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While it's certainly not make-or-break time for the 5-5 Juneau-Douglas boy's basketball team this weekend at Ketchikan, it's still a big weekend for both the Crimson Bears and the Kings.

It's a big weekend in that two wins for Juneau-Douglas would give them an early jump to the top of the conference standings as Thunder Mountain (6-4, 1-1) and Ketchikan (7-3, 1-1) split last weekend's double dip at TMHS. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

"I just got done watching a little tape on (the games at TMHS), and they're doing what we expected them to be doing - a lot of dribble penetrate and kick," JDHS coach Steve Potter said of the Kings. "They've got guys that can shoot. I watched the second game because that's when they were more successful. There was a lot of pressure, and that's what we expect.

"But, it really just matters where we are in March."

The Falcons took Friday's conference opener 50-40 while holding Kings leading scorer, senior Jeff Whicker, to just 13 points - nearly 10 below his average at that time, including just four points in the first half.

Ketchikan bounced back the next night and exploded for a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter, turning a three-point affair into 20-point blowout in the matter of about five minutes. Whicker also bounced back, dropping 29 in Game 2. Potter said several Bears will have a shot at stopping one of the state's highest scoring players.

"We don't necessarily have one guy match up with one guy," he said. "We're into the team concept, and I'm sure a variety of different guys will get the opportunity to guard him."

Whicker is currently scoring at a 22.9 per game clip, shooting 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from behind the arc and 68 percent from the line.

Tyller Bell is the only other King in double figures, scoring 10.7 points per game and shooting 46 percent from the field. Bell also leads the team in rebounding, corralling 8.7 boards a game, and assists, dishing 3.8 dimes. Four other Kings average 3-4 points to balance out the scoring.

Kings coach Eric Stockhausen said the Bears have a decent size advantage in the post against his more guard-oriented roster.

"We're obviously not a very post-oriented team, so there are four or five guys they have that are bigger than our biggest guy," he said. "They have an excellent shooter in Alex DeRocher. He's playing very well, obviously, with his MVP up at the Fairbanks tournament.

"Their sophomore guards (Lance Ibesate and Tony Yadao) are just getting better and better every game, and they're going to be really, really good by the time they graduate."

Stockhausen said he's not yet seen the Bears in person so he doesn't quite know what to expect, though he has a good idea from years past.

"I know when they wear the Crimson Bears jersey, they have expectations on themselves and they have a system they believe in," he said. "They're going to be tough.

"We're really excited to renew the rivalry. We know it's going to be a tough weekend," he continued. "They've got a lot of good players over there, good depth and good size. And they're hot - they've won three ina row."

Potter said one of the toughest things about playing at Ketchikan will be the atmosphere, where the gym can get quite loud.

"They're always enthusiastic when we go down there. Usually, they have camo day, where all the kids are dressed in camouflage," he said. "And they have bear hunting posters up all over the school. This will be a good opportunity for us to play in a hostile environment. The other away games we've played, the crowds haven't been particularly large. It's different down in Ketchikan.

"They're enthusiastic about basketball there."