News Archives
Thursday December 11, 2008
International Road Warriors
The Junior Varsity heads off to Canada to play in the Road to the Gold Tournament. Stay tuned for news and results!
Friday December 05, 2008
The New Season is Here!
Stay tuned for updates on the website... rosters, pictures, schedules, and more!
Sunday March 30, 2008 Juneau-Douglas forward Eric Gross selected as a member of the All-State Second Team
Class 4A Boys
FIRST TEAM
Kevin Winford, Bartlett
Anthony Cousin, South
Damon Bell-Holter, Ketchikan
Corey Toombs, Kenai
Aaron Stevens, South
SECOND TEAM
Eric Gross, Juneau-Douglas
Rylan Whilden, Dimond
Jaron Murphy, Colony
Ryan Hanley, Dimond
Marcus Lowe, Service
HONORABLE MENTION
Colton Lauwers, Dimond
John Palmer, Colony
Trevor Smith, South
Grant Niver, Colony
Nate Byrd, Kenai
Mike Russell, West
T.J. Fullmer, Palmer
All-State Basketball Teams Announced - Juneau Empire
Sunday March 23, 2008 Cousin, a 5-11 guard, did most of his damage on the scoreboard with a tourney-best 21.6 points a game but also chipped in 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and two steals a game.
Watching his back, were the forward duo of Smith and Stevens. The 6-5 Smith, who plucked 2.3 steals a contest, and the 6-6 Stevens, who blocked a tourney-high 1.7 shots per game, combined for 18.3 points and 20.3 boards a game to help the Wolverines rule down low.
Bartlett's Kevin Winford, the Gatorade Alaska Boys Basketball Player of the Year, nearly led the Golden Bears to a comeback win but settled for a runner-up finish thanks to 19.7 points, four rebounds and 2.3 steals a game. The 6-1 senior guard also hit 93 percent of his free throws.
While Bartlett will need to fill Winford's spot outside, freshman Damon Newsome developed down and nearly sent the title game into overtime with a last second look. The 6-4 forward was good 5.7 points and 8.3 rebounds a game.
Josh Moseley, a 6-3 senior forward, helped lead Colony to third-place with 10.3 points a game in his final outings in green and white.
The Dimond duo of Rylan Whilden and Ryan Hanley, both repeaters from last year's all-tourney team, helped the Lynx keep their claws with two wins after a first-round upset by Kenai.
Whilden, a 6-4 senior guard, pumped in 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game, while Hanley, a 6-2 junior forward, was an all-around force with 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals and one block a night.
Kenai's Cory Toombs, a 6-0 senior guard, helped the school upset Dimond en route to averaging 17.7 points, seven rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals over the tournament.
Eric Gross, a 6-4 forward, rounded out the team. The Juneau junior made his mark with 16 points, seven rebounds and 2.7 assists a game.
4A boys all-tourney team
• Anthony Cousin, South
• Trevor Smith, South
• Aaron Stevens, South
• Kevin Winford, Bartlett
• Damon Newsome, Bartlett
• Josh Moseley, Colony
• Rylan Whilden, Dimond
• Ryan Hanley, Dimond
• Cory Toombs, Kenai
• Eric Gross, Juneau
Juneau's Eric Gross Selected to All-Tourney Team at State - ADN.com
Unlike the girls side of 4A state, senior boys dominated on the court and, as a result, took seven of the 10 spots on the all-tournament team.
South's senior trio of Anthony Cousin, Trevor Smith and Aaron Stevens saved their best basketball for Alaska's biggest stage and earned the school it's first basketball title. But the graduating group will make it tough for the Wolverines to reload and repeat.
Saturday March 22, 2008 Dimond made 29 of 40 free throws while JDHS hit 6 of 9 in the game. JDHS was whistled for 27 fouls compared to the Lynx's 11.
"We can't overcome a 4-to-1 ratio on fouls," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "Two-to-1, yes. We did that (Friday), against Palmer (in a 57-41 win). But not 4-to-1. You can't defend players at the free throw line."
Despite the free-throw disparity, Juneau's long-distance shooting kept the team close.
Ryan Larson, a senior who played his final game for JDHS, made 6 of 11 3-point shots. He also hit a bomb from about 30-feet out with less than a minute to play. He finished with 18 points.
JDHS junior Eric Gross had 14 points, while senior Dominique Brinson scored eight points and Faifo Levale had six.
Gross scored all but one of his points in the first half as JDHS led 35-33 at halftime.
Dimond responded with a quick 10-2 run to start the second half, but JDHS fought back. Levale made a three-point play and Larson hit a 3-point shot to stem the momentum.
Dimond refused to go away, though. The Lynx outscored JDHS 38-24 in the second half to win.
Dimond had nine steals and forced JDHS into 17 turnovers.
Meanwhile, Juneau struggled shooting from the floor. After making 7 of 9 shots in the first quarter, JDHS made just 9 of 24 the rest of the way.
They also finished 7 of 29 from beyond the 3-point arc.
"We still had our shot at winning - we just didn't make our shots," Potter said.
Potter said his team played in more of their customary fashion Friday in a 57-42 win over Palmer at the Sullivan Arena.
Juneau players used an inside-out offense after establishing themselves with several baskets early in paint from Gross, who finished with a team-high 15 points.
With Palmer collapsing down, the perimeter was left open for senior snipers Larson and Brinson, who combined for six 3-pointers
"They had to double down on us," Potter said Friday. "We do a pretty good job when we get our low-high game going."
Defensively, Potter credited Levale and Geoff Craig for playing well inside and helping stop Palmer forward Bryce Jacobson. The Moose forward finished with 17 points.
Levale earned player of the game honors for his defense along with scoring nine points.
The loss to Dimond gave Juneau-Douglas sixth place overall, the same as last season.
After Saturday's game, Potter acknowledged the class and character of his team in handling adversity and credited his squad for a fine representation of sportsmanship in representing the Southeast Conference.
Juneau boys beat Palmer Friday, but fall to Dimond Saturday to finish sixth - Juneau Empire by David Morse
ANCHORAGE - A big disparity in free-throw shooting helped Dimond High School defeat Juneau-Douglas 71-59 in the fourth-place game of the Alaska School Activities Association Class 4A boys basketball state tournament at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Friday March 21, 2008
http://www.cybersportsusa.com/statBB_LeadersMedia.asp?tc_id=2016&seas_id=2007
Check out the 2008 State Tournament Leaders:
Friday March 21, 2008 The Crimson Bears nearly came back from a late nine-point deficit but lost 68-67. It marked the third-straight year JDHS lost in the state tournament's first round.
A three-point play by Anthony Cousins gave South a 63-54 lead with 3:29 left in the game.
The Crimson Bears made a final push, however, as two free throws by Ryan Larson and a putback by Faifo Levale ignited the charge. A free throw by Shawn Ibesate and two baskets by Eric Gross cut the lead to four.
After a South free throw, Juneau's Sean Bavard made a 3-pointer to cut the lead 67-65 with 14 seconds left.
Cousins then hit one of two free throws to boost the lead back to three with seconds left.
Larson responded with a layup to cut the advantage to one, but JDHS couldn't foul a South player to stop the clock as regulation ended.
Gross earned player of the game honors after posting 19 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Cousins scored a game-high 26 points for South and made 14 of 18 free throws in the win.
Dominique Brinson, Cody Grussendorf and Ryan Larson hit 3-pointers in the first quarter, but South took a 16-13 lead.
Juneau-Douglas then took the lead midway through the second quarter by going inside. Gross and Geoff Craig both scored as JDHS led 21-17.
