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Tuesday March 22, 2016
The Crimson Bears face Bartlett High School in a first-round matchup at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Anchorage. Though Bartlett is the tournament’s bottom seed, Juneau-Douglas is preparing for a battle: No team in this year’s bracket is a pushover, and Bartlett has a first team all-state player in 6’2” guard Bentiu Ponoam.
Senior guard Kaleb Tompkins has his focus on the task at hand.
“We have to contain him (Ponoam) but not overlook the rest of their team; play team defense and box out,” Tompkins said, adding, “Being the number one seed doesn’t really matter; We have to beat all the best teams to win. … I feel like we can still get better, we still have things to improve on.”
Senior guard Treyson Ramos: “I’m pretty pumped up. ... Being number one won’t matter until the end.”
At practice all week, JDHS head coach Robert Casperson has been emphasizing taking the tournament “one game at a time,” ensuring that nobody on his squad makes the mistake of overlooking Bartlett.
“We’ve faced good athletes all season long, we certainly want to work on containing the ball handler, but it’s not an individual effort. We’re going to have to be aware of him (Ponoam) wherever he is on the floor, be ready to rotate and help out — and help the help — or he’s gonna beat us off the dribble,” Casperson said.
A self-described family, this year’s unit of Crimson Bears players are experienced, big and industrious. All of these attributes were on display at their last full week of practice. JDHS practiced hard, keeping one another accountable without being prodded by their coaches. Underlying all the hard work was a sense of fun.
Casperson says his team’s closeness off the court has led to their selflessness on court.
“They don’t really care who scores, it’s a very unselfish group. Typically our leading scorer has been Kaleb (Tompkins), but our second and third guys rotate through. Bryce (Swofford) has had 20-point games, Erik Kelly has been up there at 20, Treyson (Ramos) has been up to 18 a couple different times, Guy Bean has had multiple 20-point games. … They look for each other and whoever has it going, they’ll keep feeding him.”
If JDHS does make it past Bartlett, they’ll face the winner of a Wasilla-Ketchikan matchup in the semifinals. The Crimson Bears have played both teams this year, beating Wasilla 69-57 in December and winning three of five matchups against Ketchikan in the regular season and Region V tournament. The semifinals tip off at 3:30 p.m. Friday; the championship game is at 8 p.m. Saturday.
All March Madness Alaska Basketball State Championship games can be streamed online at nfhs.com.
For the record, JDHS’ last title was in the 1997-1998 season. Juneau has 11 titles in the 88-year history of Alaska high school basketball.
No. 1 seed JDHS boys prepare for state tournament - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
The last time the Juneau-Douglas High School boys won a state basketball title was when Carlos Boozer ran roughshod over anyone with the unenviable assignment of guarding him. No. 1 seed JDHS plans to change that starting Thursday at the 2015-2016 March Madness Alaska Basketball State Championships.
Saturday March 12, 2016
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team left no room for an upset to Thunder Mountain High School on Friday, beating their crosstown rivals by a 19-point margin for the Region V 4A title and a trip to the state tournament.
The Crimson Bears won 67-48, leading from the opening minute to the final buzzer in a game where the Falcons couldn’t generate much offense. The state’s No. 1-ranked Crimson Bears resolved to play their best defense in the title match, according to head coach Robert Casperson.
“The teammates want to focus on each other, which is what I tell them because that allows them to forget about the crowd or the situation; whether it’s rotating on defense, setting screens, that’s been our focus for the last couple of weeks,” he said, adding that the “comradery with this group is second to none. They’ve come a long way.”
JDHS was led by senior Kaleb Tompkins with 21 points. Junior Bryce Swofford followed Tompkins with 14 and senior Treyson Ramos added 12.
TMHS was led by junior Chase Saviers with 19 points. Saviers was TMHS’ focal point on offense, as no other Falcon scored more than seven points.
“Everybody knows he’s our go-to guy this season,” Falcons coach John Blasco said. “He’s a fierce competitor and doesn’t want to lose. He hit a three in the second and he knew he had the green light to try another. He ended up with three in the quarter. That was huge for us.”
TMHS earned their only lead off a Saviers free throw to open the game. JDHS established a 27-10 lead in the second, but the Falcons would trim that to 33-23 by half off the hot hands of Saviers.
The Crimson Bears have let leads dwindle in the third and fourth quarters this year, letting Ketchikan, Thunder Mountain and Mt. Edgecumbe back into regular season games they should have put away. JDHS had no intentions of jeopardizing their lead in the region title game, however, as Bryce Swofford deflected an inbounds pass, stormed down the court and scored on an and-one play to start the third quarter.
“That really set the tone for us in the second half, and our guys fed off that initial play with our defense,” Casperson said.
JDHS would hold Thunder Mountain to nine points in the third while scoring 17 of their own to go up 50-32 by the start of the fourth quarter. The Falcons closed the game with their best scoring period, putting up 16, but couldn’t slow down JDHS, who score 17 in the final period.
The Crimson Bears earned the right to play in the March Madness Alaska State Championships starting March 24. Eight teams will converge on Anchorage to find out who is Alaska’s best 4A squad.
Casperson said his team isn’t finished yet.
“One of their goals this season was to win the region and get to state,” he said. “Some groups get really excited, and these guys really enjoyed this win, but they’re still looking forward. They know there’s more out there and more available to them. They’re still hungry.”
TMHS coach John Blasco wished JDHS luck.
“We wish them all the best up in state,” he said. “We’re excited for them to go in as a top seed.”
Crimson Bears claim region crown - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
JDHS earns trip to state tournament
Friday March 11, 2016
The No. 1-ranked Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team lived up to their reputation with a 64-61 win over No. 2 Ketchikan High School. JDHS put Kayhi on their heels early, building a 22-point lead by the third quarter. Kayhi responded with a flurry of fourth-quarter buckets to come within a point in the final minute.
Though JDHS has come close to losing big leads before, head coach Robert Casperson felt this one could be attributed to Ketchikan’s excellent second-half play.
“They were on fire for a stretch in the third quarter, making everything they put up. They’re a really good team, they’re not just going to back down or roll over. They kept coming, they showed their competitive spirit.”
JDHS senior Kaleb Tompkins led all scorers with 24 points, followed by senior Treyson Ramos with 11. Seniors Guy Bean and Molo Maka added 10 and eight, respectively.
Ketchikan was led in defeat by senior Isaac Johnson with 18, senior Mo Bullock with 12 and senior Jason James with 11.
JDHS played a consistent game offensively, scoring 14 and 20 in the first and second periods, and 14 and 18 in the third and fourth. Ketchikan’s offense took all game to warm up, as they scored eight in the first, 11 in the second, and 18 and 24 in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
Ketchikan started the fourth quarter at an 11-point deficit, but rallied late to tie the game at 49-49 with four minutes to go. JDHS’ Kaleb Tompkins hit a clutch and-one bucket with 2:16 left and then went to the line to hit two more on their next possession to put JDHS up 58-53 with less than a minute to go. Ketchikan was forced to foul to preserve the clock and JDHS hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the game with a three-point advantage.
JDHS 66, Kayhi 61 - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Two of the highest-ranked teams in the state faced off at the Region V 4A tournament on Wednesday, and the showdown did not disappoint.
Thursday March 10, 2016
The Crimson Bears, who held a 20-point advantage in the second quarter, cruised to a 69-56 win, earning the right to play Ketchikan today at 4:45 p.m. JDHS held the lead the entire game, using their size advantage to outplay TMHS on the glass. A revolving cast of scorers have led JDHS this season, and senior guard Kaleb Tompkins played the lead role on Tuesday with 21 points.
TMHS found a bit of hope in the third quarter, briefly trimming the lead to nine points. Crimson Bears coach Robert Casperson remains confident in his team’s play, but wants to see his boys keep their intensity throughout.
“This group can be an enigma when it comes to that,” he said. “They come out like gangbusters in the first half, then we go through that lull in the third quarter and the game gets interesting again. I never felt the game was in jeopardy, but it got closer than it needed to.”
