JDHS girls may have best squad in years

With a glut of young talent donning varsity uniforms for the first time, and a small corps of upperclassmen leading the way, this year’s Crimson Bears girls squad may be the strongest they’ve seen in years. The challenge for Juneau-Douglas High School — with strengths across the board in size, pace, ball handling and shooting — will be in finding out just what they’re capable of.

If the girls can mesh sometime before the Region V championships, the team has a chance to make it back to the state tournament — and make an impact when they get there.

Senior Georgia Robinson is feeling the pressure to get the younger players up to speed and her young squad their best chance to shine.

“A lot of our young players are so dominant on the team,” she said. “We have so many individual good players, but not a lot of us have played together. Working in everyone’s individual skills — when they’re so great this year — will be a challenge.”

Who they lost:

The Crimson Bears graduated Toma Kimlinger, Carrie Bennett, Cristina Arehart, Kallen Hoover and Tona Fogg in the spring. Hoover, often the team’s leading scorer, and Arehart, a team captain, will be particularly hard to replace.

What to expect on the court:

Robinson said the team is “definitely more of an offensive threat than they have been.”

“Already in practice it’s definitely been shooting and dominating offensively, which is very different,” she said. “Since I’ve come in as a sophomore, we’ve always focused on defense. This year, we are definitely starting off offensive and we’ll work in other parts.”

If you visit practice, it’s easy to see why coach Lesslie Knight has emphasized offense: the girls can hit from the perimeter. Sophomore Kaitlyn Pusich already has varsity experience as a 3-point specialist. Combined on the perimeter with talented freshman Kendal Carson — who went 4-4 from the arc during a shooting drill at practice — the girls will be a threat from the outside.

“We’ve got some guns, some outside shooters,” Knight said. “Sadie (Tuckwood) can hit a three, Caitlyn (Pusich) can hit a three, Kendal (Carson) can hit a three, occasionally Georgia (Robinson). Meghna (Bathija) can hit a three. We want to put pressure on every team, and then be able to run and gun.”

To complement their shooting, this year’s team has the talent at the post position to score from inside. Junior Cassie Dzinich will lead the front court with freshman Kendal Carson and Kaitlyn Pusich.

Recovering from an ACL injury sustained a year ago, Dzinich has been practicing unhindered by the knee brace she wore in games last year. The Crimson Bears will look to Dzinich, and to a lesser extent, Carson and Pusich to score in the paint and generate turnovers on defense.

“We have a lot of height,” Dzinich said. “Our zone defense, especially, is strong. We have a lot of long arms, so we can get a lot of steals in zone defense. … Our plan is to run, run, run, run, run.”

As a raw talent, Carson has Knight and many of her teammates excited. She’s confident on the court, both Robinson and Knight said, a rare trait in a younger player. The freshman is a triple threat who can also work the low post.

“The one thing Kendal brings for us is really good court awareness. So to be able to distribute the ball, her and Pusich play real well together,” Knight said. “Kendall really should be in the point position, so we’ll use her on the perimeter, but occasionally we could end up using her in the post because she’s solid with her post moves as well.”

The Crimson Bears will need smart and fast guard play from Alyxyn Bohulano, who will likely start in the backcourt.

Freshman state champion cross country runner Sadie Tuckwood joins the team this year. Tuckwood led the JV team at the Little Norway Tournament in Petersburg, helping the Crimson Bears to a tournament win over Petersburg, Sitka and Thorne Bay. She’ll have to work hard to earn minutes, but the “good little athlete,” as Knight referred to her, will be an impact player coming off the bench.

Six foot freshman Chloe McAdams will also likely see playing time, according to Knight.

As a unit, according to Knight, the young players “play well in a run and gun situation. But they don’t run a set offense as well.” Teaching the ins and outs of the Crimson Bears offense will fall on Knight and JDHS’ lone seniors, Robinson and Meghna Bathija

The schedule:

JDHS has 12 games scheduled this year, but will add more during open weeks. Game times will be available at the Empire online every week and in Friday’s print edition.

(date, opponent)

Dec. 27, 5 p.m. Thunder Mountain (Capital City Classic)

Dec. 28, 5 p.m. Palmer (Capital City Classic)

Dec. 30, 5 p.m. Marysville (Capital City Classic)

Jan. 4-5 West Valley

Jan. 13-14 Ketchikan

Jan. 18 at Chugiak

Jan. 19-21 at Palmer tournament

Jan. 27-28 Thunder Mountain

Feb. 3-4 Soldotna

Feb. 8-11 at Dimond tournament

Feb. 17-18 at Ketchikan

March 3-4 at Thunder Mountain

Mar. 8-11 Region V Tournament at JDHS

Mar. 23-25 State Tournament at Anchorage

The roster:

(number, name, height, class)

#4 Sadie Tuckwood, 5’4, 2020

#11 Kendyl Carson, 5’11, 2020

#14 Alyxn Bohulano, 5’6, 2019

#20 Caitlin Pusich, 5’10, 2019

#21 Cassie Dzinich, 5’10, 2018

#22 Georgia Robinson, 5’7, 2017

#23 Meghna Bathija, 5’7, 2017

#24 Morgan Balovich, 5’7, 2018

#25 Shaylin Cesar, 5’6, 2019

#30 Skylar Hickok, 5’8, 2019

#34 Rena Nauer, 5’5, 2017

#35 Chloe McAdams, 6’ 2020

Head coach – Lesslie Knight

Assistant coach – Sarah Tarver

Assistant coach – Steve Potter

• Contact Sports and Outdoors reporter Kevin Gullufsen at 523-2228 or kevin.gullufsen@juneauempire.com.