Group Honors Sitka Teens Who Rescued Residents From Fire

SITKA, Alaska (AP) — A national group has honored a group of Sitka High School basketball players who last year helped pull residents from a burning building in Anchorage.

The Sitka Sentinel reports that the National Federation of State High School Associations announced Monday that the boys basketball team will receive the "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" for the western region.

The boys helped 11 people out of a burning apartment building while in Anchorage for the state basketball tournament last March. While the players were on their way to breakfast, one player noticed flames in a passing building. The van driver headed toward the building and Sitka High coach Andy Lee called 911.

The players then went around the building knocking on windows in hopes of telling residents to get out.

No one was injured in the fire.