Following Tompkins’ 21 points, JDHS was led by senior guard Treyson Ramos with 12, sophomore forward Erik Kelly with 11, junior forward Bryce Swofford with nine and senior guard Guy Bean with eight.
TMHS has played in one of the toughest conferences in the state this year, with both Juneau-Douglas (currently ranked No. 3 in the state) and Ketchikan (ranked No. 4) sitting atop the Region V leaderboards. Coach John Blasco’s team always play until the buzzer, but the Falcons felt they could have played much better.
“We didn’t execute anything we wanted and they’re knocking down good shots, taking it right at us, building a real comfortable lead,” he said. “I appreciate guys not quitting in the second half, but 20 points is a lot to overcome against a good team.”
Falcons senior forward Moa Maka is one of his team’s best shooters, and led TMHS with 14 points including two 3-point shots. Junior guard Chase Saviers had 10 points, and senior guard RJ Manning added nine.
The Crimson Bears hit nine 3-pointers in the contest, with most of those coming on inside-out plays. The Falcons made five from beyond the arc.
Crimson Bears beat Falcons at Region V tourney - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team beat Thunder Mountain High School in the first round of the Region V tournament at Mount Edgecumbe High School on Tuesday.
Monday March 07, 2016
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team played up to their reputation in every respect Saturday, closing their regular season with a fourth win over Thunder Mountain High School.
The Crimson Bears came out looking for a more decisive win than Friday’s victory, and showcased their speed, rebounding and hustle in a 74-50 win that has carried them to the top of the Region V 4A standings. From the start of the game, JDHS displayed a balanced attack and tenacious defense, forcing turnovers from a Thunder Mountain squad known for their guard play.
Graduating seniors Kaleb Tompkins, Treyson Ramos and Guy Bean all had good nights, leading their team in points with 23, 13 and 10 respectively.
Thunder Mountain was led by junior Chase Saviers with 18, and senior Shane Mielke with 14.
Thunder Mountain started the game in good form, and kept the game at a seven-point deficit going into halftime. Down the stretch the Crimson Bears earned too many and-one plays for Thunder Mountain to overcome, putting the game out of reach after a third quarter push. Going into the fourth the Falcons were down 20 points and in the double bonus.
TMHS coach John Blasco’s team played hard through the buzzer, but couldn’t find the offensive life they needed in the fourth.
“We fouled more than any team in the state, they attacked the basket and we put them on the line. … They had three or four and-ones in the third. We gotta stop putting guys on the line,” Blasco said.
Both teams face off again in the Region V tournament at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday in Sitka.
Senior night sentiments
The Crimson Bears boys graduate five seniors this year: Hunter Hickok, Kaleb Tompkins, Molo Maka, Treyson Ramos and Guy Bean. The boys have been playing together since their youth days with Hoop Rats, and share as much chemistry off the court as they do on the court. The Empire caught up with all five players to talk about what it felt like to play their last home game.
“It felt weird. Honestly, it was kind of sad,” Bean said. “Every time I did something, like in pregame warmups, I was thinking, ‘This is the last time I’ll be doing this on our home court.’”
Said Ramos: “When all our parents came out it was kind of happy and sad, bittersweet. Knowing everybody was there, it was a fun game.”
Said Maka: “I was happy being here with everyone, with the coaches and the teammates I have.”
Said Hickock: “It’s not over yet. This is my only year. The coaches have had a huge impact and we’ve had a lot of fun.”
Tompkins has been in the program for four years, and stressed that he feels like his teammates are family.
The boys wanted to thank: Dr. Doug, coach Casperson, coach Sleppy, coach Kriegmont, Caitlynn Rich, David Timothy, all of their parents, the coaches that retired last year, the pep band, dance team, cheerleaders and many others.
Tomkins, Bean and Ramos wanted to leave their younger teammates with a piece of advice: “Cherish every moment, stay close as a team and make your teammates family.”
Friday's game: JDHS 68, TMHS 53
The Thunder Mountain boys basketball team had Juneau-Douglas High School right where they wanted them on Friday.
Up by a mere five points going into the fourth, the Crimson Bears pushed their lead to 15 in the final period and held on to a 68-53 win over the Falcons at home.
TMHS played one of their best games this season, with several different lineups keeping JDHS a bit disorganized on offense. The turbulent play helped the Falcons stay within striking distance of the state’s No. 1 ranked prep basketball team. The Falcon’s all-team effort wouldn’t be enough, however, to overcome JDHS’ excellent play in the paint.
“They tried to disrupt what we were looking to do, especially in the first few quarters,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “We know we have size and we want to try and attack the rim, get the ball inside for post opportunities, and they did a good job early in the game taking that stuff away. We became a little more patient as the game went on and that created some opportunities for us.”
The Crimson Bears bigs once again led the show, a development which has helped JDHS become a dangerously well-rounded team. Six-foot-seven junior Bryce Swofford tied senior teammate Kaleb Tompkins for a team-leading 22 points.
Swofford credited his teammates for helping him become a focal point on offense.
“We’ve been running our offense a little bit better, and it’s been helping me to get better looks,” he said. “We played our game … it made it a lot easier for us to play against them.”
Thunder Mountain brought a huge student section to the game on Friday, at times drowning out any communication on the court. Swofford added that it’s not easy playing in such an environment, but it’s good training for conference and state tournaments.
“It’s hard to hear people talking, calling out plays,” he said, adding that before post-season play his team needs to work on “getting used to that loud atmosphere.”
Behind Swofford and Tompkins, JDHS was led by senior Hunter Hickok and sophomore Kolby Hoover with six points each.
Thunder Mountain junior Noah Reishus-O’Brien had a massive game offensively, scoring a game-leading 24 points. He was followed by senior teammate Finn Collins with eight, junior Chase Saviers with six, and senior Moa Maka with six.
Though the buckets were hard to come by for the Falcons, Reishus-O’Brien played his best game this season.
“I stopped thinking about shooting, and just more getting to the rim and finishing shots,” he said.
Reishus-O’Brien made a point to credit the efforts of TMHS’ extended cast.
“A lot of our players stepped up,” he said. “We had Finn (Collins) boxing out and getting rebounds, Moa (Maka) stepped up, Chase (Saviers) hit some good shots. We had some good rotations and ball movement.”
The game started out with underdog Falcons bringing the intensity to the Crimson Bears, earning a 15-13 lead to start the game. Juneau-Douglas overtook that lead early in the second on their way to a 31-22 halftime advantage.
The Falcons would bounce back in the third, pushing the game to five points off an 8-2 run to close the quarter. The Falcons got into the bonus early, however, allowing JDHS to get to the line 14 times in the second half, hitting 11 of those.
Visiting Ketchikan referee Steve Kimble took an inadvertent shot to the nose on the opening tip of the game, prompting a game-stoppage. Kimble stuck the game out, modeling a toughness fans of both teams admired.
JDHS boys complete season sweep of Falcons - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Juneau-Douglas closes regular season with senior night win
Sunday February 28, 2016
JDHS lost to Kayhi 69-63 as the Kings established an early intensity that JDHS couldn’t match, and with the win Kayhi retained control of the Southeast Conference leaderboard. Both teams played a physical, punishing style usually reserved for conference and state tournament matchups. With the conference lead at stake, however, neither team held anything back as three players would foul out by the final buzzer.
Ketchikan senior Jason James led his team with 22 points. As one of the Kings’ captains, James knew he had to pilot Kayhi’s weekend turnaround.
“Yesterday we were really rough and slow and we weren’t playing any defense, so tonight we had to come out and prove what kind of team we really are,” James said. The senior guard expected a physical game out of JDHS. “This was like a region championship game, they’re going to be calling things less and it’s going to be very physical.”
In addition to James’ 22 points, Ketchikan was led by senior Mo Bullock with 16, junior Jake Smith with 10, and senior Matthew Standley with eight.
