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Sunday February 07, 2010
Both teams played more loosely from the outset than they did Friday night, trading buckets back and forth with the game tied at 2-, 6- and 8-all.
"We had a lot more energy coming out tonight, and I think the crowd really helped us," said JDHS senior forward Colin Gozelski, who put up 18 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. "Whenever they went on a run, our crowd would get us back into it."
TMHS senior forward Cody Grussendorf drove the lane for a lay-up and a 10-9 Falcon lead.
JDHS sophomore guard Lance Ibesate splashed a triple after a kick out by Eric Sele, but Falcon guard Reese Saviers answered with a three-pointer. Senior wing Victor Wilson drove for a lay-up and a 14-13 JDHS lead after one quarter.
Falcon senior guard Torey Franzen tied the game at 16-16 with a triple from the wing, but JDHS went on a 16-3 run, punctuated by a Gozelski and-1 inside after a lot of contact, followed by an Ibesate steal and lay-up to give the Bears a 32-19 lead at the midway point of the second quarter.
The Bears closed the half with a 6-2 spurt for a commanding 42-29 lead at the break.
Gozelski led the first-half charge, scoring 11 points for JDHS.
"Our defense in the first half was not where we need it to be," TMHS coach John Blasco said. "We got beat off the dribble quite a bit. That's knowing the guy that you're guarding, and that's also taking pride in defense and not just letting your guy beat you off the dribble."
The Bears went cold in the third quarter and the Falcons clawed their way back into the game, pulling within five points, 44-39, after a big-time three-pointer from Saviers.
JDHS coach Steve Potter said he wasn't surprised the Falcons were able to get back into the game.
"They're talented kids, Blasco is a good coach and he's going to make them play hard," he said. "There's no alternative. But it was about what I expected. They played better, and I thought we played better."
But then JDHS closed with a 6-0 spurt to hold a 50-39 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
"We cut it to five, and then made two or three bad decision and it was back up to a 10-point game. It's hard to fight back from down 10 that late in the game when they're feeling good. We had the momentum and everything going in our favor, and then a couple turnovers and poor shots and the game is back in their hands."
Both teams lit it up in the fourth quarter, with the Falcons outscoring the Bears 24-22, though they never got closer than 10 points.
Saviers led all scorers with 20 points and had 12 rebounds, while Grussendorf had 18 points for TMHS.
Alex DeRocher had 17 points for the Bears, and Ibesate had 16.
JDHS scored 22 points off Falcon turnovers, and the Bear bench outscored TMHS's 27-4.
JDHS won the JV game 51-29 behind 16 points from Phillip Fenuiai and 12 from Cort Saviers. Jake Gates paced the Falcons with seven points.
Bears ground Falcons in first-ever meeting at JDHS
Emotions ran high from the outset of the first-ever cross-town boys' basketball tilt between Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain, with the Crimson Bears winning convincingly, 60-45, in front of a frenzied full house at JDHS.
The bigger Bears owned the boards and shot the ball well while the Falcons couldn't find the range from the field or the free throw line. JDHS pulled down 50 boards to TMHS's 36, and shot 45 percent overall from the field, including 5 of 11 from behind the arc. The Falcons shot just 28 percent, including 1-for-11 from the perimeter, and just 14 of 33 from the stripe.
"It was a cold night. We were jittery through almost the entire first half, which is way longer than you should be," TMHS coach John Blasco lamented afterward. "We were 5-for-14 in the first half and in a 13-point ballgame, you miss nine free throws. Your psychological mindset is a lot different when you're down 13 instead of five or six.
"I played loud crowd noise in practice when we shot free throws in hopes that we would be prepared," he continued. "Clearly, it affected both teams. I'm very proud of how much we got to the line because we haven't gotten there that much any other time this year, but you have to capitalize. To miss 19 free throws in a 15-point ballgame, that says a lot. We didn't play a very good game and we didn't shoot well, but it was fun."
Though victorious, JDHS coach Steve Potter was unhappy with the fact his team got to the line just seven times, making but one.
"I don't necessarily agree with that, but it's our own fault," Potter said of the major free throw discrepancy. "We were settling for shots and taking early shots instead of taking our time to do the work. But we certainly were effective when we were patient enough to go inside. We got good inside-out action and we got most of our three-point opportunities. We just need to do a better job."