South responded with a 9-2 run, largely off the dribble penetration of Cousins. Craig stopped the flow with a basket to pull the Crimson Bears within three points of the lead, 26-23.
Six players scored in the first half for JDHS but South toted a 33-26 halftime lead.
The Bears lost a little of their inside dominance in the third quarter when Gross picked up his third foul.
Larson and Grussendorf hit 3-pointers in the third quarter, but South Anchorage started to widen the gap and led 51-44 after three quarters.
Brinson's third 3-point shot of the game drew JDHS to within three, 54-51, but South took over on the defensive end.
A couple of untimely turnovers and South steals allowed the Wolverines to bump the score back to 59-52 in the fourth quarter.
Juneau committed 19 turnovers to South's 11 in the loss. South also made 25 of 41 free throws.
Brinson finished with 15 points and three assists while Larson had 12 points and five rebounds. Grussendorf scored six points, Levale had five points, Craig had four points while Ibesate and Bavard tallied three points each.
For South, Kevin Cousin had 15 points while Trevor Smith posted 11 points and 13 rebounds. D.J. Cousin also scored seven points in the win.
JDHS will play Palmer at 9:40 a.m. today in the consolation round while South takes on Colony at 8:30 p.m. tonight in the semifinals.
South Anchorage downs JDHS boys 68-67 at tourney - Juneau Empire by David Morse
ANCHORAGE - The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team made a late push but came up short against Southeast Anchorage in the Alaska School Activities Association Class 4A state tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at West Anchorage High School.
Thursday March 20, 2008
Juneau's Dominique Brinson was paired with a member of Colony's girls' team to win the 2008 Army National Guard March Madness Team Ball Competition. Team Ball is a timed event where players make shots from designated spots on the floor. Each spot is worth a certain number of points, ranging from 1 point for a layup to 4 points for a shot from behind the arc. In the one minute allotted, Brinson and his partner finished with a score of 33.
Crimson Bear Boys Excel at Pre-Tournament Competitions
Juneau senior, Ryan "Bubba" Larson, finished with a score of 46 to defeat Colony's John Palmer in the 2008 Army National Guard March Madness 3 point contest. In dramatic fashion, Bubba needed to hit all the shots from his final rack to overcome Palmer's score. Juneau's Sean Ibesate also shot well in the competition and finished 6th in the field of 16 with a score of 36.
Thursday March 20, 2008
Follow the Action - Webcast of 2008 State Tournament
Copy and paste the following link to follow the Crimson Bears in the 2008 State Tournament:
http://www.cybersportsusa.com/tourney.asp?sport_id=1&lev_id=1&assoc_id=3&tc_id=2016
Wednesday March 19, 2008 "We're trying to harp on these guys to be quick and that they get the reminders of if we break down, this happens," Potter said. "We don't have one guy everyone looks to to save us. The guys have everyone's respect."
That kind of respect and chemistry between the players will be crucial. JDHS will be expected to execute under duress Thursday. A successfully run press-break should lead to easy points. A bad pass or errant dribble, though, will give South momentum.
"If we dribble too much, it's trouble," Potter said. "As you can see, nothing we practice involves a lot of dribbling."
Seemingly most of Juneau-Douglas's season has been preparing the squad for Thursday's contest.
Juneau played the fourth most difficult schedule in the state, according to the state's win percentage index formula. While the WPI only factors in games against Alaska Class 4A competition, Juneau also tested itself against an elite team from California, split two games against defending Class 3A state champion Petersburg and dropped a close game to Class 3A state qualifier Heritage Christian in Anchorage.
The majority of teams JDHS faced out of conference featured the kind of pressure it will most likely see against the Wolverines.
The battled-tested Bears should be ready for any contingency.
"We don't really see a full court, but a lot of three-quarters and half-court pressure," Potter said. "Our press break works against both, if we execute it.
"The last couple of times - end of the Colony game not withstanding - we did all right. They're getting better with it."
The Colony game Potter referred to was a 53-47 loss at home on Jan. 27 in which the Knights used their pressure defense to come back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Since that loss, though, JDHS won six of its final nine games.
"We prepare to work against a press," JDHS senior Dominique Brinson said of the Bears' practice. "We have to box out because they have athletic players and we need to work on our defense."
South Anchorage enters the game as one of the state's hotter teams. The Wolverines downed West Anchorage and Service in the Cook Inlet Conference tournament to seal a state tournament berth.
The Bears and Wolverines opened the season on Dec. 15 in the Joe Floyd Tournament in Kodiak. South won the game 61-58. While both teams have progressed significantly since that game more than three months ago, the familiarity should help.
"It's nice we've seen them before," Potter said. "They're not some big mystery."
One of Juneau's main strengths throughout the year is its balance. While the team doesn't feature one dominant player, it does have a host of athletes who can produce in a variety of roles.
Brinson leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game. Eric Gross, a 6-foot-4 post player, has evolved into a reliable inside threat. By finding open space and taking advantage of Juneau's penetration, he's averaged 13.2 points in the Bears last five games.
JDHS routinely plays 10 to 11 players throughout a contest.
After testing everyone with a difficult schedule and significant minutes, the Bears hope to be at their maximum effectiveness Thursday.
Crimson Bears look to deal with pressure - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The final hour of the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team's Monday morning practice consisted almost entirely of running and breaking out of defensive traps.
Crimson Bears coach Steve Potter stopped the practice frequently and explained to his panting players about where to go and why. A full understanding of breaking the trap will be crucial if JDHS hopes to get past South Anchorage at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the Alaska School Activities Association Class 4A State Basketball Tournament at West Anchorage High School.
Monday March 10, 2008 The Crimson Bears (13-11) received a No. 5 seed and will take on fourth-seeded South Anchorage at 3:30 p.m. March 20 at West Anchorage High School.
Juneau-Douglas and the Wolverines opened the season together Dec. 13 at the Joe Floyd Tournament in Kodiak. South nipped JDHS 61-58 in the game.
The JDHS-South winner will play either top-seeded Colony or eighth-seeded Palmer on March 21.
On the other side of the bracket, second-seeded Bartlett will play Lathrop while Dimond faces Kenai Central.
Boys to play South Anchorage at State Tournament
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys discovered their first-round opponent at the Alaska School Activities Association State Basketball Championships.
The Class 4A boys tournament will take place March 20-22 in Anchorage.
Sunday March 09, 2008 In the final game of the four-day Southeast Conference Basketball Tournament, the defending Class 3A boys basketball state champion Vikings upset the Crimson Bears 61-59. The Vikings won their first outright Southeast title since 1971 in a game that featured 14 lead changes. Neither team led by more than five points in the game.
JDHS knocked off Petersburg the previous two years in the crossover title game. When next season rolls around, though, a fresh blue-and-white pennant designating the Vikings as Southeast Conference champs will adorn the JDHS gym wall.
"We've met these guys the last three years and they've beat us every year but we finally got our revenge," said Petersburg senior captain Cameron Severson while wearing a freshly-cut basketball net as a necklace. "We've been waiting for this since my sophomore year."
Juneau-Douglas nearly pulled off a miracle play to force overtime. Down 61-59 after making one free throw, JDHS guard Shawn Ibesate deliberately missed the second shot with 1.2 seconds left in regulation. The ball caromed back to Ibesate, who flicked up a shot in mid-air that rolled off the rim.
Severson led the Vikings with 29 points and 11 rebounds. The reigning Class 3A player of the year also hit 13 of 16 free throws to avenge a 56-52 loss to the Crimson Bears last December.
"Our goal is to still win a state championship but this is almost as important," Severson said. "To get Southeast and get our name up on one of those triangles."