JDHS senior Kaleb Tompkins led all scorers with 28 points. Sophomore teammate Erik Kelly had 14, and sophomore Kolby Hoover added eight.
After going down 14 points in the first quarter, Juneau-Douglas would come within striking distance of Ketchikan by halftime. Sophomore Kolby Hoover hit a buzzer-beater putback to send the Crimson Bears to the locker room down 31-26. Ketchikan built their lead back in the third, finishing the period up by 13. Crimson Bears head coach Robert Casperson found it hard to break that five-point barrier.
“We had a couple opportunities to cut it down to five and we could never get any closer than that,” he said. “They made the plays they needed to, they got the stop and the rebound when they needed to, or they went down and got the bucket and the foul. They did a good job, especially on the boards.”
The Crimson Bears would make another push in the fourth, trimming the lead to seven points with a minute to go. JDHS’s Tompkins nailed a clutch three to give his team a chance in the closing seconds, but Kayhi hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
As JDHS looks forward to their last weekend of regular season matchups, Ketchikan (18-4) holds a slight edge over Juneau Douglas (17-4), which would have been ameliorated by a JDHS win.
The Crimson Bears play two games against Thunder Mountain next weekend at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Ketchikan wrapped up their regular season and will next play during the Southeast Conference tournament March 9-12 in Sitka.
Friday's game: JDHS 72, Kayhi 64
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team clawed their way to a win against No. 4-ranked Ketchikan High School in spectacular fashion on Friday: stealing, dunking and blocking their way to a win over the Southeast Conference powerhouse.
JDHS beat Ketchikan 72-64 in the first of two all-important conference battles this weekend. The Crimson Bears’ played some of their best basketball all year: ball-handlers Treyson Ramos and Kaleb Tompkins kept Kayhi’s talented guards quiet while big men Bryce Swofford and Erik Kelly produced offensively.
Sophomore Erik Kelly had a huge night, leading all scorers with 19 points. In the second quarter Kelly treated the home crowd to a monster, one-handed alley-oop jam off an assist from Bryce Swofford. Kelly showcased the kind of acrobatics Juneau basketball fans haven’t seen for a long time in Southeast, and made a statement Friday that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
“It happened really fast. I thought Bryce was going to get it, but when I saw the defender was going over to him, I figured I’d jump. … It was my first alley-oop in a game so I was excited but I didn’t want to show too much emotion,” Kelly said.
The Crimson Bears’ win was a total team effort, but even head coach Robert Casperson recognized the special nature of Kelly’s dunk.
“I wish I could say that was just another two points for us but it was a pretty special play for a high school group to make, and certainly not something we’ve seen in Southeast since, well, probably since (Carlos) Boozer’s days,” he said.
Following Kelly’s game-leading 19 points was senior Ramos with 16, senior Tompkins with 13, junior Swofford with 12 and senior Guy Bean with eight.
Ketchikan was led by junior Jake Smith with 15, junior Jason James with 13, seniors Matthew Standley and Nathan Bonck with 12 each, and senior Mo Bullock with 11.
Kayhi was disappointed with the loss, but will look to bounce back Saturday night in their second match with JDHS.
“We knew it was going to be intense, we know they’re a good team,” Ketchikan coach Eric Stockhausen said. “We have to clean some things up and play better (Saturday). … They rebounded well in the first half, which led to some baskets in transition. The key in a game like this is easy baskets and I thought they got more easy baskets than we did.”
Ketchikan has every right to be confident going into Saturday’s game, as their Friday match was tight throughout. The Crimson Bears came out looking to establish an early lead and succeeded, but Kayhi stayed within three points for nearly the entire first half, leading to a halftime score of 41-38.
At the beginning of the third quarter the Crimson Bears were able to make a 12-1 scoring run and buy some breathing room, putting them up by as many as 14 and leading to a 60-49 advantage going into the final period. Ketchikan then had a run of their own to start the fourth, with Smith hitting a pair of clutch 3-pointers. Down the stretch neither team allowed any easy buckets, with the last eight scoring plays coming from the free-throw line.
JDHS boys split series with Kings - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
In what’s proving to be the state’s biggest inter-conference rivalry this year, the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team lost to Ketchikan High School on Saturday to split a weekend series of home games.
Thursday February 25, 2016
The Mt. Edgecumbe High School boys basketball team found themselves down 20 points against Juneau-Douglas High School on Thursday, yet forced a three-point game in the closing seconds of the match in a gutsy, inspired performance.
The Crimson Bears held on for the home win, 70-63. JDHS exercised control of the match offensively until the fourth quarter, when Mt. Edgecumbe head coach Archie Young exhorted his team to “make the game ugly.” The Braves then applied a brutal full-court press, which helped them go on an 18-4 scoring run in the final period.
Young said he was happy with his team’s effort, but was as surprised as anyone to see them make such a comeback.
“I’m gonna go ask them where that came from. Whatever it was, I hope they continue to do it,” he said. On his team’s “ugly” style down the stretch, Young added: “If we try to play a half-court game with them, they will beat us. We have to make it sloppy with quick shots and scrambling defense.”
Mt. Edgecumbe senior Paul Bioff led all scorers with 24 points. Junior teammate Bobby Pate had 20 and junior John Housler added seven.
JDHS was led by senior Kaleb Tompkins with 14, junior Bryce Swofford with 12, senior Guy Bean with 11, senior Hunter Hickok with nine, and senior Treyson Ramos with eight.
“Mt. Edgecumbe’s kids play hard no matter what,” JDHS head coach Robert Casperson said of the Brave’s comeback. “They don’t care whether they are up 20 or down 20.”
The Crimson Bears are moving on to their last four regular season games before the Southeast Conference tournament to be played in Sitka. Casperson expressed intentions to use their narrow win as motivation.
“I think it was a truly good wake-up call for us as we move forward on our last four conference games of the year.” he said.
JDHS went on to face Ketchikan for two games this past weekend at home. The bouts were an Alaska prep basketball showdown, as JDHS was ranked second in the state coaches poll when they entered and Ketchikan ranked fourth. JDHS and Kayhi are the Southeast Conference’s two leading teams.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to play them again, it’s been a while,” Casperson said. “We’ve gotten better since then and I think they’ve gotten better, too. We’re looking forward to the big crowd.”
The first 200 fans at Saturday’s game were admitted for free. State Farm’s Chad Erikson sponsored the Crimson Bears for a Pack the Gym night at JDHS.
JDHS slips past Mt. Edgecumbe - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Braves battle back from 20-point deficit
Monday February 22, 2016
The Crimson Bears (15-3) outscored their opponents in every period except the third on their way to a 69-41 win. JDHS looked to bury their opponents early in Saturday’s contest, allowing the Crimson Bears to play conservatively and run the clock down in the second half.
JDHS head coach Robert Casperson is pleased with how his team is rounding out late in the season.
“Kolby Hoover was spelling us, giving us good minutes. Hickock played well. The pieces are there,” Casperson said.
JDHS senior Guy Bean led all scorers with 17, followed by senior Kaleb Tompkins with 16 and senior Treyson Ramos with 14. Senior Bryce Swofford added 10.
Mt. Edgecumbe’s Ermogen Mercelief led his team with 11 points, followed by Paul Bioff with 10.
JDHS and Mt. Edgecumbe played a close second half, scoring 20 and 18 respectively.
JDHS plays Mt. Edgecumbe again at 8 p.m. next Thursday in Juneau. The Crimson Bears follow that up with two games against Ketchikan at 8 p.m. next Friday and Saturday.
JDHS takes second game against Mt. Edgecumbe - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team took down 3A Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka on Saturday.
Sunday February 21, 2016
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team hung onto an eight-point lead Friday at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, coming away with its 14th win of the season.
Six-foot-seven junior forward Bryce Swofford exploited his team’s size advantage to put up 22 points in the game and lead the Crimson Bears to a 61-53 win on the road.