JDHS held a 10-5 lead after the first quarter, was up 30-17 at the half, and only trailed once, 5-4, in the game's early going.
The game was tight until midway through the second quarter. With JDHS leading 16-9, the Falcons scored five straight to cut the deficit to two, 16-14, after back-to-back buckets off the glass inside by De'Andre King.
But senior Alex DeRocher, who led all scorers with 20 points, drilled his first of four three-pointers from the wing to open the floodgates.
"That's awesome, but it's a team effort," DeRocher said of his big night shooting the ball. "I'm just glad we got the win. I don't care if I score 30 points if we lose. That's not fun to me. I just want the win."
Senior forward Paul Tupou followed DeRocher's lead with an old-fashioned three-point play to push the cushion to eight, 22-14, and the Bears closed the half on a 14-3 run, with sophomore guard Tony Yadao hitting a beautiful double-clutch scoop shot in the lane with time running out.
JDHS doubled up the Falcons 34-17 after senior forward Eric Sele opened the third quarter with back-to-back buckets inside off dishes from senior wing Victor Wilson.
Senior forward Cody Grussendorf scored four straight points to cut the deficit to 38-21, but Yadao halted any Falcon momentum with a stuff of a Reese Saviers lay-up attempt after Saviers got out on the break. Wilson scored over King inside and senior forward Colin Gozelski drove to the cup for a deuce and a 44-25 Bears lead heading into the final eight minutes.
The Falcons finally got going offensively in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in all, but it was too little, too late. Saviers, who struggled from the field, shooting just 3-for-14, went to the cup but was rejected again, this time by senior forward Lawrence Fenumiai, who then playfully flexed for the fervent JDHS studentsection.
DeRocher pushed the Bears' lead to 54-28 with a triple from the wing, and then the Falcons chipped away, outscoring JDHS 17-6 over the game's final four minutes.
DeRocher credited the Bears' big men for owning the glass.
"Our boards were key. We've been working a lot on boxing out in practice, and our help-side defense. I think that really helped us out tonight," he said. "Our big men really stepped it up and boxed out for us. They realize that's their job, and they've been doing a great job."
JDHS won Friday's JV matchup 53-37 behind 15 points from Alec Calloway, and 10 from Phillip Fenumiai. Josh Tupou led the Falcons with 11 points, and Keith Ainsworth put up nine.
Bears take first two - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
Juneau-Douglas exploded for 28 second-quarter points en route to a 72-60 Southeast Conference victory over Thunder Mountain at TMHS in the second of a two-day, two-game double dip between Juneau's old and new high schools.
Sunday February 07, 2010
If you didn't get there early Friday night, then you didn't get a good parking spot (except for those who decided to just park on the sidewalk outside of Juneau-Douglas High school).
The line was out the door and many had to be turned away as the gym swelled to capacity. Even the aisles were filled with fans in the den of the Crimson Bears.
There was no better place to be this weekend than at Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain high schools, where the two new friendly rivals tipped off for the first time ever in boys' basketball.
The gyms were, without a doubt, electric (I can't wait until 2011 when they play each other in football for the first time).
I haven't been here long, but I think it's safe to say that Juneau hasn't seen anything like this when it comes to prep sports since Carlos Boozer was busy giving slam-dunk facials to opponents a full decade ago.
Thunder Mountain coach John Blasco, who played with Boozer at JDHS, agreed.
"It was an awesome enviroment. This was truly what kids should be living and dying for when playing," he said. "I haven't seen a crowd like this since Carlos was here, and we used to feed off it and love it. I can understand why JDHS played so well. We had a good crowd, too, and you just can't beat this type of game. It's a great experiecne, win or lose."
"Hopefully, we can get this kind of crowd every time we play and get the support from the community," JDHS coach Steve Potter said afterward.
Crimson Bear senior Alex DeRocher said it was the best envirnoment he's ever played in.
"I've never played in a game like this before," he beamed, fresh after dropping 20 points to lead all scorers Friday. "My freshman year, when all the main seniors were here, was the last time I remember a packed house. It's a lot different atmosphere. This easily topped homecoming last week. It was intense and it helped our team get the extra step. It was great. I absolutely loved it."
Juneau-Douglas won both games handily, but nobody really lost. The Falcons don't feel great about the way they played, but realize they were a part of something special.
