News Archives

Monday December 17, 2007
A Shot to Remember - Kodiak Daily Mirror by Derek Clarkston
     Juneau’s Jacob Hotch will forever remember playing Kodiak in the 41st Joe Floyd Christmas Tournament. Not because, his Crimson Bears registered a dominating 73-42 victory. Not because he scored six points. Not because it was only his third varsity basketball game. He will remember the final game of the tournament because of a shot he hoisted up as the buzzer sounded at the end of the second quarter.

With time running out, Hotch received an outlet pass from Cody Grussendorf, reached mid-court, and while leaning to the right uncorked an off-balance shot that found nothing but net and put an early exclamation point to Juneau’s 31-point victory Saturday night at Kodiak High School.

“There was only four seconds left and I had to push it and my teammates were telling me to shoot so I just pulled up,” Hotch said. “I kind of knew it was going in when I shot it, but then again I was pretty off balance. “I usually get lucky on those ones,” he added.

How lucky? The 5-foot-11 junior has hit more than five buzzer beaters in his basketball career, but this was the first one on the varsity level.

“You just got to put your legs into it and shoot it like you shoot any shot,” Hotch said. Out of a handful of last-second efforts during the 12-game tournament, Hotch’s was the only one to end up in the net.

“It’s a tough shot,” Juneau’s coach Steve Potter said. “For a lot of people, it’s a once in a lifetime shot. Jake plays hard and he is a really strong kid and he really can shoot it from that far.” That long ball was in a nutshell how things went for Juneau and how badly things went for Kodiak.

The Bears (1-2) scored the game’s first five points — all by David Cratty — and then took a backseat to Juneau. The Crimson Bears went on a scorching 41-10 run to end the first half up 41-15. The biggest margin they built in the second half was 37 points. “I think Kodiak came out with a lot of emotion and they were ready to go and we just weren’t quite ready in that first minute,” Potter said. “Then we locked in and tried to do what we wanted to do.”

Juneau did most of their damage inside taking advantage of the height advantage they had over Kodiak to shoot 55 percent from the field (30 of 55). Eric Gross, a 6-foot-4 forward, tallied a game-high 22 points — all of them from inside the paint. Dominique Brinson added 17 points, while Ryan ‘Bubba’ Larson chipped in 15 points.

Cratty, who was named tournament MVP, paced Kodiak with 16 points. Playing three games in three days, appeared to take its toll on Kodiak — a team that is emerging as a hustle team early in the season.

‘It’s tough to play in-your-face up tempo all out, asserting the energy they were asserting,” Kodiak coach Ron Bryant said. “They looked tired. I think fatigue was a factor. I saw some mental errors on Saturday that I didn’t see the first two days.” Despite the disappointing finish to the tournament, Kodiak did play well, nearly beating tournament champion South Anchorage Friday, a day after they Kodiak beat West Valley.

“Some questions were answered for us,” Bryant said. “One question was would we be able to compete, and I think we answered that question. We have a lot of inexperience on the court and I honestly was expecting the result that we had Saturday night either Thursday or Friday.” Bryant stressed that the future of Kodiak basketball is bright.

“I talked to Amy (Fogle) over the tournament and we both agreed this team reminded us of old Kodiak teams. They hustle,” Bryant said. “The thing with hustle, whatever is happening … if you are hustling you are going to be in every ball game.”

Saturday CRIMSON BEARS 73, BEARS 42 Juneau 18 23 19 13 — 73 Kodiak 7 8 10 16 — 42 Juneau (73) — Brinson 17, Hotch 6, Waters, Grussendorf 4, Craig, Ibesate 2, Larson 15, Gross 22, Levale 7. FG — 30-55 (.545) FT — 10-16. Kodiak (42) — Craty 16, Bryant 7, R. Diocares 7, Polum, D. Diocares 5, Domingo 1, Tanner, Galindo 2, Inthavong, Peen, Watkins 2, Matautia, Odell 2. FG — 13-43 (.302). FT — 12-22.

