News Archives
Sunday March 08, 2009
Crimson Bears honored at Region V Tournament
On the heels of their Region V championship, Jr Cody Grussendorf joined Srs Alex Fagerstrom and Eric Gross on the all-conference team. In addition Sr Sean Bavard won the FT championship netting 24 of 25 attempts.
Sunday March 01, 2009
The gameplans for the Crimson Bears football and basketball teams merged beautifully Saturday night.
All-everything senior football star Fagerstrom quarterbacked the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team past rival Ketchikan from the point guard position, joining high-scoring senior post Gross with a team-high 15 points apiece, as JDHS slipped past 4A Southeast Conference rival KayHi 81-76 at home Saturday night.
Fagerstrom led the Bears football team to the 4A state title game this season but moved over from his usual wing position to accommodate a starting lineup of himself, Gross and fellow senior wings Sean Bavard, Corey Mahar and Mark Enriquez.
"I've been at the point a little bit in practice," Fagerstrom said. "It's something we've been working on, but I don't usually get to play there with all the other guys we've got. I'm comfortable there knowing I have all the other guys to throw it back to right away if I need to."
Fagerstrom's handle might have looked a little creaky, but he clearly knew what to do once he got past half-court with a head of steam. The usually low-scoring senior made his last home game memorable with plenty of weaving drives into the lane, capping them with a surprising array of jumpers and diving lay-ups.
Gross' performance has come to be expected from the Crimson Bears (17-4 overall, 2-2 SEC), as he punished the smaller Kings (10-12 overall, 2-2 SEC) for second straight game with his 6-foot-3 frame and long arms. The senior's night included 14 trips to the free-throw line, seven of which he converted, as Ketchikan collapsed help defense of double and triple teams down to his spot in the post.
Both coaches admittedly held back their full deck of tricks over the weekend, with the two teams meeting in Ketchikan for a best-of-three SEC championship tournament beginning on Wednesday. The players held back nothing, though, as the regional rivalry took on its usual frantic pace in front of a near-capacity crowd at the JDHS main gym.
The first quarter started off with a series of weird events as Kings senior Matt Carpenter put his team up 5-3 after pulling up from five feet behind the three-point line on the right elbow. The teams then traded lay-ups before Juneau-Douglas was hit with a technical foul for arguing with the officials. The resulting free throws from Carpenter put Ketchikan up 10-5 with 4:16 remaining in the period. The visiting senior then put up yet another three-point heave from the same deep spot, missing the second attempt before teammate Jeff Whicker hit one of two free throws after being fouled on the putback attempt.
The technical briefly boosted the Bears, and they eventually pulled even at 13-13 after a short pull-up jumper from Fagerstrom with 2:45 left in the stanza. However, a series of ill-advised, long attempts followed for JDHS, and a brief glimpse at Ketchikan's trademark full-court press helped them jump out to a 19-13 lead to end the period.
Mahar opened the second period with a short jumper to pull Juneau-Douglas within 19-15, and then hit another short shot a minute later to pull his team within 21-19. The teams traded short runs for the rest of the half, with neither team leading by more than two possessions.
JDHS finally pulled even at the 3:56 mark on a fading jumper from Fagerstrom along the right sideline and then again tied it on a Fagerstrom free throw at the 2:28 point. The senior then gave the Bears their first lead in nearly 10 minutes after winding through the lane for a lay-up that made the score 37-35 with 1:35 until half.
The Bears were nursing a 39-38 lead with four seconds remaining in the half when freshman point guard Lance Ibesate bobbled the inbounds pass out of bounds on the right sideline. Kings senior Jase Scudero took the following inbounds pass across the line and hit a reverse lay-up as time expired to flip the lead Ketchikan's way at half.
The teams continued to swap leads throughout the third quarter. An aggressive lay-up from Mahar off an inbounds pass and then two free throws from the senior helped pull JDHS out of a late four-point hole and two more free throws from Fagerstrom helped the Bears end the period tied at 59-59.
A free throw from Gross helped JDHS cap a 6-0 run and jump out to a 65-59 lead to start the fourth, and the Bears lead wavered between two and three possessions until the final minute.
The seniors exited the game with 32 seconds remaining to a standing ovation from the Juneau-Douglas and Ketchikan crowds.
Fagerstrom, Gross, Mahar, Bavard and Enriquez were honored prior to the game with oversized candy necklaces and presented roses to their respective parents. Senior cheerleaders, dance team members and other basketball-affiliated students were also honored with their parents.
Both Bavard and Mahar finished with eight points in the game, while Enriquez finished with three after hitting a bomb to open the game that drew a loud cheer from the already-wild crowd.
Enriquez competed in his first year of competitive basketball with the Bears this season and competed with the junior varsity squad. After witnessing the hard work the first-year player put in during the season, JDHS head coach Steve Potter inserted him into Saturday's starting lineup.
Only six Kings scored during the night, led by Scudero with 20. Carpenter followed with 17. Kevin Manabat, Paul Manabat and Whicker chipped in 11 apiece.
The Kings and Crimson Bears meet at 8 p.m. in Ketchikan on both Wednesday and Thursday nights for the regional tournament. If necessary, the third game will tip off at 4:45 p.m. on Friday.
The girls' games in Ketchikan will tip off at 6:30 p.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday. If necessary, their third game will start at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Senior Night sets it right - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Give Alex Fagerstrom the ball and stand back ... or just dump it in to Eric Gross whenever you can.
Saturday February 28, 2009
Fourth-year players Eric Gross and Sean Bavard led the Bears with 19 and 13 points, respectively. The 6-foot-3-inch Gross snatched eight of his game-high 14 rebounds off the offensive glass while consistently playing head and shoulders above the smaller KayHi posts.
"I was getting some passes, and it helped that all of our shooters caught on fire," Gross said. "My job's easier when I can just grab the ball and kick it out to all of those guys."
The Kings laid off their usual pressing defense during the game, refusing to give Juneau-Douglas extra live practice for the regional tournament beginning this Wednesday in Ketchikan. The move proved to be fatal, as the now-healthy JDHS backcourt consistently found room to shoot over the smaller defenders.
Bavard came off the bench to lead the long ball onslaught, hitting on four of his seven attempts. Junior guard Alex DeRocher hit three of his own, while classmates Reese Saviers and Cody Grussendorf each connected on a pair.
"I just made my first couple (three pointers), and then everything felt pretty good," said Bavard, who denied he was given the extra Senior Night green light to hoist his seven attempts. "We kept passing it around the whole game and never let up."
Both teams started the night slow despite a frantic pace that was fueled by the standing-room-only crowd and continued into the game's final minute. Juneau-Douglas was held scoreless for nearly the first three minutes of the game, while KayHi turned the ball over on each of its opening five possessions.
"It's a rivalry game, so there was definitely some pressure," Gross said. "The crowd was pretty crazy, and I think we were both nervous to start. The last thing we wanted to do was lose at home after we got embarrassed up there."
JDHS led by as many as six points in the opening period, when Bavard's first long ball put them up 13-7 with two minutes remaining. KayHi senior Blake Bousley hit all three free throws after being hacked on a long attempt, and senior Kevin Manabat connected on a deep three-pointer of his own to tie the game with one minute and six seconds left in the stanza. Both teams missed hurried threes in the final 10 seconds to stay even entering the second.
Bousley gave Ketchikan a brief 15-13 lead with a tough putback just 20 seconds into the next period. However, DeRocher responded just seconds later by nailing his first trifecta from the left corner in front of the JDHS student section, and the crowd's ovation carried through a 13-0 Bears run. Cody Grussendorf's steal and breakaway finger-roll at the 4:41 mark put his team up 26-15 and finally forced Kings coach Eric Stockhaussen to call a time-out to settle his troops.
The teams traded baskets, including five three-pointers, for the rest of the half before KayHi senior Paul Manabat hit a running three-point heave off one leg along the left sideline as time expired to pull his team within 38-28 at half-time.
"We had eight turnovers in one of our games against a tough Wasilla team, and then we gave up our first five possessions tonight," Stockhaussen said. "I knew we relied on our press, but I didn't think we relied on it that much. I don't think we ever responded."
Another flurry of botched lay-ups and wild shots opened the second half, with neither team adding to their total before JDHS' Grussendorf had to be helped off the floor at the 5:56 mark. As Juneau-Douglas' primary slasher and assist man, the junior left a noticeable hole in the Bear's offensive attack.
The Kings finally scored 30 seconds later off senior Trent Headley's short hook and pulled to a 38-33 lead when junior Jeff Whicker converted on a three-point play with 4:49 in the period.
But the Bears finally got on the board at the 4:30 mark, when Gross picked up an easy lay-up from under the backboard. Saviers and Bavard followed with a three-pointer each during a 23-second spurt, and Gross finished the 10-0 JDHS run with a pair of free throws to push their lead to 48-33 with 1:49 remaining in the third.
Ketchikan never pulled within single digits the rest of the way. The lead ballooned during a still-competitive fourth quarter highlighted by threes from each of the Bears' four shooters.
Freshman point guard Lance Ibesate also picked up an ovation late in the third after using a crossover to lose his Kings defender before finding Bavard for a triple on the left elbow. Ibesate doubled his applause in the game's final minutes by throwing his 5-foot-4-inch frame into a trio of Kings defenders for a three-point play opportunity.
Nine Juneau-Douglas players scored in the game, with seniors Corey Mahar scoring seven and Alex Fagerstrom adding two points to those of classmates Gross and Bavard. The team's fifth senior, post Geoff Craig, did not play in the game.
Grussendorf chipped in 13 points, DeRocher nine and Saviers six.