“It was great to see Swofford involved in the game like he was,” JDHS head coach Robert Casperson said. “We played solid. Mt. Edgecumbe is scrappy, and they never let us get much above 10 points.”
Swofford led all scorers while JDHS senior guards Kaleb Tompkins and Guy Bean added 16 and 14, respectively.
Mt. Edgecumbe (6-10) was led in defeat by Bobby Pate with 18 points, Paul Bisff with 17 and John Honsler with seven.
The Crimson Bears played a consistent game offensively, scoring 14 in the first quarter, 16 in each the second and third periods, and 15 points in the fourth. Mt. Edgecumbe was able to outscore the Crimson Bears in the first and final periods of play, but were outscored by seven in the second quarter and nine in the third.
JDHS surmounts Mt. Edgcumbe - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Bryce Swofford battles for 22
Tuesday February 16, 2016
JDHS capped Friday’s contest with a 22-point fourth-quarter effort to defeat Sitka, 74-61, at home. JDHS defeated Sitka on Thursday, 76-60, but allowed Sitka to fight back after holding a 31-point lead.
Kaleb Tompkins led the Crimson Bears on Friday with 26 points, followed by Bryce Swofford with 19, Guy Bean with 12, and Kolby Hoover added eight.
Tevin Bayne and Jesse Lanteigne led the Wolves with 19 points each.
Sitka jumped out to an early 15-14 lead over JDHS behind nine points from Bayne and five from Lanteigne. The Crimson Bears rallied in the second, with Tompkins scoring 10 of his team’s 20 points to give JDHS a 35-26 advantage at halftime.
JDHS expanded its lead slightly to 52-41 to end the third quarter.
The Crimson Bears made 25-of-34 free throws, and the Wolves were 19-of-30 at the line.
JDHS boys best Wolves in two games - Juneau Empire
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team protected its lead from start to finish on Friday, sending the Wolves back to Sitka with two loses in as many nights.
Friday February 12, 2016
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team clung to the remnants of a 31-point lead at home to come out on top of the Sitka Wolves, 71-60. Both teams went on huge runs during the game, with JDHS’s coming in the first and the third, while Sitka pushed hard in the third and fourth quarters.
JDHS senior guard Guy Bean started the game red-hot, hitting three 3-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a team-high 23 points. Senior Bryce Swofford brought a defensive intensity in the second half, and spurred his team’s biggest run, as Juneau-Douglas put up 15 points in the third before Sitka was able to score.
“I think we just came out hot and they came out flat,” Swofford said. With a big lead, the junior forward added, JDHS might have “got a little bit cocky,” allowing 3A Sitka back in the game.
Swofford had 11 points on the night. Senior guards Kaleb Tompkins and Treyson Ramos had 15 points and nine points, respectively.
Sitka senior Tevin Bayne led his team with 23, followed by junior Trevan Coleman with 14 and junior Jesse Lantiegne with 13.
Down 31, Sitka called a timeout with a little over two minutes to go in the third and began to look for the trap out of a 3-2 zone. JDHS looked to slow the ball down with its big lead, but instead “sat back, flat-footed,” according to JDHS coach Robert Casperson, allowing Sitka to be the aggressor. The Wolves went on to outscore JDHS 23-3 at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth, cutting Crimson Bears’ lead to 11.
“Sitka withstood a pretty strong run from us at the start of the third quarter,” Casperson said. “They kept their heads about them and stayed aggressive... That really changed the momentum of the game and put us back on our heels.”
Sitka would come within nine points in the final period. As the clock became a factor for Sitka, JDHS simply tried to dribble the clock down and pass the ball on their way to the 11-point win.
The teams have met once already this year, with a Capital City Classic bout ending in JDHS’ favor 81-63. Sitka Wolves coach Andy Lee sees his 4A matchups as “measuring sticks,” to see how far his team has come.
“Our resiliency came through,” Lee said. “We didn’t care that we were down 30. We know who we are and we believe in each other.
“If they’re (JDHS) the number two team in the state, the number two team in all the land, than it’s a heck of a measuring stick.”
JDHS plays Sitka again at 7:00 p.m. tonight at JDHS.
JDHS boys cling to win against Sitka - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
If high school basketball coaches gave out grades to their student-athletes, Thursday’s Juneau-Douglas High School versus Sitka game saw some A+ work and some flunked assignments.
Thursday February 11, 2016
The two Southeast-based teams have played this year, with JDHS taking Sitka down 81-63. In the two teams’ Capital City Classic game, Sitka’s 6-foot-7 big man Jesse Lentaigne created problems for the Crimson Bears down low. JDHS coach Robert Casperson is interested in seeing how his team has improved defensively since then, and refuses to take the match lightly.
“Sitka has played well against some of the top 3A teams in the state. They match up against us well. … The last three years there has been a lot of parity between the 3A and 4A levels in terms of size and ability. We aren’t considering Sitka just another 3A school.”
The Crimson Bears recently split a two-game series with the state’s No. 1 ranked Ketchikan; Sitka is on a four-game win streak.
JDHS vs. Sitka - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
At home, the Juneau-Douglas boys basketball team faces 3A competition this weekend with two games against Sitka at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday and 7 p.m. on Friday night.
Monday February 08, 2016
On Friday the JV and Varsity games will begin at 5:00pm and 7:00pm respectively.
Change in Home Game Times for Sitka Series February 11th and 12th.
Thursday's game against the visiting 3A varsity boys team from Sitka will tip off at 6:15pm. It will be preceded by a JV game at 4:30.
Thursday February 04, 2016
JD Boys Move Up in the Rankings - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
JDHS boys basketball is off this weekend, with its next competitions being a pair of home games against Sitka on Feb. 11 and 12. It hasn’t been a slow week for the Crimson Bears, however, as a shakeup in the state coaches poll has JDHS moving up again, leapfrogging to the No. 4 spot.
The Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches state 4A boys basketball rankings stand as follows: 1. Ketchikan; 2. Dimond; 3. East; 4. Juneau-Douglas; 5. West Anchorage.
Thursday February 04, 2016
See the full WPI rankings here:
http://asaa.org/wp-content/uploads/4A-Boys-ASAA-WPI-Rankings-Feb.-3-2016.pdf
ASAA's WPI First Rankings Released
The Crimson Bears are in second place in ASAA's WPI rankings, which measures strength of schedule and is used for seeding at the state tournament. The Juneau-Douglas boys team trails first place Dimond High School by .01% for first place and lead third place Ketchikan by 1.1%.
Sunday January 31, 2016
The Kings maintained their lead the entire game by dominating offensively in the second and fourth quarters.
Guy Bean led the Crimson Bears in scoring with 21 points, Kaleb Tompkins scored 17, and Treyson Ramos added seven.
Entering the second quarter tied at 12, the Kings put 23 points on the board, 13 by James, to go into halftime up 35-29. The Crimson Bears matched the Kings point-for-point in the third, but then the Kings sealed the victory in the final quarter.
The Kings outscored the Crimson Bears 27-17 down the stretch, including hitting 9-of-13 free throws to close out the game.
JDHS 66, KAYHI 63
The Crimson Bears needed a few extra minutes but still got the job done Friday night in Ketchikan.
Ending regulation tied at 60, seniors Kaleb Tompkins and Treyson Ramos came up big for their team in closing minutes. Ramos scored the Crimson Bears' only field goal in OT, and Tompkins went 4-of-4 at the free throw line to give visiting JDHS the 66-63 victory.
JDHS’ Guy Bean led his team with 22 points, 18 coming from behind the 3-point arc, and Tompkins added 17 in the winning effort. Erik Kelly contributed 10.
Kayhi’s Jason James led all scorers with 27 points.
The Bears took an early lead after one quarter, 15-10, and then the Kings caught fire in the second and nearly doubled JDHS’ offensive output to end the half up, 31-27.