Sunday December 16, 2007
JDHS boys basketball wins two in a row - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
     After a slow start, the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team steamrolled their final two opponents at the Joe Floyd Tournament in Kodiak on Friday and Saturday. The Crimson Bears fell to South Anchorage on Thursday, but rallied to rout West Valley 74-31 on Friday and host Kodiak 73-42 on Saturday. JDHS took second overall in the tournament.

"We had a little trouble in our first game with South in figuring out how hard we have to play," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "We seem to have made an adjustment." Juneau-Douglas trailed the host Bears 5-0 early in the first quarter. The lead proved extremely short lived for Kodiak. The Crimson Bears closed the first quarter on an 18-2 run to lead 20-7 after eight minutes. Dominique Brinson and Ryan "Bubba" Larson helped keep the pressure on in the second quarter with 3-pointers.

Jacob Hotch came off the bench to close the first half with a 40-foot heave, according to Potter, to give JDHS a 41-15 halftime lead. Juneau outscored Kodiak 21-8 in the second quarter.

"The main thing was we picked up full-court man defense and everyone was buying into it," he said. "We didn't let their guard get a nice run at us and we threw in a couple traps in there and just had them off-balance. They didn't know if we were in trap or man which led to indecision on their part, which led to steals. We had a lot of layups."

Crimson Bears junior forward Eric Gross led all scorers in the game with 20 points. "He got (his points) in a lot of different ways - some offensive rebounds, some post-up some off hard cuts," Potter said. "We're not the type of team where we can do one thing over and over again. We have to have a variety of looks. Eric was doing what he was supposed to do and it was paying off for him."

Brinson scored 17 points and Larson had 15 points for JDHS. Faifo Levale added seven points, Hotch had six points, Cody Grussendorf tallied four points while Shawn Ibesate and Geoff Craig chipped in two points each for the win.

Levale, Gross, Brinson and Larson were also named to the all-tournament team.

On Friday, Juneau-Douglas (2-1) pounded West Valley 74-31 as Brinson scored 27 points. JDHS led 29-18 at the half, but outscored the Wolfpack 45-13 in the second half to win the game. Larson had 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and Gross tallied 10 points in the win.

Craig had six points, Grussendorf and Levale had five points each while Hotch, Ibesate and Erick Waters scored three points each for Juneau-Douglas. The Crimson Bears will make their home debut Friday against defending Class 3A state champions Petersburg. On Saturday, JDHS will host Fullerton, Calif.

Friday December 14, 2007
Bears boys basketball lose by three points to Wolverines - Juneau Empire by Kim Andree
     KODIAK - Juneau-Douglas High School boys varsity basketball lost 58-61 to South Anchorage High School on Thursday in Kodiak. "It wasn't a pretty game either way," said coach Steve Potter. "We graduated a lot of our experience, and we definitely looked unsure."

According to Potter, JDHS shot better from the three-point line, shooting 47 percent on three-pointers and 45 percent on two-pointers. "That's good for our three-point shooting, but we need to make a higher percentage of our two-point baskets," Potter said. "At the beginning of the game, we were clearly a little bit nervous, and we were able to play through that," Potter said. "But some of our inexperience, some of the detail work, cost us down the stretch."

JDHS was down 10-16 at the end of the first quarter. By halftime, they recovered, leading 30-27. South came back by the end of the third quarter, with a one-point lead, 46-45. But in the end, South prevailed.

"We had a couple of block-out problems," Potter said. "And we didn't read their defense correctly at a couple of key moments." Potter said South Anchorage senior Anthony Cousin performed well, scoring 17 points.

"They had a really good point," Potter said. "He was really quick." Aaron Stevens, senior for South Anchorage, also did well, scoring 18 points for South.

JDHS senior Ryan Larson shot 18 points with four three-pointers. Junior Eric Gross got 16 points, and senior Shawn Ibesate scored nine points on three three-pointers.

Thursday December 13, 2007
Old-school look to this year's Bears - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
     Juneau-Douglas High School second-year boys basketball coach Steve Potter doesn't expect too many opposing teams to play zone against his squad this year. If they do, the opposition may pay dearly.