They were a part of history, like all those in attendance, including Governor Sean Parnell, who posted up behind the press table Friday (he must have gotten there early for such a prime seat).
Coaches and friends Potter and Blasco shared a handshake, back slap and smiles before the game. The starters did the same before tip off.
And the games were fun; physical, but fun. TMHS freshman forward Gary Speck had his nose bloodied just minutes into the first game - though not because of malicious intent from any opposing player.
The JDHS student section was out in full force on Friday, chanting and cheering until many - like senior Jack Perkins - lost their voices. Some kids were painted black, which is awesome.
I thought the JDHS kids kept it classy, which is commendable. They may have booed the TMHS cheerleaders at the start of a routine in the second half, but then they totally redeemed themselves by giving them a spirited round of applause as the cheer wound down.
And booing opposing cheerleaders certainly isn't the worst thing I've ever seen. That's pretty tame, actually.
The return game at Thunder Mountain was just as much fun with the stands packed again and the crowd just as loud. Both student sections were full, rowdy and rockin'.
Before the fourth quarter started, four TMHS students painted blue did a lap around the court with signs with the school letters on them, getting the crowd on its feet. Not to be outdone, two JDHS students painted red chased the boys in blue another lap around the gym as the crowd roared.
It was truly a great moment.
"I hope the fans had fun. It seemed like everybody was into it," Blasco said. "The community can see that the kids are still friends, and that's the fun part for us. I love all those guys over there and I respect them."
"It's brotherly," DeRocher said of the relationships between the two school's players. "We've all played basketball with each other over the years, and we all have eachother's respect as players. At times, it may get a little physical because the adrenaline's going in the moment. But other than that, I think it's fine. It's just a great basketball rivalry because we're so evenly matched up."
The record book may say Juneau-Douglas 2, Thunder Mountain 0, but no one won more than the community of Juneau.
First games in shiny new crosstown rivalry don't disappoint - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
Now that's what prep sports should be about.
Friday February 05, 2010
Juneau-Douglas will face new cross-town rival Thunder Mountain in boys' basketball for the first time on the basketball court tonight at JDHS, and again Saturday at TMHS.
It's game time and best believe, the coaches, teams and fans are ready.
Neither coach has seen much of the other team, but TMHS head man John Blasco is a former Crimson Bear and was an assistant on the JDHS staff last year. Key Falcons Reese Saviers, Cody Grussendorf and Jazz King all clocked varsity minutes for the Bears last year before transferring. These players and coaches know each other well, and no one expects any big surprises.
"I've gotten to watch the Haines game and heard a few things about the West Valley game," Blasco said of his chances to see the Bears in action this year. "But from my understanding, they're not doing anything different than what I played in, or what I coached last year."
Bears coach Steve Potter has also only been able to scout one game in person.
"I saw them play against Petersburg early in the year, and we had a tape of the game against Ketchikan, but it was hard to watch because it was from a hand-held camera. I didn't feel well after watching the game and it wasn't because of how either team played," Potter joked. "We know who the guys that are getting all the notoriety are, and we kind of know what they do. It's the other guys who are more question marks."
Juneau-Douglas' big advantage rests down low, and on the bench. The Bears play 10-12 guys on a regular basis, and are much deeper in the post.
"I think in the Haines game, they played 11 guys consistently," Blasco said. "That's definitely deeper than we normally go. We're going to have smaller guys guarding their big guys. (JDHS's post players are) very tough, very physical, and their role is to get rebounds and put them back up. Jazz is going to have his hands full, along with our other quasi (small and power forwards). Trying to keep them off the block is going to be key."
"We have a lot more size inside," Potter agreed. "Jazz is a nice player and he was really coming along for us. I haven't gotten to see how he's been doing this year. He's not putting up the same numbers as (Saviers and Grussendorf), but he's a skilled offensive player. But we have a lot more bodies inside and we can play two or three at a time."
The Bears also have more ball handlers in the back court.
"They have five or six solid guards and they're very fast," Blasco said. "We've been talking all week about trying to contain them. Full-court defense is going to be a challenge because of how fast they are and how well they handle the ball."
Blasco said his guys will have to take it as a personal challenge when defending Juneau's quick backcourt. Sophomores Lance Ibesate and Tony Yadao are speedsters who both have a knack for making tough shots.