Petersburg seized the lead with 45 seconds left in the game as Severson's floating shot in the lane gave the Vikings a 58-56 advantage. He later added two free throws with 35.4 seconds to give Petersburg a crucial four-point cushion.
Ibesate cut the lead back to two with 29.3 seconds left on a drive, but JDHS would get no closer.
"I think it took our guys a while to register that Petersburg really wanted to win the game," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "They're tough and we knew that earlier in the year, and we knew they got better, and I think we got better today. We had a lot of difficulty with Severson and we missed some opportunities inside that we should've made."
While the game is basically an exhibition, both the Bears and Vikings attacked each other with abandon. Neither the fans nor players expected a tepid exhibition. Everyone in the gym knew JDHS and Petersburg would fight until the final whistle.
JDHS took a 17-15 lead to end the first quarter as Reese Saviers knocked down a 3-point shot at the buzzer.
Faifo Levale opened the second quarter by converting a three-point play - making a layup while being fouled and hitting the ensuing free throw.
Severson, however, responded by scoring seven straight points to put Petersburg up 22-20.
The rest of the game took on a similar tenor.
Juneau's Ryan Larson hit a hook shot to put JD up 28-24 with 2:30 left before halftime, then the Vikings went on a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead.
In the third quarter, the Bears' Geoff Craig drained a baseline jumper, then Vikings guard Jon Mazzella responded with a jumper of his own to end the third quarter and give Petersburg a 45-44 lead.
Juneau-Douglas led 54-51 as Cody Grussendorf hit a free throw after converting a layup with 3:53 left in the game. Petersburg cut the lead to two twice before Severson's jumper with less than a minute remaining put his team ahead for good.
"I'm very proud of our boys," Petersburg coach Rick Brock said. "The best thing about this is we played well as a team."
For Juneau-Douglas, the loss doesn't affect its state-tournament standing or ranking. The Crimson Bears will open the state tournament on March 20 against an opponent to be determined later this week.
"We've got to make sure we finish and start and pay the middle," Potter said. "Petersburg is very good. It's hard to say they're not one of the toughest teams we've played all year."
Vikings raid Juneau in crossover title win - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
Though the game didn't count toward any rankings or standings, and the prize is little more than a plaque and a pennant on a gym wall, Juneau-Douglas and Petersburg's boys basketball teams showed why the Class 3A/4A crossover game is so much more than an exhibition.
Saturday March 08, 2008 The Crimson Bears sealed a third-straight trip to the state tournament following a 79-59 victory over Ketchikan in the Class 4A Southeast Conference Tournament title game.
"We knew Ketchikan was going to be tough," JDHS senior Faifo Levale said Friday. "We knew what we had to do. We knew what they're going to do."
The Bears and Kings tangled four times before, with each team winning twice.
Juneau-Douglas used that familiarity to its advantage Saturday. The Bears double- and triple-teamed Ketchikan's 6-foot-9 center Damen Bell-Holter at every opportunity, but didn't shy away from their other duties.
The result proved exhausting but exhilarating for JDHS. Bears coach Steve Potter substituted players nearly every other minute of the game, trying his best to keep his team fresh against a powerful opponent.
Bell-Holter managed to score a game-high 28 points, but worked exceedingly hard in the process.
"Damen is a hell of player," Levale said Friday. "From our perspective, he is the best player in the state."
Levale, Eric Gross, Geoff Craig and Ryan "Bubba" Larson all took turns defending Ketchikan's big man. While that was important, what proved equally critical was defending the Kings' other capable players.
Juneau did a solid job of not allowing Ketchikan point guard Paul Manabat to cut through the defense and free up his teammates. The Bears also were able to defend Simeon Schum and Corey White, two players who were key in the Kings' two wins over JDHS.
JDHS limited White to five points and Schum to three.
"What killed us in the last game we played them (a 72-64 loss on Feb. 23) was our rotation off the double team (of Bell-Holter) was a little late," Gross said Friday. "This time the rotation was on time and we were able to cover up on the other guys."
Juneau-Douglas led 36-30 after a physical, back-and-forth first half.
Juneau came out with energy after the break, almost a little too much energy.
To remind Levale to keep his cool after committing a foul, Potter called for his forward and then slapped himself in the face with both hands as a reminder to stay focused.
Levale responded by slapping himself as well, acknowledging the advice.
"I tend to lose my mind a lot," Levale said Friday. "I just slap myself to get back into it."
Focus wasn't a problem for JDHS in the second half as its offense slipped into a groove.
JDHS outscored Kayhi 19-9 in the third quarter as Larson and Shawn Ibesate hit 3-pointers.
As Ketchikan fouled repeatedly in the fourth quarter to stop the clock, Juneau-Douglas showed poise by knocking down the ensuing free throws.
JDHS made 12 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter, including its last eight attempts.
Juneau also received terrific guard play as Ibesate attacked in a variety of ways. The senior scored 17 points as he scored by driving the lane, making two 3-pointers and hitting 9 of 11 free throws. Brinson added 10 points.
Gross also enjoyed a standout game. Despite banging constantly with the rugged Bell-Holter, Gross scored a game-high 19 points.
"Today we played together," Potter said Friday. "We passed the ball and shared the ball."
For Kayhi, Gunnar Farstad scored 13 points while playing tough defense. Jase Scudero had eight points in the loss.
Juneau showed off its balance with five players scoring in double figures. Larson had 12 points while Brinson and Craig tallied 10 points each.
Physical Bears earn trip to state - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
For four quarters Friday, the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball bumped bodies, dove for balls, collided with Kings and took shots under pressure.
If all that contact wasn't enough, sometimes the Crimson Bears slapped themselves for good measure.
Monday March 03, 2008 Alex DeRocher led JDHS with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Jazz King had 11 points, Eric Sele and Sean Bavard scored eight points each while Cody Grussendorf, Torey Franzen and Colin Gozelski had six points each in the win.
Also for Juneau, Justin Brooks had five points, Corey Mahar and Tony Tompkins scored four points each while Brandin Iseah and Austin Shoemaker tallied two points each.
David Reynolds led Sitka with 12 points while Anthony Perkins contributed six points.
On Friday, Grussendorf and Franzen scored 11 points each to pace JDHS.
Reese Saviers had nine points, Gozelski scored seven points, Mahar had six points and Sele had five points in the win. Eddie Hurtte, DeRocher and Bavard had four points each, Brooks and King scored three points each and Cort Saviers chipped in two points for JDHS.
Reynolds' 16 points led Sitka while V.J. Carlos had 11 points.
In the "C" division games, JDHS beat Sitka 64-43 on Saturday and 56-44 Friday.
In Saturday's win, Brooks scored 15 points while Hurtte, King and Gozelski poured in 10 points each.
Iseah had eight points, Shoemaker scored seven points while John Correa and Matt Smith tallied two points each.
Sitka's Cole Venneberg had 13 points and Luke Clayton scored eight points.
On Friday, JDHS outscored Sitka 24-0 in the first quarter but held off the Wolves' strong fourth-quarter rally to win.
King led JDHS with 15 points while Gozelski scored all 11 of his points in the first quarter.
Brooks and Hurtte had seven points each, Cort Saviers scored five points, Iseah had four points, Travis Godfrey hit a 3-pointer while Correa and Smith chipped in two points each.
Sitka's Perkins led all scorers with 19 points while Carlos had 10 points.
Bears finish season with sweep - Juneau Empire
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys junior varsity basketball team ended its season Saturday by sweeping visiting Sitka.
The Crimson Bears won 76-37 on Saturday and 69-39 on Friday.
On Saturday, JDHS outscored Sitka 43-13 in the second half to win the game.