The Crimson Bears battled back in the third behind three 3-pointers from Bean and a field goal and 3-pointer from Tompkins to narrow the gap, 44-43. Tompkins scored eight of his points in the final quarter, Ramos hit a 3-pointer, and Molo Maka, Bryce Swofford and Erik Kelly all found the net to tie the score at the end of regulation.
JDHS boys, Kayhi split series - Juneau Empire
Ketchikan High School’s Jason James scored a game-high 34 points Saturday night to lift the Kings over visiting conference rival Juneau-Douglas High School, splitting the weekend road series at 1-1.
Sunday January 24, 2016
It seems there are several paths to victory for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team.
The Crimson Bears plowed their way to another win against Kodiak Saturday night, but instead of offense, the second of JDHS’ two homecoming games featured defense, turnovers and rebounding.
Juneau-Douglas (9-2) bested Kodiak (1-5) by dominating on the defensive side of the ball. Senior forward Bryce Swofford would add the exclamation point to Saturday’s game, bringing his bench to their feet with a fourth-quarter dunk on the way to a 65-34 win.
Though the dunk added emphasis, JDHS’ team defense provided the real highlight, as it smothered Kodiak in the halfcourt and sent them on long scoring droughts throughout the game. JDHS looked to trap Kodiak’s shooters on the perimeter and force Kodiak to pass the ball inside, where JDHS’ bigs forced tough shots and out-rebounded their opponents.
“We were trying to execute a few new wrinkles on defense, so we were trying to get some game experience with that. I was proud of the way the guys played defensively in the halfcourt,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said.
Sophomore forward Erik Kelly led the Crimson Bears in scoring with 19 points.
Kodiak’s Ryan Bezona had 10.
Kodiak played better Saturday than Friday, coach David Anderson reported, but the shots simply weren’t falling.
“We shot probably less than 10 percent. We had a lot of open looks … I think we went zero for 10 to start. At halftime I felt it should have been a four- or five-point game.” Coach Anderson felt his perimeter defense “was a lot better … We went out there a little bit further and extended the defense, but they did get some second shot opportunities that we were trying to limit.”
JDHS jumped to an early lead in the game, earning four steals and keeping Kodiak scoreless for the first four minutes. Kodiak got to the free-throw line consistently but scored only one field goal in the first quarter. In the second quarter, six different JDHS players scored as the Crimson Bears were able to rebound their way to two or three attempts per possession and went to the locker room up 35-12.
Kodiak had a good third quarter, and doubled their point total in the period, but were unable to slow Juneau’s offense down. They were able to cut the deficit to 18 at the beginning of the fourth, but were once again held scoreless for more than four minutes as JDHS built their lead back.
JDHS plays again at Ketchikan on Friday, Jan. 29.
JDHS boys win with defense, rebounding - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Crimson Bears’ Erik Kelly leads all scorers with 19
Saturday January 23, 2016
In the first of a two-game homecoming weekend series Friday, The Juneau-Douglas boys basketball team scorched visiting Kodiak from behind the 3-point line.
Though the hot shooting of JDHS’ seniors led the Crimson Bears (8-2) to victory, sophomore Erik Kelly put the exclamation point on the 75-40 win. With three minutes to go, Kelly stripped his man of the ball at the half-court line and stormed to the other end to throw down a slam dunk and reward the student section with a homecoming highlight.
Hot-handed senior Guy Bean hit five 3-pointers in the contest to lead the Crimson Bears to an emphatic win.
With the help of Bean, the Bears opened up a 25-point lead in the first half and never looked back.
“They started with a 1-3-1 zone, so our team was out on the line,” Bean said. “We had a lot of ball movement, looking for the open man. I was open in the corners a lot.”
Bean led all scorers with 21 points.
Kodiak ((1-4) was led in defeat by senior guard Billy Alcaide with 14.
Though the Bears operated with a big lead most of the game, they never let up their defensive pressure. To JDHS coach Robert Casperson, maintaining intensity on defense is a priority, especially when his team has a big lead.
“Defensively our focus is to maintain our intensity and try to limit their shots,” he said. “…How do we maintain that? They know there’s a guy waiting to come in for them if they take plays off. Everyone on this team can play, so everyone is always ready.”
The game started as a shootout as Bean hit three shots from beyond the arc to open competition but was matched on two of them by Kodiak’s Alcaide. JDHS’ Kaleb Tompkins scored two more 3-pointers in the first quarter to build a 12-point lead for the home team. Senior Hunter Hickok added six in the second quarter and the Crimson Bears went to the locker room up 43-18.
In the third quarter, Casperson’s guys limited Kodiak’s possessions and the offensive pace slowed (a bit) for both teams. Kelly and junior Ulyx Bohulano kept up the defensive energy and built the Bear’s lead to 30 going into the final period.
Read Saturday night’s game story at juneauempire.com.
Crimson Bears outpace Kodiak on the court - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Senior shooters start hot, JDHS closes game decisively
Sunday January 17, 2016
With under a minute to go, Service’s Xavier Harris hit a 3-pointer, sending the visitors up 56-57. JDHS failed to score on the ensuing possession, but captain Kaleb Thompkins ran the ball down on a Service fast break, and on a hustle play that saw Thompkins run nearly out of the gym and onto Glacier Avenue, slapped the ball off Service’s Harris and earned a key possession back for the Crimson Bears. Thompkins then got to the line and split his shots to tie the game at 59. With 13 seconds left, Service Captain Nathan Fromm then missed a one-and-one, and on a near buzzer beater JDHS forward Erik Kelly netted the winning layup to end the game 61-59.
“The way it ended up I kind of felt like whoever had the ball at the end of the game had the best chance to win,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said.
JDHS was led in scoring by sophomore Erik Kelly with 14, followed closely by Thompkins with 13.
Service’s Nathan Fromm scored 16 and forward Alex Welch had 12.
The role of the raucous JDHS crowd wasn’t lost on Service coach Tyler Moore.
“We had a chance in a hostile environment to win at the end and, you know, missed a couple free throws,” he said.
Though disappointed with the loss, coach Moore saw some great things from his team, who at one point had an 11-point lead.
“I thought we took care of the ball. That was important to us facing that full court press,” he said. “That’s been a struggle for us all year so it was nice to see us take care of the ball a little better.”
The game started out with both teams pressing and playing stingy defense. Junior Bryce Swofford showcased his ability to fill up a stat sheet, getting blocks for his team and limiting Service’s second chances off the glass. Despite Swofford’s play, the Crimson Bears found themselves trailing at the half, 26-33.
“We made some adjustments at halftime and the guys did that, the guys took responsibility for that,” Casperson said. “We put some things on the board and let them make the decisions on how they want their second half to go and they came back and made it an eight-minute ball game.”
Service will head back home having split games playing against each Juneau team. Service defeated Thunder Mountain High School on Friday in overtime. Both games were decided by a total of three points.
JDHS boys pull out win against Service - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
Playing in another close, physical match Saturday night, and in a loud, hostile atmosphere, the Service Cougars this time found the breaks going the way of the home team, and fell to the JDHS Bears in regulation.
Sunday January 17, 2016
Alaskasports.tv and the Crimson Bears
A big "Thank you" to Larry Johansen of Alaskasports.tv for all his time and effort to deliver the Capital City Clasic and select home games to our fans across the globe through his webcasting service. His professional production, complete with multiple camera angles and instant replay, has been viewed by 100+ family and friends from 6 different countries!
Thursday January 14, 2016
Following a five-game road series last week against Interior teams, the lady Falcons will play at home tonight and Friday against the Sitka Sentinels. On Saturday, the Falcons will again be on the road, or rather 10 miles down the road, against host Juneau-Douglas High School during the teams’ first crosstown rivalry game of the season.
This week marks the second time the lady Sentinels have visited Juneau in the last two weeks. Sitka competed in the Capital City Classic in late December, finishing second to JDHS. Sitka gave up a six-point, fourth-quarter lead to JDHS, losing 34-31.