"We may not be as fast, but as a smart defender, if you anticipate you can give ground and beat them to a spot, and hope that slows them down," he said. "You want to make them change direction and go east-west."
Potter said he thinks slowing the tempo will be key for his team, and he will rely on overall team defense to try and limit touches and good shots for Saviers and Grussendorf.
"I don't see there being these key 1-on-1 matchups. We don't guard one guy with one guy," he said. "Sure, we'll put our better defenders on their better players, but we have a lot of guys that can defend and we'll rotate guys through. We're trying to improve our help defense and it's gotten a little bit better as the year's gone on.
"Cody and Reese are both dynamic scorers, so that's something we're going to try to slow down," he continued. "Blasco will get them to play hard and he's intense, so they'll be intense. They're going to get after it, we're going to get after it, and it should be a fun game to watch."
Two key matchups stand out the most. First, former teammates Colin Gozelski and Cody Grussendorf will likely see time defending each other. Both are of a similar size and build, and both are athletic.
"Probably Colin or Victor (Wilson) are the ideal guys I see coach Potter putting on Cody because they're two of the more athletic guys that he has," Blasco said. "They do play good team defense, though, and they'll help, rotate and switch."
Second could perhaps be the most fun matchup to watch: Alex DeRocher and Reese Saviers. Both can light it up on any given night from behind the arc. DeRocher will give away some height but is stronger, where Saviers has a length advantage.
"Definitely the Reese and Alex matchup will be fun to watch because they're both shooters," Blasco said. "They'll both be looking for their shot and they're both tough defenders. Alex is a tough, physical defender, and Reese is a tough, long defender. They're both going to match up really well. Alex has proven that he can drop 30 (points), and so has Reese."
"Reese is a good shooter, and a streak shooter. When he gets it going, you really got to watch out," said Potter. "We're not going to shut anybody out and we'll give up some buckets, even if we're there (defensively). Hopefully, they'll take tough shots."
Potter said keeping the Falcons under 50 points will be key for his team.
"I think if we keep them under 50 points, then we'll be in good shape," he said. "If we're playing in the 80s, then that's not necessarily what we want."
Blasco said his team playing hard from the opening tip to the final whistle is key for the Falcons.
"The keys to a Falcon victory is our team playing 32 minutes of quality basketball the way we've been practicing," he said. "And we can't be distracted by the atmosphere. If we play solid defense and don't get distracted, I think it's going to be a very tough game."
May the best team win.
Battle of the city/borough begins - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
The date has been circled on the calendar for quite some time now, and it's finally here.
Friday February 05, 2010
What is being billed by the students as the "Crosstown Smackdown" guarantees to provide action and excitement this weekend. The festivities begin with the C-Team game at 4:30, followed by JVs at 6:15, and culminating with the Varsity game at 8:00.
Show up early dressed in your Crimson Bear attire. If you need new Crimson Bear gear don't worry, we've got you covered... T-shirt and our new Rally Towels will be on sale at the game!
History in the Making
Tonight is your chance to witness history in the first ever match-up between the boys basketball teams between Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain at the JDHS gymnasium.
Thursday February 04, 2010
But while Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain will square off for the first time on Friday at JDHS, several Crimson Bears players said their fans are going to be out in full force.
"I don't think the crowds are going to be very nice - it doesn't really sound right, but there is no way to stop them," said Bears forward Colin Gozelski. "It's probably going to be the craziest game any of us have ever played in."
Thunder Mountain, in its first year as a basketball program, boasts three top players that transferred from Juneau-Douglas. Each of the three, Cody Grussendorf, Reese Saviers and Jazz King, would have contributed significantly to the Crimson Bears had they stayed at Juneau's downtown school.
"We did lose Cody, who was a starter, and Reese potentially was a starter. So that's two guys," Gozelski said. "Our sophomores have really picked it up for us. Tony (Yadao) and Lance (Ibesate) have really picked it up, and Lawrence (Fenumiai) and (Eric) Sele have been doing really well, also.
"All around, we don't really have one player that sticks out. Everyone has a spot so it all works out pretty good. The ball (distribution) is well balanced around the team."
Senior guard Alex DeRocher said the team definitely has a fresh feel to it compared to last year, especially with the different personnel involved.