Paul Manabat was the only King in double figures with 15, including a trio of three-pointers. Matt Carpenter added nine and Whicker six to the Ketchikan effort.
JDHS JV 60, KayHi JV 56
Mark Enriquez pumped in 12 points, Jazz King added 10 and the Juneau-Douglas High School boys junior varsity basketball team held off a late Kings comeback attempt to pick up the tight win.
The Crimson Bears trailed 14-13 after the first period, but outscored their visitors 36-25 over the second and third quarters before surviving for the victory.
Ketchikan outscored Juneau-Douglas 17-11 in the fourth behind six points from Jesse Lindgren, but fell short in the final minutes.
Eddie Hurtte added nine, Lance Ibesate eight and Eric Fagerstrom six for the Bears.
Lindgren and Chas Allen led the Kings with 15 points apiece.
KayHi 'C' 61, JDHS 'C'47
Ketchikan blew open a 27-24 half-time in the second half to pick up the win over the Juneau-Douglas "C" team Friday night.
Tony Yadao led JDHS with 11 points. Alex Calloway chipped in eight, while Evan Gross and Jacob Saunders added seven apiece.
Kyle Day led the Kings with 15, while Mark Dulay and Andrew Bolton added eight apiece.
JDHS defeats KayHi 75-49 Friday - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
A wild student section of painted chests and red mohawks gave the Bears a visible boost to start the year's final home series Friday at Juneau-Douglas High School. Four seniors combined for 41 points in JDHS' 75-49 win, and they matched the 11 three-pointers hung on them by their rivals in an earlier loss in Ketchikan.
Friday February 27, 2009
If they didn't, then their parents, friends, neighbors, dentists and friendly local milkman have all probably reminded them about the spare tire swinging from the front of their 4A Southeast Conference tally.
Regional rival Ketchikan is the only other doggy on the SEC pile this season, and the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team will finally get their chance to break even on bragging rights tonight and Saturday in a pair of Senior Night matchups that both tip off at 8 p.m.
The Crimson Bears (15-4 overall, 0-2 SEC) dropped their only two previous conference matchups in Ketchikan on the weekend of Jan. 23-24 in ugly fashion. The smaller hosts scattered the JDHS offense in a wild pace on the first night, winning 67-50 while holding the Bears to just 29 percent shooting from the field. Momentum seemed to swing Juneau-Douglas' way the next night as they hit on 55 percent of their field goals and manhandled the Kings on the boards. The hosts slipped away again, though, behind 11 timely three-pointers and 20 free throws.
"Ketchikan's our conference rivals and they have more wins against us in the last few years than any other team," JDHS head coach Steve Potter said. "Every time we play them we know you're only as good as your last game against Ketchikan. They beat us a month ago, and it feels like we've had it hanging over our heads for a lot longer than that."
The Kings (10-10 overall, 2-0 SEC) have not fared quite so well against out-of-conference foes since their first games against JDHS. The diminutive squad posted just a 3-5 mark in their next eight games and have fallen to .500 on the year. The streak has included four straight defeats at Lathrop and Dimond by an average of nine points per contest.
"Wins and losses have never been that important to me," KayHi head coach Eric Stockhausen said. "On record it might be disappointing, but it's a process of getting better at what you do. The results will follow in the end and the kids are having fun playing the game."
The Crimson Bears have certainly enjoyed playing their game as well, hunkering down for an 8-1 record since falling behind in the SEC race. Their only loss in the span came at Colony on the fifth day of a five-school whirlwind roadtrip and was prefaced by four double-digit wins over West Valley, North Pole, Bartlett and Service, respectively.
The Colony loss also featured a JDHS team that was without injured senior wing Alex Fagerstrom and junior point guard Reese Saviers, who was out with the flu. Both are expected to return for this weekend's games. Saviers has already returned to see limited action, but Fagerstrom will make his first trip on the floor since severely spraining his ankle in the game against Bartlett on the long roadtrip up north.
Junior Alex DeRocher and freshman Lance Ibesate have filled in and played well at the shooting and point guard spots, respectively, since the injuries. Potter credits the younger varsity players for taking advantage of their opportunities thus far, but still plans on keeping his trusty veterans on the floor during season's final games.
"It's hard to say if (the rotation) opens up in these games. It certainly has the potential to," Potter said. "When it's crunch time we want to shore up the rotation to eight or nine guys we're going to play. If there's some foul trouble or bad play, we know we can go deeper than that."
Both teams will be healthy for the weekend's games, as Stockhausen said he will likely play "one or two guys" who have been touch-and-go with recent ailments.
The Kings won their most recent game at Wasilla 77-67 by matching their past carpet-bombing of JDHS with 11 three-pointers, including six in the third quarter.
"We're mostly guards to begin with and everybody we play is bigger than us," Stockhausen said. "We don't make excuses for it. If (three-pointers) end up being the shots we get, we've got some guys who can knock it down."
JDHS has worked over the past two weeks on maintaining pressure on the Kings' outside shooters, and hard work on defense is the only sure way of stopping the bombardment, Potter said.
"They're going to shoot them no matter what," the coach added. "We just have to make sure they're shooting contested threes and not wide open ones."
Ultimately, though, the plan for the Bears is simple this time around - just take care of the ball. JDHS forked over the leather 46 times between the first two matchups after getting caught up in the Kings' scurrying ways.
"They try to make it a frantic pace. Their strategy is to make you play too fast," Potter said. "We forced (43) turnovers of our own, but we didn't take advantage of some of ours. We handed it right back, and then they'd score with it."
The return of Saviers and Fagerstrom on the perimeter could help with the ball handling, as could the two straight weeks of practice that spanned last week's free weekend. The Bears had been practicing for just two or three days per week for much of the season, and Potter was happy to get some final prep work in.
JDHS will again have just two days for practice between Saturday's Senior Night ceremonies and the team's departure for Wednesday's tip-off of the 4A Southeast Conference Regional Tournament in Ketchikan. The Bears and Kings will meet Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. in the best-of-three series for the region's lone spot at the state tournament March 19-21 in Anchorage. If necessary, Friday's third game will tip off at 4:45 p.m.
The Juneau-Douglas team is hoping that their home crowd over the rivalry weekend will help them prep for another trip into the wild atmosphere at KayHi.
"There's alot more buzz around the school about these games. People haven't really been as excited this year as they have been in the past," Potter said. "I think this crowd will be rowdy. They'll be cheering for the other team at the tournament, but this will be good preparation."
The five seniors who will be recognized prior to Saturday's game are Fagerstrom, Eric Gross, Corey Mahar, Sean Bavard and Geoff Craig.
"All of those kids have put in hard work and deserve the recognition," Potter said. "They're great senior leaders and hard-nosed kids. I'm sure (KayHi) is really looking forward to coming here and sending the message that we can't beat them. I know these guys are going to try and stop them from doing that."
Senior Night gut check - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Bears know their conference record.
Monday February 16, 2009
The JV's rebounded with a win over Porter Creek (Whithorse, CAN.) on Friday, 62-47. Tony Yadao led all scorers with 19 and was followed closely by Jazz King with 17. Mark Enriquez scored eight points while Justin Brooks netted seven points
Saturday's game was played against a team from Milnor, North Dakota. After going down 23-9 in the first quarter the Bears clawed their way back into the game, eventually tying the score at 37 early in the fourth quarter. However, the comeback was not to be as the Bears fell 49-51. Mark Enriquez continued his steady play and scored a game-high 18 points and was followed by Jazz King with eight.
For his efforts, Mark Enriquez was selected to the All-Tournament team.
The Juneau JV's garnered a lot of experience over the three days of of the tournament by playing against varsity competition. They will look to build on that as the season comes to a close in the next couple of weeks.
The JV team will travel to play in a tournament hosted by Sitka and Mt. Edgecombe high schools this weekend.
JV team returns from Dean Cummings, Sr. Tournament in Delta Junction
The Bears are home from a weekend in the Interior. The tournament began with a 47-57 loss to 3A Monroe Catholic on Thursday. Mike Stepovich led the Rams with 30 points. The Bears were led by Nino Crisostomo and Mark Enriquez with 10 apiece, while Jazz King dropped in eight.
Sunday February 15, 2009
Unfortunately for the Wolves, that fourth one counts too.
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team eventually survived a tit-for-tat first half and held off a vicious late Sitka comeback to hang on for the 63-53 non-conference win. The victory gave JDHS the weekend sweep after Friday's 70-58 win and maintained the JDHS winning streak against the Wolves that began all the way back in 2001.
"We played hard start to finish, so even when things weren't going our way, we were able to stay in the game," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "Eventually we wore them down and we were successful at what we wanted to do."
The Crimson Bears (14-5 overall, 0-2 Southeast Conference) were slowed in the first half Saturday by a loose 3-2 zone that Sitka spread out to half-court while trapping in the corners. Both teams were able to capitalize on a handful of forced turnovers early, though, and Juneau-Douglas finished the opening quarter clutching to an 18-14 lead.
Sitka (13-7 overall) started the second with an immediate, if lucky, bang, as senior wing Jeremy Espeleta banked in a three-pointer from the right sideline just 20 seconds in to cut the Bears' lead to one. The lead changed hands three times in the ensuing physical scrum that followed, with the Wolves spreading their advantage to 26-24 following one of two free throws from junior David Reynolds with 2:44 remaining in the half.
JDHS junior guard Alex DeRocher finally broke out of a mini personal shooting slump and got the home crowd back in it seconds later, hitting a a deep three-pointer from straight away to give his team the lead back. Sophomore forward Colin Gozelski then put the Bears up three with a steal along the sideline and a floating shot on the breakaway that cleared the right corner of the backboard before falling in. The teams traded free throws in the final minute before Espeleta hit a tough lay-up in the final 10 seconds to fittingly knot the score at 30-30 entering the half.
