Here’s how Juneau’s high school basketball teams did on Saturday in Anchorage, Ketchikan and Utqiagvik.
Juneau-Douglas 53, Service 46
The JDHS boys held off a late Service rally to claim fourth place at South Anchorage’s O’Brady’s Invitational in Anchorage on Saturday evening. Bartlett took first place, East Anchorage was second and South Anchorage third. Eight teams total played in the tournament.
Sophomore Cooper Kriegmont had 13 points to lead Juneau, who led 42-21 with eight minutes to go. In the final period though, Service more than doubled their score from the previous three quarters, ratcheting up the pressure for Robert Casperson’s team.
“I didn’t think we were going to lose, but it got a little too close for comfort,” Kriegmont, an all-tournament selection, said.
The Cougars scored 21 points through three quarters before exploding for 25 in the fourth.
“One quarter they scored more than their first three — that’s pretty impressive,” Casperson said.
Brock McCormick pumped in 12 points and Israel Yadao added nine for JDHS. Service’s Dac Carey scored a team-high 16 points in the losing effort.
Casperson said his bench stepped up, and the entire team played with a calm confidence from the opening tip.
“It was all clicking for us,” he said. “Pretty much what we look like in practice.”
Senior Krishant Samtani shot 5-of-6 from the line in the fourth. JDHS shot 8-of-14 as a team.
JDHS hosts Thunder Mountain for homecoming this Friday and Saturday at JDHS at 8 p.m. JDHS is 7-6 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Thunder Mountain is 7-7 overall and 0-0 in conference action.
Barrow 82, Thunder Mountain 68
The TMHS boys split their nonconference series with the Barrow Whalers at Barrow High in Utqiagvik on Saturday.
Junior Brady Carandang scored 17 points for the Falcons, who won 68-57 on Friday. Puna Toutaiolepo added 14 and Hansel Hinckle and Bryson Echiverri chipped in 11 each.
Barrow’s Brendon Matthews scored early and often, totaling 22 points.
Juneau-Douglas 43, Ketchikan 41
JDHS senior Caitlin Pusich scored 10 points in the fourth to send the Lady Kings to their second straight loss at Ketchikan High on Saturday.
Pusich had four points through the first three quarters to finish with 14 and junior Sadie Tuckwood scored 12 points. Kayhi senior Ashley Huffine scored 22 points, Lianne Guevarra scored 14 points and Emmie Smith added eight points.
Juneau coach Steve Potter said free throws helped erase a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Tuckwood made 1-of-2, Pusich 4-of-6 and Kiana Potter 2-of-2 in the final period. JDHS shot 19-of-29 from the free-throw line in the game.
The Crimson Bears are undefeated against Southeast schools this season and 8-2 overall. They host Sitka this Friday and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. at JDHS.
Barrow 47, Thunder Mountain 43
The TMHS girls fell to the Barrow Lady Whalers at Barrow High in Utqiagvik on Saturday.
“It was a great environment to play in — it was really loud,” TMHS coach Chandler Christensen said. “It was a really good setup for regions this year with just how loud it was.”
The score was tied at halftime, but the Lady Whalers turned up the pressure in the second half to come away with the win.
“I thought Nina (Fenumiai) had a great weekend,” Christensen said. “She was having a tough time finding her shots in the last couple games and she really turned it up on Friday night and hit some big shots on Saturday night as well.”
Individual statistics were not available as of Sunday morning.
TMHS hosts Ketchikan this Friday and Saturday at TMHS at 8 p.m.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com.