"Our style of play is completely different; we've just had to adjust," he said. "Colin and I were supposed to be the go-to guys this year, but like Colin said, the sophomores have picked it up a lot.
"Our best bet is to slow it down, play at our own pace and try to feed it as much as we can to our bigs because that's going to be our strong point."
Gozelski added the biggest difference has really been the style of play.
"Last year, we were more of a run-and-gun team. We'd try to press the whole game, run and get fast-break lay-ups," he said. "This year, since we lost all of our seniors plus the guys that went to TMHS, we've been more of a half-court press team. We slow it down on offense more and run more sets instead of just getting fast-break points."
Both players said the biggest thing about this budding rivalry is going to be facing off against former teammates and classmates.
"We'd do pretty well against each other in practices and stuff, but since we haven't seen them all year, it's going to be really different," DeRocher said. "It's going to show how much each team has improved.
"I think, overall, it's going to be a weird experience at first, but it's a rivalry. It's exciting."
Gozelski said the fact players on each team know one another so well is what makes it such an anticipated matchup.
"These two teams are so evenly matched - that's what makes this so much bigger."
Several Falcons ready to face old school
Whenever a new program is built, it can sometimes take years to reach prominence. But with the basketball talent that transferred from Juneau-Douglas, the Thunder Mountain Falcons have already burst on the scene.
Transfers such as King, Grussendorf and Saviers have each played a major role in the team's success so far this season.
King said through the first couple of games, people may not have been on the same page. But now they're all coming together.
"It's been tough because we're the only three players that have played at the varsity level," he said. "We're trying to get the team gathered around, but trying to figure out how to play the game at that higher level is kind of hard. But it's new and we should be learning it very well."
With a new school opening across town, students had to make the decision as to where they wanted to go. In the case of Grussendorf, it was completely territorial.
"I live on Rivercourt Way, so the school's in my backyard. I went out here last year as a junior and liked the school, liked the community, liked the teachers and just liked the administration," he said. "I got my brother to go to school here too, so it was kind of a family decision.
"So far, no regrets."
In other cases, though, even family loyalty is divided. Saviers transferred to Thunder Mountain, but his younger brother, Cort, remained at JDHS and is a junior on the basketball team.
"Me and my brother have always been really competitive, but my family's Thunder Mountain fans," Reese said. "My cousin Tanya (Nizich) is the (Thunder Mountain) head coach of the girls' team. At family gatherings, I always bring up the games and Cort's always sitting there saying, 'We're going to win,' and our whole family gangs up on him. It's pretty funny.
"I like the rivalry between us and JD already," he continued. "I loved playing at JD because I've played there my whole life and it's been my favorite court for a really long time, so I'm excited to play there again and to play against my old teammates and coaches."
Grussendorf said he's eager to see how the fans - his old fans - react.
"I just can't wait to run out and get booed. It's going to be crazy," he said. "There's going to be so many fans there that just don't want to see us win. We're going to get introduced and I'm thinking we're going to get booed or it's just going to be dead quiet, or they're going to pull the Kayhi newspaper trick where they just pull up newspapers (in front of their faces) and not look at us.
"There's been rumors and stuff, but I don't know what's going to happen. It's going to be epic, that's all I can say."
King said his biggest concern is all the size JDHS has, both in the starting lineup and coming off the bench, and how important it is for the team to stay out of foul trouble.
"They got like five big guys and I'm the only (big man)," he said. "I've been working with my coach to make sure they put up shots they're not comfortable with. Paul (Tupou), Lawrence and Sele are all football players, so they're all big bodies that can bang in there."
Saviers and Grussendorf turned to the 6-foot-2, 245-pound King laughing and said, "Well, what are you?"
King responded, "I got finesse."
Reshaping Juneau prep hoops - Juneau Empire by Matthew Tynan
Juneau has never seen a rivalry like this, especially considering the two teams involved have yet to even play each other in an actual game yet.
Wednesday February 03, 2010
Crimson Bears coach Steve Potter is currently in his fourth season at Juneau's flagship high school, which has established itself through the years as a state power. After a slow start with a near-complete roster overhaul, the 8-7 Bears have won three straight and six of their last eight.
Potter is a member of the JDHS class of 1983, and he played as a ninth-grader at Marie Drake Junior High.