With a bevy of long-distance shooters at all positions, the Crimson Bears are gearing up for another run at the state tournament. Juneau-Douglas' season starts at 1 p.m. today at the Joe Floyd Tournament in Kodiak against South Anchorage. "Sean Bavard, Reese Saviers, Dominique Brinson, Shawn Ibesate and (Ryan) Bubba Larson are all good shooters," Potter said. "We saw a lot of zone last year. I don't imagine we'll see much zone at all this year."

Unlike the previous couple years, where height proved the Bears' primary strength, this year's team is reminiscent of Juneau's past where speed and shooting prevailed. Leading the way for JDHS is an experienced backcourt with quickness and range.

Ibesate, a senior, steps into starting point guard role after coming off the bench last season. The stocky Ibesate is already a strong 3-point shooter, but will have the added responsibility of managing the Bears' high-octane attack this year. "I think he's right up there with any point guard in the state," Brinson said. "He's looking forward to this year of getting the role of taking the ball down the court."

Brinson brings perhaps the most experience to this year's team. Potter lauded the senior guard's offseason work. Brinson's long arms and athletic build makes him a difficult player to guard. He's got the ability to drive to the basket against slower competition, and step back for a jump shot if the opportunity arises.

The Bears appear deep in the guard position as sophomores Cody Grussendorf and Reese Saviers, along with junior Sean Bavard, are all accurate shooters. But they don't boast significant varsity experience.

"I expect them all to play, they all will probably see some junior varsity action too but that's OK," Potter said. "We need to get them playing as much as possible. At the end of the year we won't have Dom or Ibesate so we won't have our starting backcourt. We need to build experience."

Juneau juniors Jacob Hotch and Corey Mahar can also stretch defenses with their shooting ability.

In the frontcourt, the Crimson Bears' versatility and diversity may create matchup problems for opposing teams. Forwards Larson, Faifo Levale and Eric Gross form an impressive triumvirate for JDHS. Larson is one of the team's top 3-point shooters, but is also big enough to bang under the boards. Levale, best known for his bone-rattling screens in the open court, provides muscle on the post while Gross, a junior, can go inside or outside.

"Even through we're not as big, our post players can go into a triangle with me, Faifo and Gross," Larson said. That triangle of Larson, Levale and Gross could emerge as a major weapon for JDHS. If Larson draws tight defense on the perimeter, the middle should open for Levale and Gross. Conversely, if opposing teams choose to shut down the lane, that may leave Larson open from long distance.

After playing sparingly his first two varsity seasons, Gross will be expected to be a main contributor on the team. The 6-foot-5 muscular redhead should be battle-tested after going up against graduated forwards Clae Baker (6-foot-6) and Will Egolf (6-foot-9) for two years.

"It'll be interesting," Gross said. "It's definitely a change over the last two years. I'm looking forward to it."

Junior forward Geoff Craig bolsters Juneau's depth at forward while two senior newcomers - Erick Waters and Justin Gundersen - provide defense and athleticism. Sophomore Lawrence Fenumiai brings added muscle while senior Brian Lauth returns for his second varsity season.

After twice winning the Southeast Conference, Juneau-Douglas finds itself a bit under the radar as the season starts. The Crimson Bears are currently ranked 13th in Class 4A according to Alaska high school Web site alaskapreps.rivals.com while Ketchikan sits in third position. The Kings are generating plenty of buzz this season due to senior 6-foot-9 center Damen Bell-Holter, a first-team all-state selection last year who's committed to NCAA Division I Missouri State, and a host of returning players.

Potter knows, however, that playing for Juneau means knowing that opposing teams will be extra-motivated to knock off Southeast Alaska's biggest school.

"The bull's eye is where it's always been," Potter said. "(Ketchikan's) got Bell-Holter and he's a heck of a player, they've got (Jase) Scudero and he's good. ... But we're still Juneau. They're going to be pumped to play us. Sitka will be pumped to play us. Petersburg will be pumped to play us. "People come here looking for a big win, and we're hoping not to oblige them."

Monday May 14, 2007
2007 Cage Camp
     The 2007 Cage Camp Registration Form is now online. To view it click here.

Monday April 02, 2007
Egolf earns all-state honor
     First since Boozer to be named two-years running here.