Sunday March 02, 2008 JDHS will play either Sitka or Ketchikan Friday for the region championship and a trip to the state tournament. The game starts at 9:15 p.m. in Juneau. The Wolves and Kings will play at 8:45 p.m. Thursday in the play-in game.
"We talked about how it was an important game for us," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "We wanted to win the league and to win the league we had to perform. I thought we did a great job of looking for each other. We didn't over-dribble. We made the extra pass without hesitation. We made hard cuts. We rebounded. We did a good job."
Saturday also marked Juneau's senior night as the program honored Faifo Levale, Ryan Larson, Shawn Ibesate and Dominique Brinson. The pregame festivities for the basketball team, cheerleaders, dance squad and pep band delayed the start by about 20 minutes.
Once the game got started, though, Juneau-Douglas took over almost immediately.
"If we win the league, we don't play on Thursday," Levale said. "Our motto was 'Play on Friday.' If we let up and give them a chance, we'd play Sitka three straight times. We didn't want to do that."
JDHS immediately attacked the rim in the first quarter, leaping to a 21-11 lead. Outside of Brinson's 3-pointer, all of Juneau's points came either in the paint or on the free throw line after driving to the rim.
The Bears continued to pound inside as Levale, listed as 6-feet-2 and 280 pounds, showed off a baby hook to open the second-quarter scoring.
Once JDHS established itself inside, the perimeter players found room to operate. Ibesate and Cody Grussendorf knocked down 3s while Larson and Eric Gross went to work down low.
"We have a lot of guards that can put the rock in the bucket," Levale said. "We like to establish going inside first, get fouls and as we go inside the guys on the perimeter start to collapse on us and that leaves open guys on the arc to hit 3s. That's been our game-plan all year."
The Crimson Bears outscored Sitka 28-8 in the second quarter to take an insurmountable 49-19 halftime lead.
The offensive strategy also led to a successful night at the free throw line as JDHS made 18 of 21 free throws.
"Ideally we want to go inside to score and that opens up the perimeter shot," Potter said. "Obviously, we've shot a lot of 3s this year. We're learning that if we go inside and take the 3s as they present themselves instead of looking for the 3 first, we're more effective."
To compliment Juneau's offensive strategy, the Bears employed a nasty half-court trap.
Ibesate, Brinson, Grussendorf and Corey Mahar each recorded steals in the first half, kickstarting a fast break that frequently resulted in layups.
"Sitka plays pretty hard and because of that, sometimes they make themselves susceptible to that," Potter said of the half-court trap. "They play really hard but I think we were focused and when we're focused, I think we're tough to beat."
Gross led a balanced JDHS scoring attack with 15 points. Every player on the Bears' roster scored as Ibesate had 12 points, Mahar and Levale tallied eight points each while Brinson, Grussendorf and Geoff Craig scored seven points each. Freshman Colin Gozelski also had a two points and an assist in the win.
Sitka's Jeremy Espeleta led his team with 12 points.
"We're still focusing on our job," Potter said. "We have an opponent (Friday), but our focus is on what we want to do."
JDHS used a big fourth quarter to knock off Sitka on Friday. Juneau led 48-34 after three quarter and then outscored the Wolves 34-13 in the final eight minutes to close out the win.
Four Crimson Bears scored in double figures as Brinson had a team-high 14 points. Craig tallied 12 points while Gross and Grussendorf scored 10 points each.
Kory Hansen led Sitka with a game-high 15 points.
Bears to play for region championship - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
With a regular season conference title on the line, the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team made sure no upset would occur Saturday.
The Crimson Bears (12-10, 6-2 Southeast) overwhelmed Sitka 80-38 on Saturday to seal a top-seed in the Class 4A Southeast Conference Tournament. JDHS also beat the Wolves (7-15, 0-8) 72-47 on Friday.
Friday February 29, 2008 A loss to the Wolves (7-13, 0-6) either today or tomorrow will force a rematch between the two teams on Thursday for the right to play Ketchikan the following day in the Class 4A region final.
The regional champion advances to the state tournament on March 20-22 in Anchorage.
Juneau-Douglas beat Sitka twice on the road on Feb. 8-9. The Bears won the first game 65-57 and the second game 87-63.
After two tough games with Ketchikan, the Bears can't afford to drop their defenses against Sitka.
Third-year coach Andy Lee, a former Juneau resident and youth basketball coach, has facilitated and helped his team grow significantly during his tenure. Sitka owns three wins over Class 4A competition this year. The Wolves defeated Houston, Homer and Skyview.
Sitka playmakers Logan Lee and Ryan Peters can score while point guard Jeremy Espaleta directs the offense.
For the Crimson Bears, senior Dominique Brinson is emerging into a dual threat.
He's averaging 16.4 points per game in Juneau's last five gams. He's also averaged 3.4 steals during that stretch.
This weekend also will be the final regular season games for Juneau seniors Faifo Levale, Brian Lauth, Ryan "Bubba" Larson, Shawn Ibesate and Brinson.
The six seniors will be honored before Saturday's game.
Top seed on the line for JDHS - Juneau Empire
The mission for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team couldn't be simpler - win two to play one.
The Crimson Bears (10-10, 6-2 Southeast) must defeat Sitka today and Saturday to set up a one-game, winner-takes-all showdown for the Class 4A Southeast Conference championship on March 7 in Juneau.
Wednesday February 27, 2008 Sean Bavard knocked down two 3-pointers in overtime and Jazz King scored a game-high 19 points as Juneau's JV edged Class 2A Hoonah on Feb. 8.
Colin Gozelski scored nine points, Brian Koenig had seven points, Eric Sele added six points and Reese Saviers scored five points in the win.
Hoonah's Brandin Hill scored a team-high 18 points while Gregory Wright added 14 points. Charles Carteeti and Thomas Norris had nine points each while Wilbur Lindoff had eight points for the Braves.
Juneau-Douglas JV 44, Hoonah 38
JDHS completed a sweep of Hoonah on Feb. 9 as Sean Bavard scored 13 points.
Colin Gozelski had nine points, Eric Sele scored seven points, Jazz King chipped in six points and Alex DeRocher had five points in the win.
Charles Carteeti led Hoonah with 10 points, while Gregory Wright scored seven points and Thomas Norris added five points. Brandin Hill and George Fisher scored four points each in the loss.
Juneau-Douglas JV 76, Mount Edgecumbe JV 50
Corey Mahar poured in 14 points while Alex DeRocher and Colin Gozelski added 13 points each in Juneau's win over Mount Edgecumbe's junior varsity.
Sean Bavard had 11 points, Eric Sele posted eight points, Reese Saviers had seven points and Eddie Hurtte scored six points in the win. Also for JDHS, Jazz King chipped in four points.
Greg Frisby led the Braves' JV with 14 points while Sean Melovidev scored 10 points.
Juneau-Douglas JV 57, Sitka JV 49
Thirteen players scored for Juneau-Douglas in a Feb. 15 win over host Sitka.
Corey Mahar, Justin Brooks, Tony Tompkins, Reese Saviers, Cody Grussendorf, Alex DeRocher, Torey Franzen, Brian Koenig, Eric Sele, Sean Bavard, Jazz King, Colin Gozelski and Lawrence Fenumiai all scored in the win.
Bavard had a team-high nine points. David Reynolds led Sitka with 20 points.
Juneau-Douglas JV 55, Sitka JV 51
JDHS completed a sweep of Sitka on Feb. 16 behind Reese Saviers' 12 points.
Cody Grussendorf and Lawrence Fenumiai scored 10 points each and Torey Franzen had six points in the win.
