother Leif bagged 322 3s at Masters, making them Alaska’s most prolific long-range brother bomb squad.