"We were not happy with how we played in the first half and I told (the players) these kids have a lot of pride and they're going to come out and battle," Potter said. "We definitely stepped it up defensively in that third quarter."
Stepping it up might be an understatement after the Bears held Sitka scoreless for the first five minutes of the third. Meanwhile, Juneau's leading scorer on the season - senior post Eric Gross - helped bloat his team's lead to 42-30 with his first five points of the game during the run.
Espeleta eventually broke the streak with a tough turnaround jumper, and kept the Wolves alive with another breakaway lay-up with 1:43 remaining. A patient and balanced offensive attack ended the third with a 47-36 advantage.
The Bears appeared to be in cruise control during the fourth, and their lead sat at a comfy 13-point level with just five minutes left in the game. Sitka wasn't ready to die yet, though. Reynolds hit a pair of free throws, picked up an easy lay-in and made another trip to the line in the next two minutes to kick off a sudden 14-2 run that awoke the Wolves' small but vocal contingent of fans.
Freshman Mik Potrzuski's free throws with 2:06 remaining eventually pulled Sitka within 56-53, but a pair of tough calls down the stretch cut the Wolves' offensive possessions short and time simply ran out on the underdogs.
Senior Geoff Craig had a tough putback, DeRocher drew a key charge and junior Cody Grussendorf put in an aggressive three points in the final two minutes to seal the win for Juneau.
Gross wound up with a team-high 12 points for the Bears, all of which came in the second half. DeRocher followed with 10 points, including a trio of three-pointers. Grussendorf and Craig added nine apiece. Senior Corey Mahar and Gozelski each chipped in eight.
Espeleta racked up a game-high 15 points for Sitka. Reynolds and junior Logan Lee chipped in 10 apiece in support.
The Bears take next weekend off before hosting SEC foe Ketchikan for a pair of games Feb. 27-28 to end their regular season. They will then play a best-of-three series against the Knights in Ketchikan March 6-7 for the SEC crown and a trip to the state tourney March 19-21 in Anchorage.
Bears survive Sitka Wolves and extend streak - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Crimson Bears' easiest regional prey over the past decade fought back with a vengeance at JDHS Saturday night. Rival Sitka shoved, clawed and just plain battled their hosts through the most hotly-contested three quarters of basketball in Juneau yet this season.
Saturday February 14, 2009
"We got into plenty of up and down type stuff and they just got tired before we did," Potter said. "Everybody contributed and lifted each other up. That's what a team does. When we're not relying on just one guy to score like that, we're a much tougher team to play."
The Bears outscored the Wolves 20-14 in the opening quarter and stretched their lead to 39-29 by half-time.
Potter credited Grussendorf with his best game of the year, even though the high-scoring junior wing didn't see things the same way at first. Grussendorf has four 20-point games thus far in the season, but scored just 14 Friday night.
"Today I went through the tape and did the stats and showed him. He had about seven rebounds, four assists and five steals. It was a little bit of everything across the board," Potter said. "I think him seeing that helped his confidence and he made good decisions (Saturday)."
Grussendorf was joined in double figures by senior Sean Bavard with 13, including a trio of three-pointers. Gross added 12, Mahar had 11 and Craig chipped in 10 to help the effort.
Reynolds led Sitka with 14 points, Lee added 10 and both Potrzuski and Anthony Perkins chipped in nine.
JDHS 70, Sitka 58 - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Five Bears scored in double figures and JDHS led nearly from start to finish Friday night, getting out on the break and picking up easy points off their attacking defense.
Friday February 13, 2009
That could all change this weekend, though, with a new class discrepancy adding to the potential embarrassment of a loss.
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team will host Sitka tonight and Saturday for the first time in recent memory as non-conference foes. The Wolves dropped to 3A for the current school year, leaving JDHS and Ketchikan as the lone members of the 4A Southeast Conference.
The move cut into the number of 4A games the Crimson Bears (12-5 overall, 0-2 SEC) were able to pick up this season. Juneau-Douglas is hoping little else has changed in the schools' relationship.
The Wolves (13-5 overall) have already experienced plenty of change after their drop to 3A, and it has all been on the positive side, according to fourth-year coach Andy Lee.
"I think, at some point, we had to say we are who we are. Our school is 340 students strong - that doesn't even make us the largest 3A school in the conference," Lee said. "The community and kids are really responding to the change. We could have been successful every four years at the 4A level. Now every morning every kid can wake up thinking about playing for a state title in every sport."
The Sitka players have taken their new-found enthusiasm to the court this season and currently sit at second in the SEC's 3A standings. Their wins include a dramatic late comeback that toppled 4A North Pole on the road. The Wolves trailed by 16 in the second half of that game before a wild, late swing helped them win by seven.
"We wanted to be challenged by still playing at the 4A level. North Pole played well in that game, but we stuck with it. It was a game we might not have won a year or two ago," Lee said. "We're more mature now. We've had to play a lot of young guys in the past and our guys have the mental toughness and skill level to win those games.
Sitka still regularly plays a sophomore and a freshman, but their 10-man rotation is led by five seniors and three juniors. At the front of that rotation is 6-foot-3 senior point guard Ryan Peters - already a two-time All-SEC Team member. He is currently leading the Wolves with roughly 17 points and six assists per game.
"You could call him the focal point of our offense. He just makes the players around him better," Lee said. "Ryan's always been lanky and had tremendous instincts for the game, now his vision has increased with his size. He can really see things over the top and finish stronger."
Sitka will be playing without their second star senior this weekend in 6-foot-3 center Ross Venneberg and his 15 points per game. The All-American trumpeter is away at the All-America Festival in South Dakota over the weekend and still healing from a sprained ankle that has already kept him out of four games.
Their secondary scorer against JDHS is expected to be 6-foot-3 senior Connor Dunlap. The lanky forward is pumping in 10 points per contest and leads the team with five rebounds per game.
The Wolves actually missed three of their bigger starters for a four-game stretch when Dunlap and 6-foot-3 junior forward David Reynolds joined Venneberg on the sidelines when both fell ill with the flu.
The squad's freshman - 6-foot-4 Nik Potrzuski - stepped into the middle during the trio's absence and has kept his spot in the rotation after raising a few eyebrows from the coaching staff.
"He's given us that size and scoring we need with the other guys out," Lee said. "He really helped us keep going without missing a beat."
Lee actually credits the down time given to his starters for helping to build the depth that his attacking style of play needs to run at full speed. Sitka has still managed to hang an average of 67 points per game on their opponents this season, while surrendering an average of just 56.
The objective of Lee's coaching is to get his kids in space and score off a variety of defensive looks. The aggressive style of play has helped push eight different Wolves into double-digit scoring efforts this season.
Players on both sides say that the rivalry runs as deep as always despite the class difference, and still anticipate the game with regional bragging rights on their minds. Unfortunately, the Sitka contingent in the stands this year will be smaller than usual for a different reason.
"There was a large group of people I know who were going to go down on the fast ferry before it got re-routed to Petersburg," Lee said. "Now those folks just can't afford to come. It's very disappointing not be able to count on the marine highway for these school activities anymore. It's the difference between paying 40 dollars to bring your car down or 250 bucks to get there with no transportation."
Both of the weekend's games tip off at 8 p.m. at the JDHS main gym.
The Crimson Bears are off next weekend, but will host Ketchikan Feb. 27-28 to end their SEC regular-season schedule. The best-of-three SEC championship series will be held in Ketchikan March 6-7.
A class apart: JDHS vs Sitka - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Crimson Bears have enjoyed a big brother, little brother relationship with Sitka for as long as most of their current players can remember. In fact, the Bears have noogied their way to season sweeps of the Wolves in every year since 2001.
Sunday February 08, 2009
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team gained the unexpected size advantage Friday, when the Wolves' star 6-foot-8 post Eli Yaw was injured on the opening tip of their two-game series. The Crimson Bears (12-5 overall, 0-2 Southeast Conference) used those extra inches while sicking their full-court press on their visitors, squeezing out a 74-53 win Friday and a 75-58 victory Saturday.
The Wolves (5-10 overall, 2-4 Cook Inlet Conference) were outsized at nearly every position for the remainder of the weekend and turned to returning Juneau-Douglas' press with a full-court trap of their own. The resulting hectic pace may have left more than one referee gasping for air, as the teams combined for 155 free-throw attempts over the two games.
"We like to play fast, but we don't like to foul like that," said JDHS coach Steve Potter. "We did a much better job in transition, especially in the second half (Saturday) and we're finding the open guy instead of throwing unpredictable passes."
JDHS held a large advantage in freebies on Saturday, as they hit on 25 of their 47 attempts from the line. Eagle River was able to hit on just 14 of their 35 free throws.
"They were all fouls. These were just extremely physical games and the refs kind of caught on to calling them," Bears senior post Eric Gross said.
Gross spent the most time at the charity stripe of any player, converting 12 of his 14 attempts on the way to a game-high 18 points. Gross also pulled down five rebounds.
"I'm pretty comfortable shooting free throws if I have to," Gross said. "I usually end up shooting a lot - it's just the position I play and I shoot a pretty good percentage."
Juneau-Douglas led nearly from start to finish, as they jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first quarter thanks to their attacking press. Junior wing Cody Grussendorf kicked off the Bears offense with attacking drives early, picking up swooping lay-up, a free throw and dropping off a slick assist to senior Geoff Craig during the early spurt.