Sean Bavard and Colin Gozelski had four points each, Alex DeRocher and Eric Sele chipped in three points each and Corey Mahar had two points in the win.
Sitka's David Reynolds scored a game-high 14 points and Zach Bororeen scored 13 points.
JDHS JV @ Hoonah, Mt. Edgecumbe, Sitka - Juneau Empire
Juneau-Douglas JV 65, Hoonah 63, OT
Monday February 25, 2008 Reese Saviers led the Bears with 15 points, including three 3-pointers.
Sean Bavard added eight points and two 3-pointers, while Corey Mahar scored seven points for JDHS.
Cody Grussendorf had six points, Eric Sele added five points while Lawrence Fenumiai, Colin Gozelski and Torey Franzen added four points each in the win. Also for the Crimson Bears, Alex DeRocher, Brian Koenig, Jazz King and Cort Saviers had two points each.
Trent Headley led Kayhi with 14 points, while Tyler Bell and Blake Bousley had 13 points each.
On Friday, JDHS raced out to a 40-19 halftime lead and cruised to victory.
Reese Saviers scored a team-high 14 points as 11 players scored in the win.
Sele had eight points, Franzen and Bavard tallied seven points each, and Grussendorf chipped in five points for JDHS. Eddie Hurtte, DeRocher, King and Fenumiai scored four points each, Mahar had three points, while Gozelski added two points in the win.
For Kayhi, Bousley posted 14 points, while Headley and Kevin Manabat tallied nine points each.
Juneau-Douglas nipped Ketchikan 57-53 in Saturday's 'C' game as Justin Brooks scored 19 points to lead the Bears.
Hurtte and Jazz King scored 10 points each, John Correa had eight points with two 3-pointers, Brandon Iseah scored five points, Gozelski chipped in three points, and Cort Saviers added two points in the win.
Bousley led Kayhi with 22 points, and Jesse Lindgren added 14 in the loss.
On Friday, Cort Saviers and King scored 13 points each to lead JDHS to a 55-49 win.
Hurtte had eight points, Brooks scored seven points, Matt Smith and Iseah had four points each, while Correa, Gozelski and Nino Chrisostimo had two points each for the Bears.
Lindgren had 18 points for Ketchikan, while Alex Williams added 11 points.
JDHS boys sweep Kayhi - Juneau Empire
Both the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball junior varsity and 'C' teams defeated visiting Ketchikan on Friday and Saturday.
The Crimson Bears' JV upended the Kings 61-52 on Saturday and 62-49 on Friday.
In Saturday's win, JDHS outscored Kayhi 16-8 in the final eight minutes to win the game.
Sunday February 24, 2008 "The difference was Simeon Schum destroyed us," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "He had 22 points, seven offensive rebounds and I think he scored off every one of them. We've been able to keep him in check in the past. ... He was the guy that made a difference."
Schum worked his magic in the lane.
He frequently slipped between Juneau's defenders for easy rebounds and layups.
"I like to call him Spider Man," Ketchikan coach Doug Nausid said. "He gets his hands on the ball around the basket. He has soft hands and works hard."
A big reason for Schum's outburst proved to be the speed and dribble penetration of point guard Paul Manabat. The junior kickstarted Ketchikan's fast break, leading to a number of hoops inside for Gunnar Farstad, Damen Bell-Holter and Schum.
While Juneau-Douglas (10-10, 4-2 Southeast) boasted a size advantage with its forwards, Manabat's speed opened up a number of offensive options for Kayhi (18-3, 6-2).
"Today we said if you get it, you turn and you go because we're as quick as they are if not quicker," Nausid said. "There's no sense in reversing it."
While Manabat helped boost Ketchikan, for Potter the difference in Saturday's game laid underneath the glass.
"Our rebounding was very, very poor," he said. "We consistently didn't block anybody out. We just turned away and they're longer."
JDHS appeared ready to sweep the home series as it rode a 14-0 second-quarter run to a 30-20 lead.
After a Kayhi timeout, though, Nausid sat the 6-foot-9 Bell-Holter and inserted Manabat. The move paid immediate dividends as Farstad and Schum scored inside while Manabat set up a layup for Brian Lindgren by penetrating the lane.
Ketchikan cut the lead to 31-28 at halftime to get itself back in contention.
With the score tied 46-46 heading into the fourth quarter, Kayhi took over the game.
Bell-Holter scored eight of his 19 points while Manabat and Farstad ran the floor.
The duo both set up easy layups for their teammates with their penetration. Eric Pihl got in the act with a steal and an assist to Bell-Holter for a dunk. The slam made the score 64-53 with 1:13 left in regulation.
Ketchikan outscored JDHS 26-18 in the fourth quarter to win.
"We tried to do a lot more fast breaks and we knew we were a faster team," said Farstad, who scored 14 points. "We tried to open that up a little more."
Bell-Holter stayed primarily in the paint, making seven of eight shots while pulling down 10 rebounds.
Ryan Larson led JDHS with 15 points in the loss.
On Friday, JDHS senior Dominique Brinson recorded four steals in the fourth quarter to ice the win. He also scored 12 points in the win, including six in the fourth quarter.
"He works extremely hard in practice and he understands the things we want to do," Potter said on Friday. "He's an athletic guy. If you're not doing what you're exactly supposed to be doing defensively he'll make you pay. It's the same thing offensively. If you're lazy with the ball he'll get it and he doesn't just get it and hold on to it, he gets it and attacks."
The Kings battled back after trailing by 14 with one quarter to go. Corey White's 3-pointer cut Juneau's lead to 46-38, but then Brinson took over the game.
After Geoff Craig's tip-in boosted the lead back to 10, Brinson picked off a Bell-Holter pass, drove the lane for a lay-up and was fouled in the process. He later hit the ensuing free throw to give JDHS momentum for good.
He later tacked on a nifty reverse layup to seal the win.
"I noticed they were getting tired at the end of the game because they had less players than us," Brinson said Friday. "We definitely took advantage of working hard and hustling to the ball and taking advantage of their mistakes."
JDHS led 18-15 at halftime, but found its groove in the third quarter. Shawn Ibesate and Larson each hit 3-pointers as Eric Gross, Faifo Levale and Craig scored inside. JDHS led 42-26 after three quarters.
Defensively, the Crimson Bears threw four different defenders at Bell-Holter. Gross, Craig, Levale and Larson all took turns defending the 6-foot-9 center who played all 32 minutes.
Bell-Holter ended with 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting with 17 rebounds. He added three assists, two blocked shots and was 5-of-9 from the free throw line. He was also 0-of-4 on 3-point attempts.
While JDHS and Ketchikan split their season series with two wins each, the Bears own the inside track for the top-seed in next month's Southeast Conference Tournament. JDHS owns the tiebreaker with Kayhi by virtue of margin of victory in the two wins.
JDHS must beat visiting Sitka twice this coming weekend, however, to earn the first-round bye.
Ketchikan, JDHS boys split at home - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
A big man from Ketchikan hurt the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team Saturday. It just wasn't the post player everyone expected.
The Kings' 6-foot-5 forward Simeon Schum scored a game-high 22 points as Ketchikan knocked off the Crimson Bears 72-64 on Saturday. The win evened the season series between the two teams at two wins each. JDHS won 58-49 on Friday.
Friday February 22, 2008 "It's going to be crazy," JDHS guard Cody Grussendorf said.
The Crimson Bears enter tonight's game on a three-game winning streak.
A big reason for the recent success was lessons learned during a Feb. 1 loss to the Kings in Ketchikan. In the 62-59 loss, Juneau-Douglas hoisted 33 three-point shots and made just nine. The Bears started the game making 6 of 7 3-pointers, but cooled considerably as Ketchikan took control.