The biggest question will be if the Crimson Bears’ (5-1) tenacious defense can contain the Falcons’ Ava Tompkins, who averaged more than 13 points per game during TMHS’s last five games on the road, including 20 points in a loss to Bartlett High School on Saturday.
Tonight’s varsity tipoff has been moved up to 7 p.m. and TMHS and Sitka will play again at 6:15 p.m. Friday. JDHS hosts TMHS at 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Falcons and Crimson Bears boys teams will each get a crack at Service this weekend, with the Falcons playing host Friday and JDHS on Saturday. Game time at Thunder Mountain on Friday is at 8 p.m. and at JDHS on Saturday the teams tip-off at 7 p.m.
The Falcons (3-2) are coming off of two home losses to JDHS last weekend. The Crimson Bears (6-2) stumbled on Saturday and allowed the Falcons to take an early first quarter lead, but in both games JDHS leveraged its size and depth on the bench for the wins.
The JDHS hockey team will look to continue its two-game win streak on the road against South Anchorage on Friday and Chugiak on Saturday. Friday’s game starts at 7:15 p.m. and Saturday’s at 6:30 p.m. Those games will be streamed live at AlaskaSports.tv by Archipelago Webcasting.
For game coverage, visit us at juneauempire.com the morning after each game for stories and photos.
Weekend Sports Preview: 5 home games in 3 nights - Juneau Empire
The Thunder Mountain High School girls basketball team can at last wear home colors again.
Sunday January 10, 2016
Coming off a hotly contested 19-point loss to the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team on Friday, the Thunder Mountain High School Falcons were hungry in their rematch.
TMHS came out Saturday determined to avenge its home court loss the night before, and quickly established a 9-0 lead. However, down the stretch were unable to overcome the Crimson Bears’ size, depth or full-court press, falling to their crosstown rivals for the second night in a row.
The Crimson Bears (6-2) beat the Falcons (3-2) 64-51 by dominating in the paint and wearing their opponents down with a full-court press.
“We had to get a little attitude adjustment there but I feel we responded pretty well,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said, speaking of their early deficit. “... It’s hard to go down 10 to zero or whatever it was and to chip away at it and try and come back, so I told them there are no 10-point shots. We had to get stops and make some buckets. … Thunder Mountain did a great job coming out attacking the basket right away.”
JDHS guard Guy Bean led all scorers with 14, followed by his sophomore teammates, Kolby Hoover and Erik Kelly, who each had 13. Forward Bryce Swafford contributed eight, and seniors Kaleb Tompkins and Molo Maka each had six.
In the fourth quarter JDHS’ depth and size proved insurmountable, with several players coming off the bench to contribute key energy and points to a team that had been in the full-court press most of the game.
“We are building depth, for sure. Some of those younger guys coming off the bench are providing great minutes,” Casperson said. “Molo Maka is a senior but he’s coming off the bench and giving us great life, great defensive rebounds and making some buckets.”
Scoring for the Falcons was led by senior Shane Mielke with 13. Juniors Chase Saviors and Riley Olson each added 10.
TMHS head coach John Blasco saw a lot of positives in his squad Saturday. “I’m happy with the way our guys played tonight, they battled the whole game and it is still a loss but I think we got better tonight.”
TMHS came out of the gate with an inspired energy, and looked to be in control of the game, putting up baskets early and getting steals and turnovers off of a slow-to-start Crimson Bears team.
“Obviously we didn’t like losing last night by 19 on our home court, so we came out with some intensity and started knocking down shots early so momentum was up and we felt good,” Blasco said.
Down nine with four minutes left in the first, JDHS called a timeout and went right into their full-court press, which slowed down TMHS’s attack and stole some of the momentum back for the Crimson Bears. TMHS responded well to the press, but as the second quarter ended the Flacons had lost their lead, tied 25-25.
The third quarter belonged to JDHS, who forced turnovers and jumped to a 10-point lead going into the fourth.
“We had good moments but we also had a stretch of about four turnovers when they got their lead back,” Blasco said.
The Bears continued to press in the fourth, and off the success of their bench, went up by as many as 16. TMHS continued to battle, with senior Shane Mielke getting to the line multiple times and showing a lot of toughness down low against a taller Crimson Bears team. At no point did the TMHS Falcons seem out of the game, but when the buzzer sounded they were 13 points short.
Thunder Mountain looks to bounce back at home against Service at 8 p.m. Jan. 15. Juneau-Douglas’ next tilt is a home game against Service at 7 p.m. Jan. 16.
Crimson Bears’ depth showcased Saturday in rivalry against Falcons - Juneau Empire by Kevin Gullufsen
TMHS’ Mielke leads team with 13 on Saturday
Saturday January 09, 2016
The Thunder Mountain High School boys basketball team nearly matched Juneau-Douglas High School through three quarters of action on Friday, but it wasn’t able to overcome a sizeable first quarter deficit or a height disadvantage in the paint.
The Crimson Bears (5-2) bested the Falcons (3-1) on their home court 66-47 by limiting opportunities inside during a fast-paced contest that included lots of scoring, fouling and free throws by both teams.
“These region games are so hotly contested,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “… I wasn’t comfortable with that game until the last three minutes because I know they have guys who can get going fairly quickly.”
JDHS forward Kaleb Tompkins and guard Guy Bean led all scorers with 17 each. Starting point guard Treyson Ramos contributed six. The Crimson Bears depth was one of its greatest advantages, with Ulix Bohulano scoring nine coming off the bench, Kolby Hoover adding seven and Erik Kelly contributing five.
“I felt like it was going pretty good,” Tompkins said of his team’s performance. “My teammates really stepped it up today and we got a victory. (TMHS) did a pretty good job (on defense), so I just tried to contribute. Guy Bean did most of the scoring, so I just tried to do what I can.”
JDHS’s 6-foot-7 center Bryce Swofford limited what the Falcons could do down low, blocking four shots in the first three quarters. The Crimson Bears also controlled the boards and limited the Falcons to a single shot.
“Would you go in there with 6-5 and 6-7?” TMHS coach John Blasco said. “They take away the paint with the big bodies, they’re shot blockers.”
TMHS forward Luke Clark lead his team with 13 points, followed by Chase Saviers with 11, Josh McAndrews with five, and Shane Mielke and Noah Rieshus-O’Brien added four each.
Both teams combined for 47 fouls leading to 57 shots from the free throw line on the night.
TMHS came out ready to compete, matching baskets with JDHS through the first four minutes of play to trail 11-8. Then JDHS broke off an 11-1 run late in the quarter to end the first period up 22-9.
JDHS’s Tompkins scored 11 of his team’s first 13 points. TMHS’s Saviers scored seven of his team’s nine points in the first quarter. By the end of the first quarter, however, the fouls had racked up and both teams were in the bonus.
“That’s high school kids playing hard, they’re giving it everything they’ve got,” Casperson said. “Sometimes they lose control and bang into each other.”
The Crimson Bears started the second quarter with a 12-6 run when Thunder Mountain pushed back with an 8-2 run of its own behind 3-pointers from Reishus-O’Brien and Clark, and a layup by Finn Collins to end the half at 36-23.
“A perimeter team is going to live and die by the three,” Blasco said. “We got good looks … but they didn’t fall. Once you get down by double digits, your mindset changes. We changed a few things defensively (after the first quarter), but a lot of it was the energy, nervousness in the first quarter. It’s our first home game in front of a large crowd and the kids were all excited. They’re a very tough matchup for us.”
In the third quarter, it was the Crimson Bears’ Bean who led the charge, scoring 10 in the quarter by slashing through the lane and scooping in layups. The Falcons kept pace, with Saviers knocking down four free throws, Josh McAndrews sank a 3-pointer and Clark knocked down two long-range jumpers to end the quarter 51-36. By the end of the third, both teams were in the bonus again and three Crimson Bears players were in foul trouble.
JDHS started the fourth with an 11-1 run to put the game out of reach midway through the fourth quarter for its largest lead of the game. The Falcons scored only three field goals in the quarter while shooting 5-of-8 from the free throw line. JDHS also had three field goals but shot 9-of-11 from the free throw line after struggling from the charity stripe earlier in the game.