Eagle River forward Dominic Young responded late in the first with a one-man five-point spurt that pulled the Wolves back within 14-9. Juneau-Douglas junior guard Alex DeRocher capped the period with a lay-up to put his team back up by seven, though, and followed with three quick points to open the second. Eagle River trailed by double digits for the remainder of the game.
The Crimson Bears were able to give three freshmen - guards Lance Ibesate and Tony Yadao along with forward Evan Gross - playing time in the second half, and the first-year players helped JDHS cruise to the foul-riddled win.
Yadao led the group with three points after hitting a bomb, and helped rile the crowd with a football-style pass to Craig for a breakaway dunk attempt that hit off the back iron in the third quarter.
DeRocher added 14 points for the Bears, including a pair of three-pointers. Grussendorf chipped in 10 points, and senior Corey Mahar racked up nine points along with team highs of seven rebounds and six assists.
Tevin Condit led Eagle River with 14 points while both Nate Yaw and Maxwell Harvey chipped in 10.
JDHS next hosts former SEC rival Sitka, who dropped to the 3A level this season, on Friday and Saturday.
"We're definitely still excited to play them since they're from Southeast. Any team from around here we want to play," Gross said. "I think they're actually going to be better this year. This seems like the season they've been building towards."
FRIDAY
JDHS 74, Eagle River 53
The injury to the Wolves' Eli Yaw brought a hush on the crowd early, but the JDHS backcourt wasted little time getting their fans back in it.
Grussendorf and DeRocher hit for 14 points apiece and Gross chipped in 12 as the Bears cruised another foul-lengthened victory to start the weekend.
"I think (Eli Yaw's injury) definitely changed things for both teams," Potter said. "Without a standout guy, there wasn't anybody to focus on and we just played our game."
The Wolves' offense looked immediately out of sorts without their injured big man, falling behind 14-2 after the first period. Juneau-Douglas led by double digits for the rest of the night.
The teams combined for 73 free throws in the contest. JDHS hit 19 of their 37 attempts, while Eagle River made 16 of their 36 tries.
Gross again amassed a game-high 8 charity attempts, hitting four of them.
Mahar again led the team with 11 rebounds, chipping in six points along the way.
Buron Bell and Nate Yaw led Eagle River with 10 points apiece.
"The Eagle River kids played extremely hard, but I know they were disappointed that their big guy went down," Potter said. "I wish I could say our kids never stopped playing hard. Maybe we can take something from them."
The JDHS junior varsity team hosted Sitka's junior varsity in their weekend games, dropping the visitors both times by scores of 66-60 and 55-46. Paul Tupou led the effort with a game-high 13 points on Friday and Ibesate had a team-high 11 on Saturday.
The JDHS "C" team also squared off against their Sitka counterparts, winning 43-40 and 56-26. Travis Godfrey scored a game-high 15 points on Friday, while Ryan Kelly chipped in a game-high 13 on Saturday.
Bears give Eagle River Wolves the broom-broom; JV and C sweep Sitka - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
It took all of three seconds for the Crimson Bears to flip their planned David and Goliath series on it's head this weekend.
Friday February 06, 2009
The Juneau-Douglas High School varsity boys basketball team will face an unknown, yet large nemesis when fellow 4A squad Eagle River and their 6-foot-8 center Eli Yaw invade tonight and Saturday. At least, that's Yaw's listed height.
"It's high school, so it kind of depends on how big of a 6-foot-8 he is," JDHS head coach Steve Potter said. "That can mean anything from 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-10 in my experience. We've faced big guys this year, but (Yaw is) really a true inside guy so it doesn't really translate."
The Crimson Bears (10-5 overall, 0-2 Southeast Conference) are not planning on double-teaming Yaw to start the game, and Potter is hoping his bigs won't need too much help from his depleted perimeter rotation.
The Wolves (5-8 overall, 2-4 Cook Inlet Conference) run their offense through Yaw, though, and will be looking to force JDHS to bring extra help. The big man will get plenty of touches down low and has shown he knows what to do with the ball by his averages of nearly 23 points and 10 rebounds per game this season.
"We know our bread and butter is feeding the big guy," third-year ERHS head coach Craig Harrison said. "We're still an opportunistic team, though. We'll run if we get the opportunities."
When Yaw is forced to pass out of the post, Harrison is confident his perimeter players are skilled enough to punish the Juneau-Douglas pressure.
"We've got quite a few guys scoring about 10 or 12 a game that can carry the load," Harrison said.
Eli's younger brother and sophomore Nate Yaw provides the team with a different sort of perimeter support. Harrison describes Eli as a sort of "handy man" who can mix it up down low or pop outside for a jumper.
"He rebounds, he scores and he plays great defense. Every team needs one of those guys," Harrison said.
Juneau-Douglas' own "handy man," senior wing Alex Fagerstrom, will again be on the sidelines after missing most of last week's games with a sprained ankle. Junior point guard Reese Saviers is also questionable after fighting through an illness and also missing the majority of last week's five-game road trip. In the long run, Potter is looking at the temporary loss of those two major players as a blessing in disguise.
"(The injuries) certainly expanded the opportunities for some guys. (Freshmen guards) Lance Ibesate and Tony Yadao both got a lot more minutes than I had envisioned," Potter said. "Our freshmen don't usually get in the game unless we're up 30 or down 30. They got in the second half of several games and contributed to wins. I've got increased confidence in both of them."
While the freshmen are catching some minutes off the bench, usual sixth man and junior guard Alex DeRocher stepped seamlessly into the starting lineup for two of the team's games up north and Potter expects him to keep that slot.
"Who starts and doesn't start might mean something to the kids, but not much to me," Potter said. "Whoever's playing the best that night will be out there at the end."
The JDHS coach credits last week's lengthy road trip for more than opening his rotation, he said the extended time together - including a makeshift Super Bowl party - helped bring the team's chemistry to a new high point that is visible on the court.
The junior varsity and "C" teams will also be in action tonight and Saturday, but they will be playing Sitka's younger squads. The "C" teams will tip off at 4:15 p.m. each night, with the junior varsity following at 6:15 p.m. and the varsity games capping the lineups at 8 p.m.
JDHS hosts unfamiliar Eagle River; C and JV will play Sitka - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Crimson Bears coach Steve Potter isn't quite sure what to expect against Eagle River this weekend, and it's not just because his team has never played the Wolves before.
Wednesday February 04, 2009
The Juneau-Douglas High School basketball team (10-5 overall, 0-2 Southeast Conference) finally had their week's squeaky clean 4-0 record tarnished Monday in a 68-52 loss at Colony.
"They certainly outplayed us from start to finish," JDHS head coach Steve Potter said. "I thought maybe our down time watching the Super Bowl together would recharge our batteries. Anything we gained from rest we probably lost to what they were eating in front of the TV, though. It was that Super Bowl diet."
The Bears were understandably sluggish against Colony's quick guards and fell behind early as their own offense failed to keep up with quickening pace. Playing yet again without ill junior point guard Reese Saviers and injured senior wing Alex Fagerstrom, Juneau-Douglas simply ran out of steam at the tail end of their hotel room rodeo. Potter had also sent home the squad's younger players to prevent them from missing extra school days, limiting his bench to 10 players.
"They came out aggressive and we weren't' able to match their intensity. They've beaten us a lot in the past and we thought we had a good opportunity to get them," Potter said. "It just didn't work out that way."
Senior forward Eric Gross led the JDHS offense with 21 points, accounting for nearly half of his team's total. Junior wing Cody Grussendorf was the only other Bear in double figures with 11.
"We won four out of five and that's better than what we've been doing," Potter said. "We would have liked to get all five, but we're better than when we left and that was the goal."
Juneau-Douglas will host 4A Cook-Inlet Conference member Eagle River on Friday and Saturday.
"We got stuck in one of those games in Colony where they let the kids out early. We played at 1 (p.m.) and they started the game with a couple hundred fans already in there," Potter said. "I know the kids are excited to see that kind of support turn for us at home this week."
The games will kick off a three-week, six-game home stand that will end the Bears' regular season. JDHS will host former SEC rival and new 3A member Sitka on Feb. 13-14. They will then host their lone current conference opponent Ketchikan for a weekend pair that will end the SEC regular season on Feb. 27-28. Just a week later, they will travel to Ketchikan for the best-of-three SEC championship series March 6-7.
Hot Bears settled by Colony - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Four out of five ain't bad. Especially considering the Crimson Bears played five different 4A teams in six days in the Fairbanks and Anchorage areas last week.
Sunday February 01, 2009
"If nothing else, those (two losses) in Ketchikan reminded us that we're in trouble if we don't do what we practice out there," Potter said. "We're starting to play like we want to play. They're high school kids, and they're learning that all the talent in the world doesn't matter if you're doing the wrong things."
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team added the Cougars and the Golden Bears to a 4A victory buffet this week that already included wins over North Pole and West Valley on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The squad will play just one more on Monday afternoon at Colony before returning from their nearly week-long marathon against Fairbanks and Anchorage teams.
The Crimson Bears (10-4 overall, 0-2 SEC) jumped on Service (1-12 overall) early Saturday, outscoring the Cougars 20-5 in the first period. Service made the switch to a loose zone defense in the second period, though, that limited the Bears to just six points in the stanza as they clawed within 26-21 by half-time.
"We came out and attacked right away, but I don't know if we started to get too fancy or we just got impatient (in the second period) and we let them right back in it," Potter said. "They were a really big team - they had one kid who was about (6-foot-6) and if he didn't weigh 315 (pounds), I don't know who does. We were getting deep into their zone and just couldn't get the shots up."