"Live by the three, die by the three," Grussendorf said.
Since then, however, Juneau-Douglas exhibited more poise and patience on the offensive end.
Rather than looking for the quick jumper, the Bears have made extra passes and attacked inside more.
"Our style of play has changed since that loss," JDHS forward Eric Gross said. "Hopefully that'll continue."
JDHS beat Ketchikan 66-56 on Feb. 2 and followed that up with a two-game sweep at Sitka last weekend.
One player who seems to be benefiting from the patient offense is Dominique Brinson. The senior posted a then season-high 21 points in the Feb. 2 win. He followed up with 18 and 23 points in two wins over Sitka.
"I think what we learned the second night in Ketchikan and the second night in Sitka is making the extra pass without thinking about it," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "We were trying earlier in the year too hard to make the assist pass, the great pass. Just move the ball and let the assist happen, let the play develop and let someone else finish the play.
"Since we started doing that - you can interpret that as being more deliberate on offense or whatever - our field goal percentage went way up. We were 50 percent or higher in those games."
While patience on offense will be critical, all eyes will be on Juneau's defense and how it handles Ketchikan's Damen Bell-Holter.
The Kings' senior 6-foot-9-inch-tall forward averages 29 points per game. He can score both inside and outside, rebound and find the open man when double-teamed.
"I think you have to guard him a lot of different ways because he's a skilled player," Potter said. "You have to make him work hard. You can't give him too much for free. ... He's too good of a player to not pay attention to all the details."
Guarding Bell-Holter, who scored 35 and 28 points in two games against Juneau this season, will be a team effort.
Forwards Geoff Craig, Faifo Levale, Ryan Larson, Brian Lauth and Gross likely will be tasked with battling Bell-Holter in the paint.
For JDHS, however, defending him starts before Bell-Holter even gets the ball.
Juneau must make it difficult for Ketchikan's guards to get their big man the ball. When Bell-Holter does receive a pass, JDHS needs to put him in a position where he can't immediately score.
"I just have to go as hard as I can on not letting the guards pass the ball into Damen," JDHS guard Reese Saviers said. "I have to put a lot of pressure on them and not make it an easy pass."
While the offense flows through Bell-Holter, he's not the only Kayhi player who can score. Simeon Schum can score inside while Jase Scudero and Corey White both stretch defenses with their shooting.
The crowd should be hyped each night, which should provide a playoff atmosphere at the JDHS gym.
Getting revved up is inevitable, but channeling that energy into focus will be key for JDHS.
"We just have to make sure we can focus on what the task is at hand," Potter said. "If we can focus on what we're supposed to do, we'll be fine."
Marquee matchup set for JDHS gym - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
For Southeast Alaska basketball, it doesn't get much better than this weekend as two rivals, high stakes and one fired-up crowd converge in Juneau.
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team (9-9, 3-1 Southeast) will host rivals Ketchikan (17-2, 5-1) in a key conference series this weekend. The contests will start at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday.
Wednesday February 20, 2008 Joining Boozer in the Hall's second-ever class was former East Anchorage High School and Duke University basketball star Trajan Langdon. Before Boozer made his mark in the NBA, Langdon laid the groundwork as the first Alaskan to reach the highest level of professional basketball. The shooting guard was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and played three seasons in the NBA from 1999-2002. He currently plays professional basketball for CSKA Moscow in the elite Euroleague.
Former NFL offensive lineman and Service High School graduate Mark Schlereth was also inducted. He currently serves as an NFL analyst for ESPN after winning three Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins.
Two mushers also made the Class of 2008. Rick Swenson, a five-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion, made the Hall of Fame along with Joe Redington, Sr., known as the Father of the Iditarod. Redington, who died in 1999, helped establish the famous race.
As for Boozer, the former Crimson Bears star helped lead JDHS to a pair of Class 4A state championships in 1997 and 1998. He won a national title with Duke in 2001, a bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and was named to the 2008 NBA All-Star teams.
Boozer is the first Southeast Alaska person to be inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.
In addition to five people, the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame also enshrined one event and one moment.
The Great Alaska Shootout, an early-season college basketball tournament in Anchorage, was elected as the event. The Shootout routinely draws some of the top men's and women's NCAA Division I teams in the nation.
As for the moment, the selection committee chose Tommy Moe's 1994 gold medal victory in the downhill during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Moe spent his formative seasons at Alyeska in Girdwood.
The Class of 2008 joins the inaugural class that featured sprint musher George Attla, four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher, two-time Stanley Cup winner Scott Gomez, 1984 Olympic gold medalist Kristen Thorsness and Moe.
The Hall also enshrined the Iditarod as the event, along with the first ascent of Mount McKinley in 1913 and Libby Riddles' 1985 Iditarod victory as the moments.
Crimson Bear Alum Boozer joins Hall of Fame - Juneau Empire
Carlos Boozer, a 1999 Juneau-Douglas High School graduate, was among five athletes inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday in Anchorage.
Boozer did not attend the event. He was in Salt Lake City playing with the Utah Jazz in their 119-109 win over the Golden State Warriors. He posted 16 points and 12 rebounds in the victory, marking his 37th game with more than 10 points and rebounds this season.
Tuesday February 19, 2008 Juneau-Douglas led 42-28 at halftime and put the game away with a mammoth third quarter. The Crimson Bears rolled up 29 points in the third to extend their lead to 71-44.
"We had a shot to be up 20 at halftime and then we took some quick shots and got away from what we were doing and they cut it to 15," Potter said. "I thought the guys were a little fired up and thought they could do better."
Potter said his team extended their defense to the full court and employed a mix of traps against the Wolves.
JDHS employed both man-to-man and zone traps against the Wolves, Potter said.
"Our staple was our man (defense)," he said. "(Friday) our man wasn't very good. (Saturday) our man was a lot better. We still gave up a lot of points but if were going to play up and down and push it like that, that's going to happen."
Senior Dominique Brinson led JDHS with 23 points while Ryan Larson added 12 in the win.
The team also went 23 of 30 from the free throw line.
"What happens is when Dom is scoring, it creates opportunities for the other guys," Potter said. "Of his 23 points, he only scored in the first and third quarters. The full court is best suited for Dom because he's at his best when he gets to the bucket. In the half court, he's difficult to guard because he has that mid-range shot."
Eric Gross added eight points while point guard Shawn Ibesate scored seven in the win. Also for JDHS, Geoff Craig had six points and Reese Saviers scored five points.
Potter praised his point guard's ability to not only push the ball in the open court, but to quickly transition into the Bears' half-court offense on Saturday.
"I thought (Saturday) in particular Shawn Ibesate did a good job of pushing the ball up the floor and when we didn't have something, he got in the half court offense," Potter said. "We were into things quicker so we got better looks."
Sitka's Ulysses Diaz and Ryan Peters scored 10 points each in the loss while Ross Venneberg chipped in eight points.
On Friday, Juneau-Douglas received 18 points from Brinson in an eight-point win.
The Crimson Bears led 39-30 at halftime as Sitka hung around in the second half.
Larson scored seven points while Craig added six in the win. Corey Mahar and Ibesate had five points each while Faifo Levale added four in the win.
Logan Lee led the Wolves with 12 points.
Juneau-Douglas returns home next weekend to take on Ketchikan (16-2, 5-1) in a crucial Southeast Conference series. The two teams split in Ketchikan on Feb. 1-2.
JDHS boys run past Sitka - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team started fast and refused to yield in Saturday's 87-63 rout of host Sitka.
The win secured a series sweep of the Wolves as the Crimson Bears (9-9, 3-1 Southeast) won 65-37 on Friday.