“We had a few more layups go in, … so that made a difference for us later in the game,” Casperson said. “And they had to start shooting more jumpers that weren’t going in. If they hit a few of those shots along the way, the tone of that fourth quarter completely changes.”
JDHS made 21 field goals on the night, two from 3-point distance, and shot 18-of-35 from the free throw line. The Falcons made nine field goals, four from long range, and hit 17 of 24 free throws. Two of the Crimson Bears’ starters, Hunter Hickock and Ramos, fouled out in the fourth, as did reserve player Molo Maka.
“I like the depth of my bench, if we can stay in the game,” Blasco said. “We got a few players of theirs in foul trouble, but then their others players stepped up. Ulix (Bohulano) had a nice game, Kolby (Hoover) had a nice game, so their bench stepped up to cover them when they were in foul trouble.
The Crimson Bears and Falcons play again at 8 p.m. Saturday. Due to press deadlines that game won’t appear in the Sunday edition, but fans can read it online at juneauempire.com.
Tompkins, Bean lead Crimson Bears over host Falcons - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
TMHS's Luke Clark leads team with 13 points in rivalry game
Friday January 08, 2016
The Thunder Mountain High School boys basketball team will host Juneau-Douglas High School on Friday and Saturday, giving the Falcons their toughest test so far this season.
The Falcons (3-0) will play the Crimson Bears (4-2) at 8 p.m. both nights.
TMHS won the Little Norway Tournament held in Petersburg in December, easily routing smaller schools such as Haines, Petersburg and Cordova.
Even though TMHS boasts a perfect record, it’s JDHS who has faced stiffer competition so far this year, playing two 4A schools from the Lower 48 — Coronado (Nevada) and Kentlake (Washington). The Crimson Bears lost to Coronado 72-53 during the Doc Larson’s Round Ball Classic in Wasilla, and Kentlake staged a late fourth-quarter comeback in the championship game of the Capital City Classic at JDHS.
Both teams feature high-powered offenses and lead scorers who have put up more than 30 points in a single game this season. JDHS’s Kaleb Tompkins scored 31 against Wasillas, and TMHS’s Chase Saviers had 33 against Cordova.
JDHS has the height advantage, with 6-foot-7 Bryce Swofford in the post, 6-foot-5 Tompkins at the wing and 6-foot-4 Erik Kelly providing a spark off the bench down low.
JV games will start at 6:15 p.m. both days, and C team games will start at 4 p.m.
Crosstown basketball rivalry - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
Let the crosstown rivalry begin (again).
Thursday December 31, 2015
The Kentlake Falcons stole the Capital City Classic championship on Wednesday.
Literally.
Trailing 43-42 with less than three minutes on the clock, the visiting Falcons scored eight unanswered points, six of those off of three consecutive steals, for a 53-48 victory against Juneau-Douglas High School at home.
“When we got it and we were up by one, I was trying to get us to slow down and gather themselves ... and they did what they needed to do,” Kentlake coach Godfrey Drake said.
The Crimson Bears (4-2) fought until the end, coming up with two key steals of their own to close the gap to three points with less than a minute remaining.
JDHS senior forward Kaleb Tompkins put up a desperation 3-pointer while trying to draw a foul with seconds left on the clock, but the shot bounced off the rim. Kentlake’s Julion Mackey was fouled on the next possession and knocked down two free throws to seal the win.
“We had some mental lapses at some pretty inopportune times, especially late in the game,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “The one thing I was really proud of is the guys kept playing through it and battled, and we hit some shots in the last minute and a half that kept us in it.”
Tompkins led all scorers with 24 points on the night, including nine from long range, and he was 3-of-5 from the free-throw line. Senior guard Guy Bean added 10 and senior center Hunter Hickock had five points. Sophomore guard Kolby Hoover added a spark off the bench late in the game, scoring four of his six points in the final quarter.
Kentlake senior forward Austin McBryde, who was named tournament MVP, led the Falcons with 18 points. Mackey and Trey Helgeson added eight points each. Kevin Baker contributed seven and Justin Olson six.
JDHS jumped out to a 9-0 lead to start the game with Tompkins scoring six of those points. Kentlake switched from a half-court to full-court trap, forcing turnovers and clawing back to a 16-9 score at the end of the first quarter.
“We were playing out of character, and Juneau-Douglas did a great job coming out,” Drake said.
The Falcons’ momentum continued into the second quarter, with Kentlake going on an 8-0 run to take the lead, 17-16, with six minutes remaining. From there both teams exchange baskets. Bean sank a short jumper and Tompkins made a free throw for a 26-23 advantage at the half.
Kentlake started the third quarter with a 12-0 run by scoring off of turnovers and offensive rebounds to jump ahead 35-26. JDHS then went on a 10-1 run of its own to end the third quarter tied at 36-36.
“They did a really nice job being aggressive and it was a great high school basketball game,” Casperson said. “That’s a good team and they play in a tough league. They have some good athletes. Games like this help us prepare for our season and our conference.”
Kentlake shot 9-of-17 from the free throw line and made 19 field goals and two from long range. JDHS was 5-of-11 from the charity stripe and hit 14 field goals and five from 3-point range.
Kentlake steals Classic crown - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
JDHS's Tompkins leads all scorers with 24 points in back-and-forth game
Wednesday December 30, 2015
The Sitka Wolves bent but refused to break in game that was closer than the final score would indicate.
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team scored 20 points or more in every quarter on Tuesday during day two of the Capital City Classic to best Sitka 81-63 at home.
JDHS senior guard Guy Bean scored 11 of the Crimson Bears’ first 13 points on his way to a game-high 24 points on the night.
“I was just hot, I don’t really know how to describe it,” Bean said. “I was just confident of my shot. Coach told us to take higher-percentage shots, so that was part of it, and then we started trapping and we got a lot of steals and fast-break opportunities that led to layups.”
JDHS senior guard Treyson Ramos scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half to energize the Crimson Bears. Senior Kaleb Tompkins had 13 points on the night and sophomore forward Erik Kelly added 12 off the bench.
“These guys are pretty dynamic,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “Treyson brought a lot of life to the team today, a lot of energy and he had a really great game for us.”
Said Bean: “Most of the time it is Kaleb, he’s our leading scorer for sure, but when he’s not doing it somebody else can do it. We have a full team of scorers.”
The Crimson Bears had no solution for stopping Sitka’s 6-foot-7 junior Jesse Lantiegne down low. Lantiegne had 20 points, about half coming from offensive rebounds, and senior Tevin Bayne caught a hot-hand in the second half, scoring 16 of his team-high 22 points.
“They’re a very good team. They’re a quality team and a good opponent for us to get early in the season,” Casperson said. “They tested us in different ways. Bayne did a real nice job for them tonight and (Lantiegne) was difficult inside. We’ll see them three more times this season.”
Sitka coach Andy Lee said Tuesday’s game was a “measuring stick” for his team, which plays in the 3A division. JDHS is 4A.
“We never quit,” Lee said. “Now we have a measuring stick, and we hope to build on this. At the end of the day, we did things today to prepare for our competition. We went out and got great competition and played to the end. I saw good things from our team from a competitive standpoint.”
Lee also said he was pleased with what he saw from Lantiegne, who was the dominant big man on the night.
“He’s growing leaps and bounds and teams are having to focus on him, and he has to learn to respond to being doubled and trippled,” he said. “We’ve got a horse to ride, and we just have to figure out we can’t ride him to death and you have to be selective. In the second half we didn’t do as good a job as we could have giving him the ball.”
The Crimson Bears took an early 20-15 lead after the first quarter, and extended it to 40-29 at halftime. But the Wolves refused to let the game get out of hand until the final minutes of the contest, trading baskets with JDHS for most of the next two quarters. Sitka cut the lead to 68-58 with five minutes remaining, but that was the closest they would get.