The struggles continued for JDHS through the third period, as sloppy play on both sides allowed Service to scramble within 38-34 by the stanza's end.
The Bears, who have focused on solidifying their man-to-man defense in past weeks, extended their pressure in the fourth with a trapping press that finally bought them some offensive breathing room.
"We had a tough time getting back into it, but when we extended (the defense) we were able to turn them over a few times and get them in a hurry. Normally they're pretty deliberate, but we got out on some fast breaks and forced some fouls."
After the press helped Juneau-Douglas extend their lead to 20 points in the fourth, they were able to seal the win by combining to hit 10 of 12 free throws in the period.
Senior guard Sean Bavard continued his hot shooting over the road trip, going 7-for-7 on free throws in the second half and finishing with a team-high 12 points.
"I think Sean's a little more focused now," Potter said. "He's moving around and getting the ball in spots where he can be successful."
Junior Cody Grussendorf and senior Eric Gross each added 11 points for JDHS.
Kenny Johnson led the Service effort with 13 points.
The Crimson Bears played without two of their primary wing players on Saturday and most of Friday's game after senior Alex Fagerstrom suffered a sprained ankle just three minutes into the Bartlett contest. Senior point guard Reese Saviers fell ill and returned to Juneau prior to Friday's contest.
FRIDAY
JDHS 71, Bartlett 54
The Crimson Bears rebounded from the loss of Saviers and Fagerstrom to wear out Bartlett (7-6 overall) and pass their coach's "test game."
"Bartlett's got a lot of talent and we were using this game to see if we've improved from where we were earlier in the year. I'd say we passed that test," Potter said.
The teams were tied 16-16 after the first period, but Grussendorf helped break open a 20-11 second stanza for Juneau-Douglas with seven of his 15 points. The Bears steadily increased their lead through the second half.
JDHS stayed in a tight man-to-man defense from start to finish, wearing down Bartlett and forcing a stream of turnovers that they capitalized on with an efficient offense. The Bears surrendered just 10 turnovers themselves, far below their season average of 25.
Senior Corey Mahar helped pick up the slack on the perimeter, hitting his first two three-pointers of the season on the way to an 10-point, 11-rebound effort.
"He hadn't hit (a three-pointer) all year, but he ended up hitting another one against Service," Potter said. "He really stepped up and let us know he can make that shot. We need to keep that outside threat and Corey stepped up with the guys out and took that role."
Grussendorf also took on more of the ballhandling and scoring loads in his first game back after being sidelined with a neck injury Thursday. He finished with 17 points.
Gross maintained his steady play on the road trip, finishing with a game-high 16.
"Eric's a strong player and he always gets a lot of attention. He's been double and triple teamed this year and sometimes he struggles," Potter said. "He's always relentless, though. He doesn't stop working."
Bears win two more up north; defeat Bartlett and Service - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
There's still a big donut to fill at the front of the Crimson Bears' Southeast Conference record from a week ago, but Saturday's 60-45 shellacking of Service and Friday's 71-54 beating of Bartlett gave coach Steve Potter and company a delicious 4-0 record through the first four days of their whirlwind road trip up north.
Friday January 30, 2009
Senior guard Sean Bavard hit four three-pointers as the Crimson Bears outscored North Pole 25-13 in the second quarter Thursday night, and the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team cruised to their second victory in two nights at Fairbanks, 65-51.
The Crimson Bears (8-4 overall, 0-2 Southeast Conference) were able to find Bavard in space due to a scrambling, trapping defense that fell prey to the JDHS press break.
"We didn't do so well against that kind of defense down in Ketchikan. If we run our press break, though we haven't found a press yet that we can't score against," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "But if one guy forgets or messes up his assignment we're stuck."
Bavard and junior guard Alex DeRocher were forced to step up with more of the team's ball-handling responsibilities when junior wing Cody Grussendorf was injured just three minutes into the contest. A North Pole player attempting to collect a rebound after jumping in from the elbow landed on Grussendorf and sidelined him for the rest of the contest with a neck injury.
"Those guys picked up the slack. Sean, obviously, shot it pretty well and Alex did a good job for us handling the ball," Potter said.
Bavard led the Bears in scoring with 20 points, including five three-pointers in the game. Senior posts Geoff Craig and Eric Gross added 10 points apiece. In all, nine different JDHS players scored and Grussendorf's shortened effort was the only one to yield less than two field goals.
"After that second quarter the game never really felt in jeopardy," Potter said. "I wouldn't say we blew them out, but we were comfortable."
The Juneau-Douglas team will now have to wake up at 4 a.m. today to catch their flight to Anchorage for a game against Bartlett tonight at 7:30 p.m. A Saturday matchup against Service will follow at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the Bears will take on Colony at 1 p.m. on Monday.
"We're certainy not excited about waking up at 4 a.m., but this is a good opportunity for us," Potter said. "Bartlett only LOST to West by 10 or so points and West handed it to us pretty good. We'll have to see how much better we are now."
JDHS 78, West Valley 57
The Crimson Bears boys team stepped in from the 30-below temperatures on Wednesday to burn up West Valley's 2-3 zone with their best three-point shooting night of the year.
JDHS finished the game 8-of-16 from behind the arc, using a quick-moving offense to "get our shooters where their guys aren't," according to Potter.
Two Juneau-Douglas shooters - DeRocher and senior Bavard - hit three bombs apiece to lead the onslaught. DeRocher finished with 13 points on the night, while Bavard added 11.
"We knew (DeRocher) could shoot it from the last two years when he was on (junior varsity), and that's one of the main reasons we made sure we were going to have him on the floor this season," Potter said. "He's been steadily progressing as this season goes on."
Grussendorf and JUNIOR point guard Reese Saviers each sank a three-pointer apiece to add to the Bears' tally.
Potter talked to his team at length before the game, however, about not getting trapped on the perimeter with the ball. The Bears responded by feeding their roving forwards - Gross and sophomore Colin Gozelski - throughout the contest as they found cutting lanes to the basket. Both players finished with a team-high 15 points and four rebounds apiece.
Senior wing Alex Fagerstorm led the Bears on the defensisve end with five rebounds and four steals, while also chipping in six points.
"We were unhappy with how we played (in two losses to Ketchikan last weekend). Ketchikan certainly played well and deserved to win those games, but we found out we need to set a little bit higher standard for ourselves," Potter said. "We did a pretty good job of answering that challenge."
The Wolf Pack (1-5 overall) never pulled closer than 10 points in the second half. Ken Sample led his team with a game-high 18 points and Ealum Howe added 10 points for West Valley.
Bears perfect in top half of voyage
By Trent Makela | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Thursday January 29, 2009
Sophomore Forward Colin Gozelski and Senior Post Eric Gross lead the way with 15 points apiece. Junior shooting guard Alex DeRocher scored 13 points and Senior guard Sean Bavard followed with 11 points, each netting three 3-pointers.
Crimson Bears Maul Wolfpack
The Crimson Bears used a fast-paced attack on offense and pressure defense to defeat West Valley 78-57 last night. A strong shooting performance and quick passing dissected the 2-3 zone of the Wolfpack as the Bears had four players reach double-figures in scoring.
Tuesday January 27, 2009
They will face the 2008 State Runner-Up Bartlett Golden Bears on Friday and the Service Cougars on Satruday. After a day of rest in Anchorage on Sunday the team will drive to the Mat-Su Valley to face the Colony Knights Monday afternoon to conclude the sojourn.
Games can be heard on KINY Radio AM 800.
Game Times:
West Valley Wolfpack 7:30
North Pole Patriots 7:30
Bartlett Golden Bears 7:30
Service Cougars 1:00
Colony Knights 1:00
NBA Style Road Trip Scheduled for the Boys
The boys varsity will head north for five games over the next six days. The trek starts with two games in Fairbanks against the West Valley Wolfpack on Wednesday and the North Pole Patriots on Thursday. The trip continues as the team heads to Anchorage for games Friday and Saturday.
Sunday January 25, 2009
In an uncommon twist of scheduling the JV team was divided over the weekend with a group in Skagway at the Don Hather Tournament. The team finished in third place after defeating Haines on the first day, losing to Northway on day two, and finishing with a win against Hoonah.
Bears in Ketchikan and Skagway over the weekend
The varsity team dropped its first two conference games of the season in Ketchikan this weekend. The JV and C teams also suffered losses as Juneau went 0-6 on the weekend.
Friday January 23, 2009
"Last year this guy was just running around, going wild with a stuffed bear on the end of a fishing rod," JDHS junior guard Alex Derocher said. "(The Ketchikan gym) doesn't get nearly as crazy for anybody else. It's kind of funny because it's just for us. We'll be able to block it out, though."
Regardless of Friday and Saturday nights' outcomes, the season will end with a best-of-three series between the Kings (5-5 overall) and the Crimson Bears (7-2 overall) for the SEC title and a trip to state. What is still at stake, according to JDHS coach Steve Potter, is the mental edge that comes from ripping away at least a share of the regular-season title in one perfect weekend.
"If we win, we show them that we can go up there and steal two with their fans breathing down our necks," Potter said. "If we lose, they're thinking that crowd's going to be even louder when they host the tournament."
The good news for Potter and company is that Ketchikan is in a rebuilding year after graduating 6-foot-9 post Damen Bell-Holter, who is bound for Division I Oral Roberts next season, and ushering in new coach Eric Stockhausen. The Kings also start exactly zero players over six feet in height this season, but Stockhausen has had success in the past with teams of similar statures.
"When I was at (3A) Glennallen the past six years, we turned around that program that had never been a winner. They've never made it to state, but last year we won 16 games and finished one win out of the state tourney," Stockhausen said. "We didn't have one kid near six-foot on that team."