"After I graduated, I started working (Jim) Hamey's camps in the summertime and when (George) Houston took over, I guess it was '93-'94, they were looking for a C Team coach," Potter said. "Coach Houston talked to me about doing it and I've been here ever since."
Falcons coach John Blasco is a former player under Potter, who was an assistant coach at the time, and an assistant under Potter at JDHS last season. Now Blasco has the job of leading a first-year TMHS basketball program that has already enjoyed a measure of success in its inaugural season. The Falcons are 7-5 overall, with a signature win coming against current Southeast Conference top dog Ketchikan (12-5, 3-1).
Blasco was a student assistant and then the JV coach at Linfield College in Oregon before becoming a varsity assistant for Lake Washington High School in Washington.
Potter said he had his eye on Blasco for a while after he left Juneau. Blasco provided a scouting report of a Washington team that came up for the Capital City Classic, and Potter said it's his knowledge of the game and reputation as a grinder that makes Blasco a good coach.
"He wasn't the most talented player in high school but he stuck with it and worked as hard as he could," he said. "He really didn't play much varsity basketball until his senior year and he ended up starting for us, played big minutes and was a key contributor. He's a testimony for guys that, if you keep working, good things canhappen."
Blasco agreed.
"I figured if I worked hard enough I'd earn a spot. I was never one to sit out for injuries or sickness. I just always felt like I could give it my all on the floor and help my team win," he said. "What I'm trying to get across to these kids now is that I will put in the time and the effort to be successful, and get the most out them to make them successful. I've put a lot of time into working hard for them, and I'm just hoping they'll put the time back in for me."
Blasco said he considers Potter, his first coach as a freshman in high school, a mentor.
"I always really valued him as a coach and when I was done playing for him, I was able to turn to him as a friend. I was very thankful he allowed me to come coach under him a year ago," he said. "He has a lot of knowledge of the game and he's been coaching for quite some time, and I learned a lot from him."
Blasco said the two are very similar in coaching style, though Potter is more of a defensive-minded coach. Both believe in the team-first philosophy.
"Neither one of us care about individual stuff. We only care about making sure the team is successful," he said. "I think the only difference is I have a little bit different approach, I guess just from spending some time outside of Juneau and outside the JDHS program."
Like Blasco, Potter said he wants his players to have fun.
"I like for people to enjoy what they're doing, but I also want them to work hard at what they're doing," he said. "I try and use that as a metaphor for life after basketball: You want to enjoy what you're doing, but you have to work hard at it and take it seriously or you're not going to get the results that you want."
And now, though great friends, they'll have to finally face each other.
"It's certainly going to be a new experience. I've not been involved - not since junior high - in a cross-town game," Potter said. "I think the kids are going to be excited, and they're already talking about it in the halls here. It will be fun. I think we certainly have been aware that these games were on our schedule. You could ask anybody what date other games were and they couldn't tell you.
"But everyone knew that the first time we play Thunder Mountain is February 5."
Potter said he hopes for good crowds to show up at Friday's game at JDHS and Saturday's game at TMHS, and that everyone is respectful, especially toward his former players that transferred.
"I expect there will be good crowds, and I expect that most people will be pretty enthusiastic," he said. "I'm sure there will be some bozos that will be inappropriate. Any time you get a large group of keyed up kids together, somebody is likely to do something you might not exactly like.
"But just by being involved with basketball, we're somewhat competitive by nature," he continued. "It doesn't matter who it is you're competing against. If you're going to compete, you have to give it your best. You never want to lose, period. You want to give the best effort. With kids that have played with us before, we'll certainly look to be victorious."
Blasco said the hardest part for him will be adjusting to his new bench.
"It's tough because I've never sat on that side of the floor before. It will be a new view for me from that end of the court," he said. "I'm a competitor and a coach. My time there was an unbelievable experience, but now I'm the coach at Thunder Mountain and it's time to make these guys successful. I'm going to enjoy the moment and cherish it with coach Potter. I just hope that we put forth our best effort and give the fans a good showing in what everybody's hoping will be a long-time rivalry."
Crossing the line - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
When Juneau-Douglas tips off against Thunder Mountain at JDHS for the first time ever in boys' basketball on Friday, there will be a lot of familiar faces down the benches, starting with the men leading each program.