Sunday March 25, 2007
JDHS boys fall to Service's speed in season finale
     Bears finish in sixth place. Read the Empire article here.

Friday March 23, 2007
Knights end JDHS boys team's hope of 4A title
     Colony rallies from 12-point deficit to upset JDHS. Read the Empire article here.

Wednesday March 21, 2007
Multifaceted Bears Ready for Tourney
     Nine Juneau-Douglas players have scored in double figures this season. Read the Empire article here.

Wednesday March 14, 2007
State Tournament Brackets
     The tournament bracket for the 2007 State Championships are now online. Click here to view the PDF file.

Monday March 12, 2007
JDHS boys, girls basketball teams both seeded second for state tournament
     The Alaska School Activities Association released the seeds and matchups for this year's state tournament. Read the Empire article here.

Sunday March 11, 2007
Strength in numbers for Bears' boys team
     The top-ranked Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team will return to the state tournament for a second-straight year after defeating Ketchikan for the Class 4A Southeast Region championship Friday. Read the Empire article here.

Friday March 09, 2007
JDHS boys, girls draw Kayhi
     The Juneau-Douglas High School boys must beat Ketchikan for a fifth time today if they want to return to Anchorage. Read the Empire article here.

Friday March 02, 2007
JDHS, Kayhi boys to play for big stakes
     First-round bye in the conference tournament is on the line this weekend. Read the Empire article here.

Thursday March 01, 2007
Newest Member of Crimson Bear Family
     Bristol Rose Casperson was born on February 15, 2007 weighing 8 pounds 14 ounces. She is the daughter of JDHS alumni Paula Dybdahl Casperson and Coach Robert Casperson. Congratulations!

Thursday March 01, 2007
JDHS teams remain on top
     Basketball teams voted tops in state for 4th-straight week. View the Juneau Empire article here and view the poll here.

Wednesday February 28, 2007
JDHS First in ASBN Poll
     Juneau-Douglas still tops in the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network poll. View the Juneau Empire article here

Wednesday February 28, 2007
JV Roundup
     Juneau's JV and C team make successful run against Sitka. View the Juneau Empire article here

Sunday February 25, 2007
Crimson Bears stay perfect in conference
     Juneau-Douglas beats Sitka twice over the weekend to set up key series with Kayhi. Read the Empire article here.

Friday February 23, 2007
One Final Run for Seniors
     Crimson Bears conclude home portion of schedule with two games versus Sitka. Read the Empire article here.

Friday February 23, 2007
Gross Leads J.V.
     Eric Gross led scoring with 21 points as the J.V. defeated the JDHS All-Star athletes 67-41 on Wednesday. Read the Empire article here.

Wednesday February 21, 2007
JDHS First in ASBN Poll
     Juneau-Douglas remains number one in the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network poll. View the Juneau Empire article here

Sunday February 18, 2007
JDHS boys sweep Wolfpack to extend win streak to 10
     The top-ranked Crimson Bears topped the Wolfpack 79-44 on Saturday and won Friday 64-26. View the Juneau Empire article here

Friday February 16, 2007
JDHS boys look to keep rolling
     Crimson Bears will try to extend 8-game win streak tonight. View the Juneau Empire article here

Friday February 16, 2007
Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll
     Juneau-Douglas top the Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll. View the Juneau Empire article here

Wednesday February 07, 2007
Boozer to play in All Star Game!
     JDHS graduate Carlos Boozer has been named to 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Read the Utah Jazz article here!

Sunday February 04, 2007
Bears 'hot' in Fairbanks
     The Crimson Bears continue their winning streak with wins over North Pole and Lathrop. View the Juneau Empire article here

Friday February 02, 2007
Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll
     Juneau-Douglas climbs to number two in the Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll. View the Juneau Empire article here

Friday February 02, 2007
Crimson Bears extend winning streak!
     Juneau extends to a six game winning streak with victory over West Valley. Egolf leads all scorers with 26 points. View the Juneau Empire article here.

Read the Fairbanks News-Miner article here.

Wednesday January 31, 2007
JDHS Tops ASBN Poll
     Juneau-Douglas tops off the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network poll. View the Juneau Empire article here