Ketchikan does have some size on the bench this season, cycling in a pair of 6-foot-2 forwards in their usual 11-player rotations. The leaders of the team, though, are the four upperclassmen guards who all start in the team's small-ball lineup.
Senior sharp-shooter Matt Carpenter, a transfer from Craig, leads the group in scoring with 15.4 points per contest this year. Fellow senior Paul Manabat runs the team from the point, chipping in 13.9 points and a team-high 5.2 assists per game. Their classmate, Jase Scudero, provides the toughness with 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and a whopping 4.7 steals per contest. Jeff Whicker, a junior, rounds out the four-some with 11 points per game.
"Carpenter's one of their bigger guys, but he's a perimeter player too," Potter said. "The kid can flat out shoot the ball."
Both JDHS and Ketchikan are still looking for their defensive identity this season, and each is expected to pull out the full-court press between zone and man halfcourt looks.
"Early in the season, we had to worry about getting the ball out and learning how to be a running team. Now we've figured out that we really do want to run," Potter said. "That allows to start looking at how we can still use our height and become a more well-rounded team each game."
The Crimson Bears starters thus far this season have included 6-foot-4 senior posts Geoff Craig and Eric Gross along with 6-foot-3 junior wing Cody Grussendorf. While that height advantage looks good on paper, Craig believes it will be less of an advantage on Ketchikan's home court.
"They're gonna play dirty. They'll be hanging off our arms and doing whatever they can do stop us and bother us," Craig said. "We just have to keep going up strong inside and keep looking for our perimeter guys on the three-point line when they collapse down on us."
Gross and Grussendorf are leading the Bears after nine games with just over 11 points per game apiece. Junior point guard Reese Saviers and senior shooting guard Sean Bavard are tied for the third-highest average on the team with nearly eight points each per contest.
As usual, the Juneau-Douglas varsity players will be housed by the families of their Ketchikan adversaries, a tradition that helps the kids get to know one another and squash malicious feeling that a rivalry can raise.
"I'm excited to take part in these games. I'm new to the southeast, and it's already exciting to see the passion everybody in these two towns has," Stockhausen said. "The people here just love basketball, and it shows."
The schedule for both Friday's and Saturday's games tips off with the "C" team games at 4 p.m., then the junior varsity teams face off at 5:30 p.m. and, finally, the varsity squads meet at 7:15 p.m.
Bears siege Kings' castle - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Neither team, technically, has anything to play for tonight and Saturday when the Crimson Bears invade Ketchikan to take on their bitter Southeast Conference rivals. Just try telling that to the Kings fanatics who, while dipped head-to-toe in camo and hunters orange, will be clapping bricks and assaulting an array of stuffed grizzlies and kodiaks from rows 1-31.
Saturday January 10, 2009
The Bears rebounded in consolation bracket play with a 61-46 victory over Hutchison (Fairbanks). Colin Gozelski was named player of the game (15 points 10 rebounds).
The Crimson Bears finished play at the Shootout with a solid 80-51 victory over the Harpooners from Pt. Hope. The Bears were paced by player of the game Eric Gross's 17 points. Gozelski added 12, Sean Bavard scored 11, Reese Saviers and Geoff Craig each added 10.
The Bears' are next in action as they begin league play January 23 and 24 at Ketchikan. The Kings finished 5th at the Prep Shootout.
Bears Finish Fourth at Dimond Alaska Prep Shootout
JDHS opened the tournament Thursday with a 59-63loss to 3A powerhouse Grace Christian. Grace was led by a strong performance from senior wing Leif Kalberg. The Bears trailed by seven at the half, took the lead at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth Kalberg took over scoring 15 of his 29 points. The Bears were paced by Cody Grussendorf's 25 points.
Wednesday January 07, 2009
The first game of the road trip will be played tonight and broadcast live on KINY 800 radio. JDHS (5-0 for the season) plays the West Anchorage Eagles, a team that beat Juneau last year and has returned many of its key players.
After a warm-up game against West, one of the top teams in the state, JDHS will play in the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond High School and face 3A powerhouse Grace Christian School on Thursday night, the opening night of the tournament.
The last two games of the road trip depend on whether Juneau wins or loses its games. Some of the possible opponents include Hutchinson, Dimond and Ketchikan. All four games will be broadcast live on KINY 800 radio.
Wednesday's opponent, the West-Anchorage Eagles, have a 2-2 record with both losses coming from larger 5A schools from Texas. The Eagles most recent game was a 98-97 loss in double overtime to Plano West (Texas), a team that was ranked No. 38 in the nation.
The West Anchorage Eagles are coached by Chuck White, who has won 17 state championships in 38 seasons, including three state championships during his tenure at West Anchorage and 14 championships as the coach of East Anchorage.
White's teams are known for their full-court press defense and fast breaks. JDHS coach Steve Potter expects his team to face a full-court press today.
"I'm sure West will come with a lot of pressure like they always do. They trap from a lot of different angles and keep trapping," Potter said.
"We have a standard press break scheme that we use," he added. "If we execute it and make open shots we will be fine."
West will be trying to steal the ball, which may give opportunities for JDHS to score on easy layups.
"They are risking giving up a layup to go for the steal," Potter said. "West is always good. ... They have a lot of the same guys back, and they were real athletic last year."
West Anchorage also has junior Thomas Feeney.
"Feeney is one of the top players in the state," said JDHS senior Eric Gross, when asked about the West Anchorage team.
"I'm really looking forward to playing against them and testing ourselves against (them). ... It's going to be a real test of where we are as a team and where we need to be," Gross added.
Gross is averaging 11 point and seven rebounds per game and has emerged as one of the primary weapons for JDHS. He scored 22 points against Palmer in the opening game of the season.
"I think there have been moments where I've played where I should be," Gross said. "There is still room for improvement."
The Bears lost their starting backcourt to graduation and will rely on a trio of guards to handle the ball for them. The Bears have shown they can shoot the three if they get a chance, with senior Sean Bavard shooting 40 percent from behind the arc, and Junior point guard Reese Saviers shooting 37 percent. The Bears have 63 attempts from behind the arc this season, averaging 34 percent as a team.
JDHS shooting guard-forward Cody Grussendorf, the Bears' second leading scorer this season, broke down the keys to success against West Anchorage this week.
"We're going to have to play tough defense, block out and rebound, and try to hold their guards (from scoring)," Grussendorf said.
"It's going to be a tough matchup for us - two athletic teams going head-to-head," he added.
Juneau embarks on road trip - Juneau Empire by Erik Stimpfle
The Juneau-Douglas High School varsity boys basketball team will be tested this week as they embark on a four-game road trip in Anchorage.
Wednesday December 31, 2008
The win gave the Crimson Bears a perfect 3-0 record in the Classic and a 5-0 record thus far in the season.
Neither team pulled ahead by more than three points in the first quarter as the whirlwind pace picked up from the tip and raced to the end of the period. Eventually, junior point guard Reese Saviers' three at the buzzer ended the quarter in a 14-14 tie.
The start of the next period looked much the same, with both teams pushing the ball back after surrendering transition baskets. Things broke down defensively for the Crimson Bears later in the second, as the Malemutes' motion offense was able to get looks in half-court sets and a string of defensive stops led to breakaway lay-ups. Eventually, a 9-1 run to finish the second led to a 36-36 half-time lead for the 'Mutes.
Juneau-Douglas found some open space of their own in the third, as they began to beat Lathrop's perimeter traps for open looks inside and for open three pointers. The action slowed down for much of the period, and the Bears eventually stalled again in the uncomfortable pace. JDHS was held scoreless over the final three minutes, but ended the period down just 43-42.
Things looked bad for the Bears again in the fourth, as their opening possession lasted a full minute before Saviers missed a long three-point attempt. Junior wing Cody Grussendorf eventually found some space driving into the lane and hit a short jumper before finding sophomore forward Colin Gozelski with a nice assist to put JDHS up 51-47 with 1:34 remaining.
Both teams turned the ball over at least twice down the stretch, but a pair of free throws from Saviers stretched the lead to 55-49 with 22 seconds remaining. Lathrop hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds left, but two more Saviers free throws sealed the narrow win.
Sean Bavard led the Bears scoring effort with 14 points, including four three pointers. Saviers followed with 11 and Alex Fagerstrom added eight.
Lathrop was led by 14 points from Nathan Wilson and 13 from Nathan Wilson. Denzel Crump added 11 for the 'Mutes.
Bears take Classic crown - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Juneau-Douglas boys basketball team treated the hometown fans to a fitting championship finish Tuesday night, closing out the Capital City Classic with a nail-biting 57-52 win over in-state rival Lathrop.
Wednesday December 31, 2008
Rounding out the all-tournament team were:
Luke Averill and Mackenzie Larkin (Anacortes)
Dejan Jovasevic and Lucas DeCoste (New Westminster)
Gralin Parker and Sam Green (Lathrop)
The special events winners were:
Free Throw: Mackenzie Larkin (Anacortes)
Slam Dunk: Luke Averill (Anacortes)
3-point: Gralin Parker (Lathrop)
Three Crimson Bears Earn Capital City Classic All-Tourney Awards
Senior Alex Fagerstrom and junior Cody Grussendorf were named to the all-tournament team for the 2008 Capital City Classic. Juneau senior,Eric Gross, was named the tournaments MVP.
Tuesday December 30, 2008
The Bears jumped out to an early 12-4 lead just three minutes into the game after junior point guard Reese Saviers found a streaking Alex Fagerstrom on the break for an easy layup. The Seahawks emerged from a quick timeout in a sticky 2-3 zone, however, that slowed the tempo and forced JDHS into lengthy offensive possessions, passing around the perimeter.