Tuesday January 26, 2010
Tupou, who was born and raised in Juneau, said he moved to Anchorage as an eighth grader before returning to his hometown for his junior year.
"After I played football for the Bears, I decided I might as well try out for the basketball team," he said. "I made it and it was pretty sweet. It was a great experience making it to state, even though we lost."
Tupou is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and will serve a full-time, two-year mission trip once he finishes high school at JDHS.
"There is a lot of teaching and preaching, and I'm excited. My older brothers, my uncle and my dad have all gone and I have a cousin that's gone right now," he said. "He speaks fluent Spanish now and he didn't know any before he went on his mission trip."
After Tupou's trip, he will attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he will most likely study business to prepare for his future.
"I'll probably be a business major," he said. "I've always wanted to buy a lot of land and develop it and build houses. It always seemed like a good idea to me."
Favorite Hobby: "I fish during the summer. I fish at DIPAC (Douglas Island Pink and Chum). Ever since I was a little kid, my grandfather would take me to the docks to snag fish. He was an older guy so he'd just sit in a chair and snag all day and have me tie the hooks. I got to know him really well. In 2006, he died, and I still go there every summer. That's where I hang out all summer other than football."
Favorite basketball player: "I keep up with the Jazz because I'm a big fan of Carlos Boozer. It's pretty neat to have a guy that went here to be in the NBA."
Favorite Sports Movie: "It has to be 'Remember the Titans'. It's definitely a classic sports movie. It's amazing what that guy did."
Tupou's mission on the court and in life - Juneau Empire
Two years ago, Juneau-Douglas forward Paul Tupou decided he wanted to play football for the Crimson Bears so much that he moved back to Juneau just to be on the team.
Sunday January 24, 2010
The Crimson Bears knocked off the 3A Haines Glacier Bears 68-60 in an up-and-down, entertaining affair at JDHS after a late addition to the schedule.
Juneau-Douglas shot better than 48 percent on the night, including 5 of 13 from behind the arc, while Haines shot 38.5 percent and just 2 for 12 from the perimeter.
"We have kids that can shoot and when we're patient, we can shoot a high percentage," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "Our problem has been that we've been impatient, a bit uncertain and we force shots. Today, I thought we only forced a couple of shots."
Haines coach Steve Fossman said JDHS did a better job of sharing the ball, and his Bears were a bit out-manned, dressing just seven players.
"We didn't get the ball moving enough and then we got tired," he said. "They have some real big bodies, and that put some wear and tear on our guys. We got a couple of kids out playing JV that would have given us a few minutes to help out, but we just really appreciate the opportunity to come down and get a game from Juneau on such a late notice."
JDHS sophomore guard Tony Yadao started things off with a triple, three of his team-high 16 points on 7 of 11 shooting. A 10-2 run by Haines had the Glacier Bears out front 12-7 late in the first quarter, but JDHS tied the game at 14-all when Eddie Hurtte made a heads-up jumper in the lane after grabbing a loose ball and being fouled for an old-fashioned three-point play.
Haines pulled ahead 18-15 after a Kyle Fossman runner, but Alex DeRocher took a skip pass from Hurtte and splashed a 3-pointer from the wing just before the buzzer to tie the game at 18 apiece after one quarter.
With the game tied at 22, DeRocher buried another triple after another skip pass, this time from senior Colin Gozelski, and Eric Sele scored a stickback down low for a 27-22 JDHS lead. The Bears held the same five-point, 33-28, advantage at the break.
JDHS started the third quarter with a 10-2 run after senior forward Paul Tupou scored inside, Victor Wilson drilled a 3-pointer and then got an and-1 after a steal and lay-up. Tupou scored a tough shot inside for a 43-30 JDHS lead. At the midway point, Fossman hit a 3-pointer with DeRocher in his face, but DeRocher returned the favor with a triple of his own on the ensuing JDHS possession to push the lead back to 13, 48-35.
"When you can get a little surge and make the other team play from behind, it's draining to play from behind," Potter said. "It's much more relaxing to have a little bit of a lead."
Haines chipped away with an 8-0 run of its own, but sophomore guard Lance Ibesate pushed it back to seven, 52-45, heading into the fourth quarter after taking the ball to the cup off the bounce for a lay-up.