“That experience is shining through,” Casperson said. “You can’t fake confidence. For a high school team to get up into the 80s in a competitive game, that doesn’t happen often.”
JDHS shot 7-of-12 from the free throw line, with Sitka making 4-of-18.
KENTLAKE 82, HYDABURG 27
Kentlake High School scored more points in the first quarter than out-matched Hydaburg scored the entire game.
Led by Austin McBryde’s game-high 18 points, Kentlake, of Washington, had little trouble besting Hydaburg, 82-27.
Kentlake took a 48-23 lead into the half, and extended it to 76-27 after three. Hydaburg was held scoreless in the fourth.
Trey Helgseson had 14 for Kentlake, followed by 13 from Kevin Baker and nine from Justin Olson. Sidney Warren-Edenshaw and Nick Nix led Hydaburg with six points each.
Bean leads JDHS over Sitka - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
Senior guard scores 24 in 81-63 win
Tuesday December 29, 2015
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team started this week’s Capital City Classic by showcasing its offensive firepower.
The Crimson Bears exploded for 22 first-quarter points and 25 more in the third en route to a 76-35 drumming of Hydaburg.
“They stuck it out,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said of Hydaburg. “They knew they were going to be challenged. I doubt they’ll see the same kind of size we present as they move into their season.”
Kaleb Tompkins led JDHS with 16 points on the night, followed by Erik Kelly with 15, Guy Bean with 12, and Treyson Ramos and and Ulyz Bohulano with six each. Hydaburg’s Sidney Warren-Edenshaw led all scorers with 18.
With the game well in hand, the Crimson Bears’ starters sat the fourth quarter and part of the third. The bench kept the scoring pace going, however.
Casperson said his team’s ability to score using multiple players is what sets this squad apart from others he’s coached.
“One of the things we have is guys that can score,” he said. “Some teams have one or two, but we’ve got three or four who can tally 20 points in a game. And I don’t think any of them care who scores. They’re selfless and do a good job looking for each other.”
Eleven of the Crimson Bears’ 12 players made it into the scorebook on Monday.
“In games like that, it gives you an opportunity to work on things,” Casperson said. “Because nobody is looking for blowouts. We appreciate Hydaburg coming here as a smaller school.”
JDHS jumped to a 22-10 lead after the first quarter, then extended it to 39-22 at halftime. Nine different players found the net in the third to extend the lead to 64-30.
JDHS plays again tonight at 7 p.m., with the girls team playing at 5 p.m. Action concludes Wednesday.
KENTLAKE 70, SITKA 56
Kentlake jumped out to an early 23-11 lead over the Sitka Wolves on Monday and never looked back on its way to a 70-56 victory during the first day of the Capital City Classic.
Austin McBryde and Trey Helgeson led all scorers with 16 points each, followed by Kevin Baker and Julion Mackey with 12 each, and Michael Alar with 10. Jesse Lantiegne led Sitka with 15 points, followed by Braden Case with 14 and Tevin Bayne with eight.
Kentlake held a 35-29 lead at the half, and 53-37 at the end of the third.
JDHS rolls over Hydaburg - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
Kaleb Tompkins leads Crimson Bears with 16, Hydaburg's Warren-Edenshaw scores 18
Sunday December 27, 2015
http://AlaskaSports.tv.
Live Streaming at the Capital City Classic!
Check out the following website for your chance to see the action from the Juneau-Douglas High School gymnasium during the 24th Annual Capital City Classic.
Friday December 25, 2015
The first home basketball game of the season will be Saturday when the Thunder Mountain High School girls varsity teams hosts Chugiak at home at 8 p.m. Also Saturday is the Juneau-Douglas High School alumni hockey game from at 7 p.m. at Treadwell Ice Arena. There is no admission cost to attend.
On Sunday, the 2015 Capital City Classic kicks off with a 3-point shooting contest and slam dunk contest at 3 p.m. in the JDHS gym. The opening banquet will start at 7:30 p.m. in the JDHS commons.
Boys teams competing in this year’s Classic are JDHS, Kentlake, Sitka and Hydaburg. Girls teams include JDHS, Kenai, Chugiak and Sitka.
Games will begin at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, with Kenai versus Chugiak in girls competition, and will end Wednesday, Dec. 30, in a boys matchup with JDHS taking on Kentlake. Awards will be handed out at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Editor’s note: The Juneau Empire is working to meet early deadlines during the holidays, meaning Capital City Classic game coverage will appear online the morning after but will not appear in print until two days after the contest.
CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
GAME & EVENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, Dec. 27
3 p.m. - 3-point and dunk contest
Monday, Dec. 28
1 p.m. - Kenai v. Chugiak (girls)
3 p.m. - Kentlake v. Sitka (boys)
5 p.m. - JDHS v. Sitka (girls)
7 p.m. - JDHS v. Hydaburg (boys)
Tuesday, Dec. 29
1 p.m. - Sitka v. Chugiak (girls)
3 p.m. - Hydaburg v. Kentlake (boys)
5 p.m. - JDHS v. Kenai (girls)
7 p.m. - JDHS v. Sitka (boys)
Wednesday, Dec. 30
1 p.m. - Kenai v. Sitka (girls)
3 p.m. - Hydaburg v. Sitka (boys)
5 p.m. - JDHS v. Chugiak (girls)
7 p.m. - JDHS v. Kentlake (boys)
8:30 p.m. - Awards
Christmas coming late for prep sports fans - Juneau Empire
Christmas will come a day late for local sports fans, but it will continue to deliver through the next week.
Sunday December 20, 2015
Kaleb Tompkins did it all on Saturday to lift Juneau-Douglas High School over host Wasilla during the final day of the Doc Larson’s Round Ball Classic.
The 6-5 senior guard scored a game-high 31 points, with 14 in the final quarter, to lead the Crimson Bears over the Warriors 69-57 in Wasilla. Tompkins also pulled down 13 rebounds and dished out four assists on the night.
“Once you see a couple shots go in, the basket gets a little bigger,” JDHS head coach Robert Casperson said. “We got into some foul trouble, so that moved Kaleb to a position where he could post up a little more. He’s tried to expand that part of his game and today was the first time he was able to use it. He has soft hands and a great touch around the basket.”
JDHS point guard Treyson Ramos was second in scoring with 13, followed by Guy Bean with 10, and Bryce Swofford and Kolby Hoover with six each. Ramos also had four assists with just one turnover and had four steals for the game, and Swofford pulled down eight rebounds.
“I feel like tonight is the first time we’ve seen Treyson play this year,” Casperson said. “Tonight we got to see him shine a little bit and the other guys fed off his energy. He seemed comfortable and relaxed tonight.”
Wasilla’s Daniel Headdings led his team with 18 points.
The Warriors had problems finding the net in the first half, including from the free throw line where they made just 3-of-9, allowing the Crimson Bears to build a 28-18 lead at halftime. The Warriors blew up in the third quarter with a 22-point effort to cut the deficit to 45-40, but Juneau-Douglas (2-1) was saving its best for last.
“It was real tight up through three quarters, but we kept on them and it was really nice to see us take advantage of our opportunites,” Casperson said. “I saw growth tonight … in handling the ball down the stretch and we tried to take high-percentage shots.”
JDHS won the turnover war, giving up the ball 13 times compared to 19 for Wasilla, while making 43 percent of its shots on 26-of-60 shooting. Wasilla was 21-of-51 from the floor (41 percent). The Crimson Bears also were best at the free throw line (12-of-16 versus 11-of-19) and from long range (5-of-7 compared to 4-of-13).
The Crimson Bears will play in its annual alumni game Dec. 23 before the Capital City Classic kicks off Dec. 27 with a slam dunk and three-point contest. Games will commence the following day. The alumni game and contests leading up to the Capital City Classic are open to the public.
Tompkins shines in win over Wasilla - Juneau Empire by Charles L. Westmoreland
JDHS senior guard scores 31, pulls down 13 rebounds