Both teams went on the attack after made shots with full-court presses early in the first half, and the Bears clung to a slim lead for most of the first two periods. Anacortes was able to grab short-lived one-possession leads midway through each of the first two quarters, but JDHS quickly responded each time with a miniature run of its own.
Juneau-Douglas' struggles against the zone left them ahead by just a single point with three minutes remaining in the second. Saviers found an opening over the top, though, and connected on a pair of three pointers to stretch the halftime lead to 35-28.
Luke Averill, half of Anacortes' senior twin towers, picked up his fourth foul just two minutes into the third. Another senior forward, Ryan Hayes, picked up his third foul 20 seconds later, and the Seahawks were forced to play on with a small lineup.
After missing four straight free throws, Gross kicked off the decisive run to end the quarter with three hard-earned baskets inside.
The teams combined for 31 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter, as their tight, agressive defenses began to draw quick whistles. Anacortes hit just seven of their 16 attempts in the period, while the Bears were able to ice the win by hitting 10 of 15.
Gross led JDHS with 18 points, continuing his strong play after scoring 11 in Saturday's win over New Westminster. Junior Cody Grussendorf followed with 12 and Saviers added 11.
Fagerstrom and sophomore Colin Gozelski provided bursts of defensive intensity off the bench, finishing with eight and six points apiece, respectively.
Mackenzie Larkin, the other half of Anacortes' post duo, led the Seahawks with 23 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Averill added 11 in limited minutes. Jackson Kirkpatrick chipped in seven.
Juneau-Douglas 67, Anacortes, Wash. 54 - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Senior forward Eric Gross scored six straight points during a 13-4 Crimson Bears run to close the third quarter, and the Seahawks never pulled closer than nine in a foul-riddled fourth period.
The win was Juneau-Douglas' fourth in a row to start the season and came in the round-robin tournament's defacto championship game after JDHS and Anacortes won their opening contests on Saturday.
Sunday December 28, 2008
The sailing wasn't all smooth for the Crimson Bears, though, with senior forward Eric Gross' lay-up finally breaking a 2-2 tie four minutes into the game. Starting JDHS point guard Reese Saviers made sure the quarter ended with a bang, however, as he connected on a deep three-pointer from the elbow, nabbed two steals, and hit two lay-ups in the final 1:28. If that wasn't enough, he found sophomore Colin Gozelski with a crowd-pleasing behind-the-back assist as time expired to put Juneau-Douglas ahead 16-3.
Saviers opened the second quarter in style as well, hitting another three pointer before Corey Mahar found him with a nice assist on a lay-up just 40 seconds in.
Gross and the rest of the JDHS posts had plenty of early opportunities inside, but the Hyacks effectively collapsed onto shooters with a variety of zone defenses. Despite plenty of blocked and influenced shots, Gross was able to finish with nine points before half-time. Gozelski added six points of his own in the opening half, as the Bears raced to a 40-14 lead.
Juneau-Douglas expanded their lead to 48-18 midway through the third before falling into a slump for the rest of the quarter. JDHS junior forward Lawrence Fenumiai's four free throws, which included a bank shot for good measure, were all the points the Bears could muster in the period despite substituting the starters back in for the final 1:12.
Senior shooting guard Sean Bavard got the JDHS offense back on track early in the fourth with a three-pointer that he quickly followed with a steal and a lay-up in the opening seconds. JDHS head coach Steve Potter played his reserves for much of the remaining time and emptied his bench in the final minutes.
One of the final players to hit the floor was Eric's younger brother, freshman Evan Gross. The first-year post player converted a tough lay-up despite being fouled with 50 seconds to play, drawing a standing ovation from the Juneau crowd. Gross converted his free throw and two more from a New Westminster technical foul. He finished the game with five points.
Saviers led the Bears with 14 and Eric Gross added 11 as the only other JDHS player in double figures. Junior Alex DeRocher and Gozelski chipped in eight apiece. In all, a dozen Bears scored in the game.
Lucas Decoste, they Hyak's six-foot-six center, was the only New Westminster player to finish in double figures with 12 points. Tyrell Belton added seven. Desan Jovasevic and Andre Stroud chipped in six apiece.
JDHS's next game will be against Lathrop at 8 p.m. on Monday night. New Westminster will take on Anacortes at 3:45 p.m. on Monday afternoon.
Anacortes, Wash., 63, Lathrop 56
The Seahawks' big pair of versatile senior forwards, six-foot-four Luke Averill and six-foot-five Mackenzie Larkin, proved too much for the smaller Malemutes Saturday afternoon.
Averill, who came in averaging 19 points per game, put up 14 on Lathrop in the first quarter alone and finished with a game-high 22. Averill's efforts helped Anacortes jump out to a 21-13 lead after the first quarter.
Larkin, who averaged 26 points per game entering the contest, was held to just 12 points. However, five of those came in the crucial fourth quarter when the Seahawks overcame a 49-45 deficit.
Ryan Hayes was the only other Anacortes player to finish in double figures with 11.
Kris Beale was the top scorer for Lathrop, finishing with 14. Beale's total included a pair of three-point hits in the third that helped the Malemutes jump out to a quick second-half lead. Sam Green was the only other Lathrop player in double figures with 12, but was held scoreless in the fourth as his team fell late. Nathan Wilson chipped in eight for the 'Mutes.
Crimson Bears boys bamboozle Canadian team in lopsided victory - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Juneau-Douglas boys basketball team surrendered just three points in the opening quarter to British Columbia's New Westminster Hyaks on Saturday and never took their feet off the gas, winning 76-40 in the nightcap of the Capital City Classic's opening day.
Friday December 26, 2008
The Capital City Classic has become an informal homecoming for the Juneau-Douglas High School basketball teams over the years, with recently graduated players and wayward-living alumni returning for the holidays and a weekend of competitive basketball.
Hopefully, the crowd can catch some of the exotic basketball action between conversations.
The tournament field this season includes a traveling squad of top Australian girls junior players, one of Washington's top boys programs and even a crew that represents the pride of a small Ohio town.
"I think every team enjoys coming down to Juneau because of the crowds we can get every year," JDHS girls head coach Lesslie Knight said. "During the Classic, you'll see a huge crowd of people turning around and catching up with everybody during the breaks. It's a reunion spot."
Crimson Bears boys coach Steve Potter sees the tournament serving another purpose for players, students and recent graduates - a positive social environment to keep them away from other holiday-break distractions.
"All the kids can come back and see most of their friends from the school or who graduated there. It's a situation where you don't need to be 21 to find yourself in that kind of environment," Potter said. "Under different circumstances it probably would be called our homecoming, but it's just another chance for the school and the community to get fired up over basketball."
While the social setting may draw crowds, the traditional Juneau support for their Bears has never been a problem, according to Potter. The coach just hopes that this year's tournament layout doesn't hurt the crowd sizes over the final two days of the tournament.
"It's kind of an odd setup this year, with games on Saturday and then back again on Monday and Tuesday," Potter said. "We've never had a bad crowd, and it will be interesting to see how that works out. I hope we still get some full stands."
One factor that might help bring out the crowd for Monday's and Tuesday's games, is that the Bears won't host another home contest for more than a month, when they bring in Eagle River on Feb. 6-7.
"I know the kids really enjoy everything about the Classic, and part of it is having so many people they know out there cheering them on," Potter said. "I hope to see everybody from around town out there at the games."
Classic attraction - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
2008 Capital City Classic draws teams from across U.S., world
Thursday December 25, 2008
"We weren't reading situations correctly, we made poor decisions and, as a result, we were turning the ball over," head coach Steve Potter said. "We weren't making mistakes on high-reward plays. Our turnovers were just unnecessary."
The good news for the Bears is that junior Cody Grussendorf has emerged as a slasher and playmaker on the perimeter, senior Sean Bavard's three-point stroke is looking pure and senior big man Eric Gross should be on a mission after sitting almost their entire second game with foul trouble.
"There were good things that came out of last weekend. I think we showed our depth when Eric had to sit, and Lawrence (Fenumiai) and Colin (Gozelski) stepped in. They were solid on the boards and made up what we were missing," Potter said.
"Cody also showed me some leadership. Obviously he scored well the second night, but when we didn't need that scoring on the first night, he led us in assists."
Potter also added that there was no secret plan to keep Gross on the floor this time around. A change in refs might help, though, he added.
"Eric always plays really hard, and that's the way we want him to play. He committed some fouls that probably won't be fouls up north," Potter said.
JDHS boys still looking for chemistry - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team is a group in search of an identity after changing offenses in the offseason and scrapping their way to a pair of tight wins over Palmer to start the season.
Monday December 22, 2008
Saturday's 62-60 nailbiter came down to a final failed desperation heave from Palmer after a wild flurry of turnovers and three-pointers helped the Moose close a late deficit.
The Crimson Bears (2-0 overall) led the Moose (0-2) 57-50 with 1:35 left on the game clock when Palmer's Shaquille Odom put back his team's fourth rebound during a frantic possession to cut into the lead.
Juneau forward Cody Grussendorf, playing at point guard for much of the game, then fell down while attempting to receive the following inbound pass and Palmer's Kyle Titus hit a three-pointer from deep in the left corner to close in 57-55. Grussendorf hit a pair of free throws on the next possession, but Odom followed with a quick lay-up to keep the deficit at two with 23 seconds remaining.
A pair of free throws from senior Alex Fagerstrom pushed the lead back to four, but another quick corner three from Titus pulled the Moose within one point at the 10-second mark. Palmer was forced to foul again, and Grussendorf hit one of two free throws, giving Palmer the rebound and one last chance.