Leading 53-47 early in the fourth, the Crimson Bears scored six straight after a tough deuce inside for Yadao, and a lay-up by Wilson. Yadao then stole the inbound pass and went baseline for a lay-up and a 59-47 JDHS lead. Haines would get no closer than eight the rest of the way.
Yadao said JDHS may have overlooked Haines a bit, especially early in the game.
"We came out a little overconfident because they're a 3A school and we let them stay close," he said. "We relaxed a little bit, but once we got in our rhythm, things started going our way."
Wilson and DeRocher both scored in double figures for JDHS, putting up 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Kyle Fossman, one of the best guards in the state, led all scorers with 29 points.
"I figured if we held him under 40 we'd have a pretty good chance," Potter said. "Realistically, it's not crazy to say that all."
Crimson rules - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
Saturday was a great night for basketball, especially for Juneau-Douglas fans.
Saturday January 23, 2010
Bears vs. Bears!
The Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears will play the Haines Glacier Bears Saturday the 23rd. The game was added late this week to fill a void in Juneau's schedule. Haines is led by Senior Kyle Fossman, 3A player of the year in 2008, and a talented supporting cast. Juneau will attempt to get back on track after dropping two games to region foe, Ketchikan, last weekend.
Thursday January 14, 2010
It's a big weekend in that two wins for Juneau-Douglas would give them an early jump to the top of the conference standings as Thunder Mountain (6-4, 1-1) and Ketchikan (7-3, 1-1) split last weekend's double dip at TMHS. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
"I just got done watching a little tape on (the games at TMHS), and they're doing what we expected them to be doing - a lot of dribble penetrate and kick," JDHS coach Steve Potter said of the Kings. "They've got guys that can shoot. I watched the second game because that's when they were more successful. There was a lot of pressure, and that's what we expect.
"But, it really just matters where we are in March."
The Falcons took Friday's conference opener 50-40 while holding Kings leading scorer, senior Jeff Whicker, to just 13 points - nearly 10 below his average at that time, including just four points in the first half.
Ketchikan bounced back the next night and exploded for a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter, turning a three-point affair into 20-point blowout in the matter of about five minutes. Whicker also bounced back, dropping 29 in Game 2. Potter said several Bears will have a shot at stopping one of the state's highest scoring players.
"We don't necessarily have one guy match up with one guy," he said. "We're into the team concept, and I'm sure a variety of different guys will get the opportunity to guard him."
Whicker is currently scoring at a 22.9 per game clip, shooting 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from behind the arc and 68 percent from the line.
Tyller Bell is the only other King in double figures, scoring 10.7 points per game and shooting 46 percent from the field. Bell also leads the team in rebounding, corralling 8.7 boards a game, and assists, dishing 3.8 dimes. Four other Kings average 3-4 points to balance out the scoring.
Kings coach Eric Stockhausen said the Bears have a decent size advantage in the post against his more guard-oriented roster.
"We're obviously not a very post-oriented team, so there are four or five guys they have that are bigger than our biggest guy," he said. "They have an excellent shooter in Alex DeRocher. He's playing very well, obviously, with his MVP up at the Fairbanks tournament.
"Their sophomore guards (Lance Ibesate and Tony Yadao) are just getting better and better every game, and they're going to be really, really good by the time they graduate."
Stockhausen said he's not yet seen the Bears in person so he doesn't quite know what to expect, though he has a good idea from years past.
"I know when they wear the Crimson Bears jersey, they have expectations on themselves and they have a system they believe in," he said. "They're going to be tough.
"We're really excited to renew the rivalry. We know it's going to be a tough weekend," he continued. "They've got a lot of good players over there, good depth and good size. And they're hot - they've won three ina row."
Potter said one of the toughest things about playing at Ketchikan will be the atmosphere, where the gym can get quite loud.
"They're always enthusiastic when we go down there. Usually, they have camo day, where all the kids are dressed in camouflage," he said. "And they have bear hunting posters up all over the school. This will be a good opportunity for us to play in a hostile environment. The other away games we've played, the crowds haven't been particularly large. It's different down in Ketchikan.
"They're enthusiastic about basketball there."
Bears vs. Kings: SE rivalry renewed - Juneau Empire by Shaun Cox
While it's certainly not make-or-break time for the 5-5 Juneau-Douglas boy's basketball team this weekend at Ketchikan, it's still a big weekend for both the Crimson Bears and the Kings.