The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team struck early and often as they defeated host Ketchikan in their opening game at the Region V 2A/4A tournament at Ketchikan’s Clarke Cochran Gymnasium.
“We came out with the most intensity tonight that I’ve seen all season and kept that for 32 minutes,” JDHS coach Tanya Nizich said. “Ketchikan came out strong defensively against us. They made us work full court all game.”
JDHS junior Gwen Nizich hit from past the arc in the opening seconds, followed by senior Kerra Baxter spinning to score in the lane and a rebound by sophomore Layla Tokuoka with an assist to senior Cailynn Baxter to get JDHS on their way.
C. Baxter stripped and ripped a ball for a full-court layup, K. Baxter followed a shot and Nizich scored another shot past the arc on an inbounds play for a 16-7 lead.
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Addison Wilson makes a layup during JDHS’ 64-36 victory over Ketchikan on the first day of the Region V 4A Basketball Tournament at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium on Thursday. (Christopher Mullen/ Ketchikan Daily News)
JDHS would cruise into the second quarter leading 20-10.
K. Baxter posted up inside and was fed by Tokuoka for a basket to open the second quarter.
C. Baxter followed with a steal and fed junior Cambry Lockhart, who was fouled and hit a free throw.
Ketchikan tried to be physical, but the Crimson Bears were hitting from all angles.
C. Baxter was pushed out of the key and dribbled to the arc, where she drained a shot for a 26-12 advantage.
K. Baxter then hit three shots in a row inside the key as she stood up to the physical play for a 32-14 lead and notched 14 first-half points.
C. Baxter would hit to bring the score to 34-16 at halftime, making her ninth point of the game, and the shot drew the third foul on Ketchikan junior Kylie Brendible.
JDHS had just four turnovers in the half and senior Addison Wilson led both teams with seven rebounds.
Ketchikan junior Kali MacManus and senior Aspen Bauer led Kayhi with five points apiece in the first half.
“I was very proud of both Cailynn and Kerra for posting up strong and making moves to attack the basket,” coach Nizich said. “Also we had some very big rebounds from Cambry and Addison. I thought Gwen and Layla played a solid and consistent game, keeping us going with shots and drives.”
Kayhi’s plan of being more physical than the Crimson Bears was met with ambivalence by the JDHS squad, who took every nudge and push without complaint, and rode into a 55-22 lead after three quarters, punctuated by a full-court pass by Lockhart to C. Baxter for a soft shot off the glass.
“You will have calls you like and don’t like, it is just important to keep playing tough and not let it bother you,” coach Nizich said.
JDHS would rotate through their roster in the fourth quarter.
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé fans cheer during JDHS’ 64-36 victory over Ketchikan on the first day of the Region V 4A Basketball Tournament at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium on Thursday. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
Trailing 57-24, Kayhi had a brief run as junior Kylie Brendible hit a pair of baskets, and senior Aspen Bauer and junior Kali MacManus one apiece to pull to 57-28, but JDHS closed out the game on a 7-2 run for the 64-36 final.
“We talked last week about how loud it will be in this gym and that communication with each other will be crucial,” coach Nizich said. “This is hands down the loudest region tournament in the state. They communicated great with each other on the court tonight and having a coach on the court like Cambry is tremendous for us.”
K. Baxter led JDHS with 21 points, Nizich added 16, C. Baxter 13, Tokuoka four, Lockhart three, Wilson and Erickson two apiece.
The Crimson Bears hit 12-21 from the charity stripe, the Lady Kings 7-12.
Brendible led Kayhi with 11 points, Bauer had nine, MacManus eight, Shyla Abajin, Peyton Nickich, Ezrah Harney and Kari Klinger two each.
JDHS outrebounded Kayhi 35-20. The Crimson Bears had 11 turnovers, Kayhi 22.
This is the fifth time the JDHS girls have topped Kayhi, winning 58-27, 67-28 at Ketchikan Jan. 17-18, and 52-23 and 51-23 at home Feb. 13-14.