Palmer forward Mitch Swetzof caught the ball off the outlet pass at midcourt and launched a two-handed heave with seven seconds still on the clock. The shot bounced left off the backboard and neither team was able to control the ball before time expired.
"We just kept talking about keeping our cool and remembering we were ahead that whole time," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "We forgot how to help off of dribble penetration at the end and opened up some shooters. I think (Swetzof) could've gotten closer at the end, but they had to be feeling some of that pressure, too."
Senior forward and leading scorer Eric Gross got into foul trouble early for Juneau-Douglas and was unable to stay on the court for the majority of the game. Gross, who scored 20 points in Friday's 61-51 win, was limited to just two points for the game. Gross eventually fouled out with 2:07 left.
"They certainly weren't hard fouls, but they were fouls. They just weren't very effective fouls," Potter said. "He just didn't feel like he could do what he does to help this team tonight."
Grussendorf, a 6-foot-3 junior, took over much of the scoring load for the Bears despite playing out of position at the point. He found success early by driving into the teeth of Palmer's tight man defense and getting to the line 11 times. He converted on 10 of those free throws and finished the game with 24 points.
Sean Bavard also helped to keep the Moose defense honest by hitting a trio of three pointers and converting on all three free throws from another attempt when he was undercut. Bavard finished with 12 points.
Backup big man Lawrence Fenumiai was able to step in for Gross and provide a solid rebounding and shot-blocking presence to clog the middle for the team.
"Lawrence came in and did a great job. It's not his job to score for us, but he did everything we asked of him," Potter said.
Starting point guard Reese Saviers chipped in seven points, while Geoff Craig - the other JDHS senior post player hampered by foul trouble - picked up all six of his points at the line.
"We played really well in spots and played pretty poorly at times, too," Potter said. "That's just part of the learning process. Fortunately, we were able to come out with a win."
Forward Jake Hillis led the Moose with 16 points and fellow big man Sean Nickamp chipped in 13 while being matched up against Juneau's shooting guard, Bavard.
"(Bavard's) can do a lot of things, but his post defense probably isn't the best in the world, and they made the adjustment to take advantage of our smaller guards," Potter said.
Gross' 22 points and nine rebounds on Friday night helped the Crimson Bears run away in the fourth for the 61-51 win in the season-opener for both teams.
Grussendorf also had a solid game, chipping in 11 points and seven assists, and Alex Derocher finished with eight points.
"It was very much a first game for us - we certainly looked like we were nervous," Potter said. "We shored some things up at half-time, though, and started much better in the third."
Juneau-Douglas managed just 10 points in the first quarter and 13 in the second, but picked up the pace offensively in the second half by combining for 38 points in the final quarters.
"We mainly worked on our defensive positioning at half. We were making our adjustments after the passes were already made, and we needed to jump in and anticipate them," Potter said.
Hillis led the way for Palmer Friday night, finishing with 15 points. Christian Odom followed with nine.
Please look for full box scores in Wednesday's Sports.
Bears boys 2-0 after wild finish - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
The Juneau-Douglas boys' basketball team looked comfortable in their new uptempo attack this weekend, putting at least 60 points on the board in both wins over the visiting Palmer Moose.
Friday December 19, 2008
There's a big hole in the middle as the Juneau-Douglas High School basketball team returns to the court tonight and Saturday against Palmer. That's what losing a 6-foot-2, 300-pound center will do for you.
Faifo Levale is now opening holes along the line for Weber State in college football, but the good news for the Crimson Bears is that 6-foot-4 Eric Gross returns after being named to the All-State Second-Team last season.
Gross averaged roughly 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game in 2007-08. It's well-known in the state that Gross can play, but the question remains how much Juneau-Douglas will pound the ball inside this season.
Despite losing his starting backcourt to graduation as well - two guards who are now both playing college sports - third-year head coach Steve Potter wants to see his team running wild this season.
"This year, I think we've got some athletes. We've got guys with a lot of basketball knowledge and basketball skills," Potter said. "We just sort of need to adjust to what we can do best talent-wise."
Potter's plans this year include focusing on defense early and getting his team's undersized guards and mid-sized forwards using their athleticism.
The Crimson Bears also return 6-foot-4 Geoff Craig along the front line to help Gross carry the load inside.
"Eric and Geoff are both really good defenders and ferocious rebounders. Eric's also a really strong offensive player for us," Potter said. "The only other player we have coming back with a ton of experience is Cody Grussendorf."
Juneau-Douglas is searching for inside depth in early practices with only two players of the 13 currently on the varsity roster who can match Gross and Craig's height. One of them, Eric's younger brother, freshman Evan Gross, has yet to play a high school game and still needs to add strength to his frame to compete at the varsity level, according to Potter.
What the remaining players do have is athleticism in spades. Senior guard Alex Fagerstrom stands just 5-foot-11, but has already shown that he can dominate with his combination of speed and power on the football field after being named the state's 4A Offensive Player of the Year at running back.
Potter also points out Grussendorf, a 6-foot-3 junior forward, as one of his best athletes.
"Cody's also just has a lot of understanding of basketball for us. He can really play the one, two, three or four (positions) for us," Potter said. "We'll have to use him in a lot of different ways."
Potter isn't quite sure what he has yet with his team, and matchups and tempo will likely dictate the team's starting lineups and rotation early in the season.
"I know we have a lot of guys who can play. We need to find the guys who want to play up-tempo. That's what we want to do," he said.
Fagerstrom isn't the only JDHS football player to return to the basketball team this season. Junior postman Lawrence Fenumiai will bring his 6-foot-3 frame back over from his fall linebacker position and will also compete for minutes inside.
Corey Mahar is also switching off football mode, to try to fill the hole at guard.
"Lawrence is probably the most athletic of that next level of big guys, and Corey's not real big but he plays strong, and he just plays fast," the coach added.
The players on the current team did their part in lobbying Potter to move to a more up-tempo system, and the coach said the group has put in the work thus far to make it work.
"For us to play that way, we have to be locked in mentally, and we have to run all the time so we can transition quickly," Potter said. "We definitely have guys who can shoot the three, and they'll be shooting, but we're not the Phoenix Suns either. We're not trying to get shots up in seven seconds or less."
This weekend, Potter is hoping for a couple of wins to start the season against a Palmer team whose new coach, Jason Marvel, has an old reputation. Marvel led his Wasilla team to the state title two seasons ago before retiring for the next two seasons.
"I think he decided that retirement just wasn't in the cards for him," Potter said. "We beat (Palmer) at state last year, but they're a completely different team now, and we know it. We want to see if we're good yet, and that's what these games will tell us."
Both the Friday and Saturday games for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys' basketball team will tip off at 8 p.m. against Palmer at the high school's Main Gym.
Boys just need the room to run - Juneau Empire by Trent Makela
Senior posts Gross, Craig lead Crimson Bears in first games against Palmer tonight, Saturday
Tuesday December 16, 2008
Varsity and JV/C Schedules
The 2008-2009 schedules have been added to the website. Check them out so you can be at the next game to cheer on the home team! If you missed a game you can check for results online, too.
Monday December 15, 2008
Yadao and Ibesate Earn Awards at Road to the Gold Tournament
The freshman duo of shooting-guard Tony Yadao and point guard Lance Ibesate earned accolades this weekend. The strong and steady performance of Yadao garnered the Tournament MVP and Ibesate proved a steady hand at the point guard position over the weekend earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Sunday December 14, 2008
Alaska teams snag top spots at Road to the Gold tourney - Yukon News by Tom Patrick
Bears take title after one-sided fourth quarter
It’s third time’s the charm for the Juneau Bears. Appearing in their third-straight finals at the Road to the Gold, the Bears finally took the title with a 72-54 win over the FH Collins Warriors.
The Bears, a junior varsity team of Grade 9s and 10s, played three even quarters of ball against the senior Warriors team, ending the first up 16-15, the second down 33-30 and the third up 47-45.
However, the fourth was a different story. Held to just three field goals and three successful free throws, the Warriors were outscored 25-9.
“I think our guys ran out of gas,†said Warriors coach Jeff Cressman. “I had two guys away on holidays and they would have been in the starting line-up, so that kind of hurt us a bit.â€
A big part of the Bears’ strategy was shutting down the Warriors’ Tony Nguyen, who ended the game with 23 points.
“Down the stretch we knew they were going to rely on him if they were going to have a chance to come back,†said Robert Casperson, coach for the Bears. “So we did everything we could to make sure he didn’t get the ball and if he did, we’d have two guys running at him.â€
“That’s what we figured was going to happen,†said Cressman of the Bears’ strategy. “But the other guys didn’t step up and score and that was the end of that there.
“(Tony) is one of the best basketball players that will ever come out of the Yukon. He’ll be playing university ball somewhere for sure.â€
The Bears defeated a Northway boys’ team in the semis under unusual circumstances. With only six players, the Northway team withdrew from the game in the third quarter after three of its players fouled out by exceeding the maximum of five fouls.
“A couple of their guys picked up four fouls in the first quarter,†said Casperson. “That’s a lot.â€
The Warriors defeated the Crusaders B team 75-63 to advance to the championship round.
The two teams met in a round robin section of the tournament, ending in a reversed outcome.
“That game they got after us defensively and we turned the ball over, didn’t handle the pressure,†said Casperson. “Tonight we did a better job of not turning the ball over.â€
Other top scorers for the Warriors were Dylan Salsbury and Afshin Armirtibar, with 14 and nine points. For the Bears Tony Vadao had 20 points while teammate Jazz King put 18 worth through the rim.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com