"We shared the ball and nobody tried to make the great moves," JDHS coach Steve Potter said of Saturday's win. "Everyone was looking for each other."
Sunday February 03, 2008 After hoisting 33 3-point shots in Friday's loss, JDHS exhibited more restraint on Saturday. The Bears scored more inside as junior Eric Gross had 20 points. Dominique Brinson led the team with 21 points.
"We were patient on offense and we made Ketchikan play some defense," Potter said.
Ketchikan's Damen Bell-Holter scored a game-high 28 points, but Potter said he was pleased with how his team defended the versatile 6-foot-9 senior.
"We just made him work for everything," Potter said. "I was really proud of how our guys played defense.
"Guys were doing their part. No one was trying to be the hero, but guys did the work."
Defensively, Potter said his team had to break some of its long-standing rules of defense against the Kings.
Instead of just playing straight up man-to-man, Potter had players who were off the ball pay some attention to Bell-Holter.
"Our rules are fairly ingrained and it's hard to go against our nature," Potter said. "Basically every time if you weren't guarding the ball, it was (guard) half your man and half Bell-Holter."
Offensively for JDHS, Ryan "Bubba" Larson added 11 points in the win while Faifo Levale scored four points and Brian Lauth had two points off the bench.
"This was probably his best game start to finish," Potter said of Larson. "He played the way we need him to play."
On Friday, Juneau-Douglas started the game on fire from outside. JDHS couldn't maintain its shooting stroke, however, as Ketchikan battled to a three-point win.
The Bears surged to a 23-14 first-quarter lead after making six of seven 3-point shots. JDHS cooled off considerably, however, and made just three of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc after the first eight minutes.
"That was a game we shot the lights out in the first quarter and then couldn't get away from it," Potter said. "We lived by it early and died a slow death as we kept coming out and shooting the 3, play defense for a long time, then shoot another 3."
Bell-Holter enjoyed a mammoth performance as he poured in 35 points.
Ketchikan (15-2, 3-1) rallied to take a 34-33 halftime and held on to snap a nine-game losing skid to their conference rivals.
Shawn Ibesate scored a team-high 16 points with four 3-pointers for JDHS while Brinson added 10 points. Gross chipped in eight points in the loss. Eleven of the 14 JDHS players who got on the floor scored Friday as Erick Waters and Lauth each scored two points.
For Kayhi, 6-foot-5 junior Simeon Schum scored 10 points while Corey White added eight points and Gunnar Farstad scored six points.
JDHS next plays Feb. 16-17 at Sitka.
Juneau-Douglas boys split on the road - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team learned from its errors Saturday to secure a key split in Ketchikan.
The Crimson Bears (7-9, 1-1 Southeast) defeated the Kings, ranked second in the latest Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball poll, 66-56 on Saturday. On Friday, JDHS fell 62-59 to the Kings.
"It was nice to see smiles in the locker room after the game," JDHS coach Steve Potter said.
Thursday January 31, 2008 For the boys, much of the buzz statewide has surrounded the Kings' talented 6-foot-9 senior Damen Bell-Holter. The senior originally from Hydaburg will play NCAA Division I basketball at Missouri State next season and has lit up everyone he's gone against this season.
He dropped 27 and 23 points in two wins over defending state champions Wasilla.
Bell-Holter also earned MVP honors in the Golden Heart tournament in Fairbanks after he averaged 26.3 points in wins over Bethel, Lathrop and North Pole.
Bell-Holter can score both inside and outside and must be accounted for at all times. He's also a solid rebounder.
In addition to the college-bound senior, Jace Scudero and Simeon Schum can also score with regularity while Gunnar Farstad, Kevin Manabat and Erik Pihl bring experience.
Six of the Kings' wins came against Class 3A competition and they've yet to play a top-five Class 4A opponent. Juneau-Douglas represents Kayhi's toughest challenge to date.
The Crimson Bears are coming off a pair of losses to Colony, including a gut-wrenching 53-47 defeat Sunday in which JDHS squandered a 12-point fourth quarter lead.
Juneau has lost six of its last seven games, but has played arguably the toughest schedule in Alaska. Four of Juneau's eight defeats came against Class 4A teams ranked in the top five and another one came against the No. 3 Class 3A team, Heritage Christian.
Offensively, Juneau-Douglas enjoys a diverse attack. Slashing guard Dominique Brinson leads the team with 13.4 points per game while forward Ryan "Bubba" Larson ranks third in scoring with 11.5 points per outing.
Juneau's most consistent player may be forward Eric Gross. He's posted 12 points and six rebounds per game.
Coach Steve Potter's team played well in stretches, but struggled to start quickly and finish strong.
If Juneau can show the poise to play its best in the first and last four minutes against the Kings, the Bears may put themselves in the driver's seat for a top-seed in the Southeast Region Tournament.
JDHS boys prepare for Ketchikan - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The basketball season should take on a more serious and intense tone this weekend as the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team will take on Ketchikan.
Last year, the Crimson Bears boys beat the Kings in the Southeast Conference finals to secure a spot in the state tournament.
This season figures to be no different as the Ketchikan boys are enjoying a hot start to the season.
Wednesday January 30, 2008 With best available records through Jan. 27, first place votes in parentheses and total points based on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale. Juneau Empire sports editor Tim Nichols voted in this poll.
Class 4A Boys
1. Dimond 13-1 (5) 37
2. Ketchikan 14-1 (3) 30
3. Colony 8-1 20
4. South Anchorage 7-1 15
5. Service 8-3 10
Others receiving votes: Kenai, 10-2, 5, West Anchorage, 9-3, 3.
Alaska Sportswriters prep basketball poll - Fairbanks Daily NewsMiner
The Crimson Bears have come close to defeating the top teams in the state, but they are still searching for the "x-factor" to finish off games and earn some quality wins.
Tuesday January 29, 2008
On Saturday, Grussendorf scored 14 points as Juneau beat Colony 62-53.
Saviers had 12 points, Franzen and King scored 10 points each while Sele and Gozelski had six points each. Eddie Hurtte and DeRocher chipped in two points each for JDHS.
The Juneau boys JV teams will take on Ketchikan this weekend on the road.
Juneau boys JV teams sweep Colony at home - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball junior varsity team had four people score in double figures in a 56-54 win over Colony on Sunday.
Colin Gozelski posted 11 points while Reese Saviers, Cody Grussendorf and Jazz King scored 10 points each in the win.
Lawrence Fenumiai had six points, Torey Franzen chipped in five points, Eric Sele had three points and Alex DeRocher hit a free throw for JDHS.
Collin Murphy led the Knights with 17 points while Connor Larson had 12 points and Cole Sherman scored 10 points.
Monday January 28, 2008
Last year, Gray's 3-pointer capped a rally that saw Colony down 12 in the last quarter.
"Watching the tape of the game from last year it was almost identical, even to the body language of the guys," JDHS coach Steve Potter said.
JDHS led 45-33 with 4:12 left in the game after making seven 3-point shots and successfully navigating Colony's full-court defense.
The Knights, however, turned up its full-court press to spark a game-closing 20-2 run to win.
Down 47-46, Gray repeated his heroics from last season by knocking down a 3-pointer at the top of the key with 40 seconds left in the game. Last year, Gray's 3-pointer came with 24 seconds left and happened on nearly the exact same spot on the court.
"When it was in my hands it was like deja vu and I was like, 'Oh no, I'm going to miss,'" Gray said. "But I got a good pass from a teammate in the key and made it."
The Bears tried to fight back but a pair of 3-point shots fell short as Colony's Gray and Josh Moseley made two free throws each to finished off a stirring comeback.