In other Thursday action, both top-seeded 2A Metlakatla teams won their opening tourney games. The MisChiefs defeated Wrangell 46-23 and the Chiefs topped Petersburg 53-30. Metlakatla plays in the Friday championship games. The MisChiefs face Haines, and the Chiefs face Wrangell.
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé cheerleaders perform during JDHS’ 64-36 victory over Ketchikan on the first day of the Region V 4A Basketball Tournament at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium on Thursday. (Christopher Mullen/ Ketchikan Daily News)
The Craig girls eliminated Petersburg 40-25 and the Haines boys eliminated Craig 70-60.
• Metlakatla girls (46): Lexi Cook 12, Saadhia Buffalo 11, Morgan Hayward 7, Baileigh Nelson 6, Haylen Ladnier 4, Makarii Martinez 4, Mackenzie Williams 2.
Wrangell girls (23): Alana Harrison 12, Alexis Easterly 7, Hailey Cook 3, Jenna Eastaugh 1.
• Metlakatla boys (53): Carter Marsden 17, Gianni Hayward 14, Troy Russell 9, Brody Booth 5, Rocco Lindsey 4, Sebastin Martinez 2, Frank Guthrie 2.
Petersburg boys (30): Logan Tow 12, Noah Pawuk 9, Nolan Lutomski 3, Aiden Knudsen 3, Trent Kittams 3.
• Craig girls (40): Sara Steffen 15, Chloe Vasquez 9, Faith Horner 8, Chelsea Thompson 5, Abby Patten 3.
Petersburg girls (25): Adara Curtiss 6, Natalee Bertagnoli 6, Iris Case 5, Lexie Tow 4, Kylie Mattingly 2, Cadence Lopez 2.
• Haines boys (70): Phoenix Swaner 23, James Stickler 15, Kyran Sweet 13, Alex Weerasinghe 9, Colton Combs 7, John Caleb Davis 2, Isaac Jones 1.
Craig boys (60): Ayden Benolken 29, Brody Bazinet 16, Josh Bennett 8, Jeremy Newcomb 5, Aiden Goheen 2.
REGION V 2A/4A SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY
Game 1 – 2A Girls – No.4 Wrangell 48, No.5 Petersburg 30
Game 2 – 2A Boys – No.5 Petersburg 41, No.4 Craig 34
Game 3 – 2A Girls – No.3 Haines 47, No.2 Craig 45
Game 4 – 2A Boys – No.2 Wrangell 49, No.3 Haines 29
THURSDAY
Game 5 – 2A Girls – No.1 Metlakatla 46 (1-0), Wrangell 23 (1-1)
Game 6 – 2A Boys – No.1 Metlakatla 53 (1-0), Petersburg 30 (1-1)
Game 7 – 2A Girls – Craig 40 (1-1), Petersburg 25 eliminated (0-2)
Game 8 – 2A Boys – Haines 70 (1-1), Craig 60 eliminated (0-2)
Game 9 – 4A Girls – Juneau-Douglas 64 (1-0), Kayhi 23 (0-1)
Game 10 – 4A Boys – Kayhi 56 (1-0), Juneau-Douglas 43 (0-1)
FRIDAY
3-point contest, 9 a.m.
Game 11 – 2A Girls, Craig vs. Wrangell 11 a.m. elimination game
Game 12 – 2A Boys, Haines vs. Petersburg 12:45 p.m. elimination game
Championship Session
Game 13 – 2A Girls Championship, Metlakatla (1-0) vs. Haines (1-0) 2:30 p.m.
Game 14 – 2A Boys Championship, Metlakatla (1-0) vs. Wrangell (1-0) 4:15 p.m.
Game 15 – 4A Girls – Kayhi vs. Juneau-Douglas, 6 p.m.
Game 16 – 4A Boys – Kayhi vs. Juneau-Douglas, 7:45 p.m.
SATURDAY
Dance Adjudication, 12 p.m.
Game 17 – 2A Girls Second-Place, Winner G11 vs. Loser G13, 3 p.m.
Game 18 – 2A Boys Second-Place, Winner G12 vs. Loser G14, 4:45 p.m.
Game 19 – 4A Girls – if necessary, 6:30 p.m.
Game 20 – 4A Boys – if necessary, 8:15 p.m.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
