Season preview: A storyline-rich senior class for Crimson Bears

Published 2:39 pm Thursday, December 21, 2017

Coach Robert Casperson chose a new design for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball practice jerseys this year.

Printed in red and white block letters across the chest of the jerseys are the words: “Tradition Starts Here.”

“Every now and then I get a little whimsy of inspiration and that kind of stuff comes to me,” Casperson said.

Without the proper context, the saying may come off as odd for one of the richest basketball programs in the state. But the word “here” doesn’t refer to the current team; it’s meant to refer to practice.

“The tradition is guys working hard — kids like them all the way back to the ‘40s and even before that — in practice,” Casperson said. “And so we’re not going to be any good if we don’t get after it in practice.”

JDHS teams in recent history have taken hard work to heart. They have back-to-back Class 4A Region V championships and fifth and first-place state tournament showings to prove it.

But with a total of eight first-time JDHS varsity players — three freshmen, one sophomore, two juniors and two seniors — a reminder that hard work precedes success is never a bad idea.

Seniors Kolby Hoover and Erik Kelly have seen the value of proper preparation in their three years on varsity. The Crimson Bears took the state championship when they were sophomores. As juniors, they each left their mark on the Region V championships, helping the team with three elimination games in a row to get back to the state tournament. But there’s plenty for them to improve on this season, too.

For Kelly, an elite scorer and rebounder, that means knowing when he needs to take control of a game. The quiet 6-foot-5 power forward still laments the team’s 32-point first round loss to East Anchorage at the state tournament last season. The team didn’t take care of the ball and gave up too many turnovers.

“I was really upset so ever since that I was like, ‘I don’t want that to happen again,’” Kelly said. “If I need to take situations into my own hands, that’s what I’ll do.”

Kelly said he’s been working on his mid-range jump shot and his ball handling — skills that could allow Kelly to play a more central role in running the offense.

Hoover’s also been working on his ball handling. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard should have the ball in his hands more this season, now well over a year removed from a broken right tibia. Even though he played for the majority of last season, Hoover couldn’t get up and down the court like he wanted. His jumps lacked vertical and he tired easily.

It seems both of those deficiencies are now solved for Hoover. He can dunk the ball in warmups and he sometimes stays after practice to run extra sprints.

It’s the latter which helps reinforces Casperson’s motto on the practice jerseys, which will be replaced by the game jerseys next Wednesday night in the home opener.

“I know we’re going to be exciting because we play hard,” Casperson said. “Whether we’re making mistakes or not, we’re going to get after it, and that’s fun to watch, especially when people appreciate kids working hard.”

Coaches Bio

Robert Casperson (7th year)

Age: 39

Occupation: Seventh-grade language arts teacher

Playing experience: JDHS (1993-1996)

Greatest Coaching Influences: George Houston, Clair Markie

Assistant coaches: John Sleppy, Ben Kriegmont

Fast facts

Last season record: 18-11

Last season finish: Region V 4A champions, Fourth at state

State championships: 1950, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1969, 1973, 1982, 1997, 1998, 2016

Roster

Gammy Reyes, senior

Luke Mallinger, senior

Christian Yadao, senior

Kolby Hoover, senior

Erik Kelly, senior

Kasey Watts, senior

John Hamrick, junior

Israel Yadao, junior

Philip Gonzales, junior

Krishant Samtani, junior

Austin McCurley, sophomore

Brock McCormick, freshman

LJ Elizarde, freshman

Cooper Kriegmont, freshman

2017-2018 Season Schedule

(Home games in bold)

12/20-12/23 Tarkanian Classic (Las Vegas)

12/27 Friday Harbor (CCC), 7 p.m.

12/28 Sitka (CCC), 7 p.m.

12/29 CCC shooting contest 3 p.m.

12/30 Palmer (CCC), 7 p.m.

1/5 at TMHS,* 7 p.m.

1/6 at TMHS,* 7 p.m.

1/11-1/13 Alaska Prep Shootout (Anchorage)

1/19 TBA, 7 p.m.

1/20 TBA, 7 p.m.

1/25 Barrow, 7:30 p.m. (Whaler Invite)

1/26 Monroe Catholic, 4:30 p.m.(Whaler Invite)

1/27 East Anchorage, 4:30 p.m.(Whaler Invite)

2/2 TMHS,* 8 p.m.

2/3 TMHS,* 8 p.m.

2/16 at Ketchikan*

2/17 at Ketchikan*

2/21 Ketchikan,* 8 p.m.

2/22 Ketchikan,* 8 p.m.

3/6-3/10 Region V 2A/3A/4A Basketball Championships

3/22-3/24 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Basketball Championships (Anchorage)

CCC=Capital City Classic

*Conference game

• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.