Colony scored the final 14 points of the game after trailing 47-39 with 1:48 left in regulation.
The majority of Colony's points during the run came off steals. Jaron Murphy had two steals and Gray recorded one during the decisive final 4:12.
"They ran the same press against us in the first half and we got lay-ups," Potter said. "Pressure does weird things to you. We need to build a little more trust in each other to help alleviate some of the pressure."
To start the game, JDHS came out with focus and intensity.
The Bears took a 13-6 lead by ending the first quarter on a 11-0 run. Ryan "Bubba" Larson, Dominique Brinson and Cody Grussendorf all hit 3s during the run.
JDHS extended its lead to 18-6 in the second quarter before Colony fought back to tie the game with a 12-0 run. JDHS hit three of four free throws in the final minute, though, to take a 23-22 lead.
Brinson then ignited Juneau in the third quarter, making three 3-point shots as JDHS surged to a 39-29 lead. The senior had a team-high 12 points, as did junior forward Eric Gross.
The Bears couldn't close out the game, however, as Colony's trapping defense took control in the final 4½ minutes of play.
"Our press really helped us today," Gray said. "It wasn't working early. Near the end we were getting a lot of steals and we just executed and made our free throws."
Colony made 15 of 22 free throws while JDHS connected on 8 of 14 attempts.
The Bears (6-8) open Southeast Conference play Friday as they travel to top-ranked Ketchikan (14-1) for a weekend series.
Colony boys knock off Juneau-Douglas - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team wanted to expunge some of the memories of last year's playoff loss to Colony with a solid showing this weekend. Instead, the Crimson Bears experienced a painful instant replay Sunday.
Not only did Colony come back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, but the Knights' Doug Gray once again provided the dagger with a go-ahead 3-pointer. Colony, ranked fourth in the Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll, defeated JDHS 53-47 in a finish nearly identical to last year's 54-51 state quarterfinal victory.
Sunday January 27, 2008
"What I was disappointed in is we figured out that if we go inside that we were effective," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "We had it down to two points, had the ball and we stopped throwing it down there. We started shooting quickly instead of making them work, making them foul us.
"They were up nine and we chopped it to two by methodically doing the work. We stopped doing the work. We tried to make great plays instead of solid plays."
JDHS trailed 47-43 after three quarters and whittled Colony's lead to two points by forcing the issue inside. Down 49-44 early in the fourth, JDHS point guard Shawn Ibesate got a steal, was fouled while making a layup and hit the ensuing free throw to cut the lead to two.
After Colony's Jaron Murphy hit two free throws to restore the four-point cushion, Juneau's Faifo Levale worked his 270-pound frame in the lane. Levale got fouled twice, making 2 of 4 free throws to trim Colony's lead to 51-49.
After that, however, Colony took control of the game.
The Knights made 11 of 16 free throws in the final 3:37 to stay up top as Juneau couldn't find a way to score.
"We've got a couple (New England) Patriots fans so it was like we had good red-zone defense," Colony coach Jeff Bowker said. "They got close but didn't get in."
From an excitement standpoint, Saturday's game lived up to the anticipation. The rematch of last year's state quarterfinal, won by Colony, featured plenty of end-to-end action and physical play.
The Knights, however, started quicker than Juneau as they raced out to a 20-7 first quarter lead.
Cody Grussendorf and Eric Gross both scored inside late to cut Colony's lead to 20-11 after eight minutes.
"For some reason, I'm not doing something right to get us ready to play at the start of games at home," Potter said. "We're not coming out with a purpose. We're not focused like we need to be."
Juneau-Douglas battled back by going inside.
Down 27-18 midway though the second quarter, Lawrence Fenumiai, Dominique Brinson and Ibesate all scored inside to trim Colony's lead to five.
After Chris Scott got four of those points back for Colony on the free-throw line, Brinson ended the first half with a layup to narrow the Knights' lead to 31-26 at halftime.
Gross scored nine of his team-high 15 points in the first half for JDHS.
Juneau and Colony traded baskets in the third quarter before Brinson's 3-pointer cut Colony's lead to 40-37 at the midway point.
Every time JDHS got close, however, Colony would fight back by getting to the line.
In all, Colony made 26 of 36 foul shots while JDHS converted 13 of 20 opportunities from the line.
"Colony is a tough team, no doubt about it, but we can't just allow tough teams to do what they want to on us," Potter said. "In too many instances, they were the aggressor and we were the reactor."
Brinson had 12 points and Ibesate scored 10 points to pace Juneau.
For Colony, Murphy had 15 points, Cody Huggins scored 12 points and John Palmer tallied seven points in the win.
To make up Friday's canceled game, the Crimson Bears and Knights will battle again at 4:30 p.m. today.
Colony holds off Juneau charge - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
Revenge will have to wait at least another day for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team.
Colony (7-1) held the Crimson Bears scoreless for nearly a 4-minute stretch in the fourth quarter en route to a 64-54 win on Juneau's homecoming Saturday. Juneau-Douglas (6-7) twice cut the Knights' lead to two points in the fourth quarter. The Bears failed to completely close the gap, however, as Colony outscored JDHS 13-5 in the final 5:18.
Friday January 25, 2008 "It means a lot," JDHS point guard Shawn Ibesate said. "We want revenge because of what happened last year. Plus, it's homecoming."
Last year, second-seeded JDHS rode a 16-game winning streak and a senior-laden roster into the state quarterfinals. The Bears built a 12-point fourth-quarter lead only to see Colony stage a manic comeback to win 54-51.
While only four players on this year's squad - Faifo Levale, Ryan "Bubba" Larson, Dominique Brinson and Ibesate - saw playing time in last year's playoff, the game left an indelible impression.
"I've really looked forward to playing them for a while, and I'm glad it's here," Larson said.
Juneau-Douglas should be rested and prepared for the Knights.
The Bears are midway through a merciless schedule that last saw them play four of Anchorage's top teams in four days. JDHS lost to top-ranked Dimond, West Anchorage and Heritage Christian but beat East Anchorage to close a four-day stint that started Jan. 9.
"A two-week layoff to play one of the better team's in the state, I think, is good," Larson said. "It'll give us some more energy to come out ready to play."
All four of those teams employed a version of the full-court zone press the Knights are likely to employ.
"I'm excited because I want to see if we got better out of the Anchorage trip," JDHS coach Steve Potter said. "It was a hard trip for us."
Colony returns nearly all of last year's squad that reached the state finals. Doug Gray, Jaron Murphy, Cody Huggins and Grant Niver are all fundamentally sound players able to play multiple positions. Also, 6-foot-5 Matthew Stearman, who played for Wasilla last season, gives Colony added strength up front.
The Knights like to set the game's tempo with their defense, not only by trapping in the full court but by diving and scrapping for loose balls.
JDHS must be prepared to not only withstand Colony's defensive pressure, but to execute against a highly energetic opponent.
"We have to be ready to play and run our stuff," Larson said. "If we run our stuff, we'll be in the game."
Revenge on the minds of JDHS boys - Juneau Empire by Tim Nichols
If the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team can't get motivated for this weekend, it may not be able to get motivated for anything.
Not only is it homecoming weekend, but the Crimson Bears will get two chances to avenge one of their more painful losses in recent memory. JDHS will host No. 3 Colony at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday in a rematch of last year's state quarterfinal game, won by the Knights.
Wednesday January 23, 2008
Get Ready for Homecoming!
Break out all your Red, White, and Black to support the Bears as they take on last season's 4A State Championship Runner-up, the Colony Knights this weekend. Junior Varsity games tip-off at 2:30 p.m. and the Varsity games are at 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
