The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys junior varsity basketball team pose for a photo Saturday in the Petersburg High School gym. (Photo courtesy JDHS JV)

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys junior varsity basketball team pose for a photo Saturday in the Petersburg High School gym. (Photo courtesy JDHS JV)

JDHS JV taste varsity action at Petersburg tournament

Crimson Bears show they are ready for next step

While the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys varsity was taking on some of the top ranked teams in the state last week in Palmer, their feeder program was busy battling established varsity programs in Petersburg.

“A good JV player starts with fundamentals and learning our system,” JDHS junior varsity coach John Sleppy said. “With regards to playing against a varsity team it allows player’s valuable experience about what is expected at the next level.”

The Crimson Bears lost their three games at the Petersburg tourney against three teams that are expected to flourish in their divisions.

JDHS fell to the 1A power Skagway Panthers 55-38, to the defending 2A state champion Petersburg Vikings 37-27 and the 2A Craig Panthers 65-58.

In the Skagway loss freshman Keaton Belcourt led JDHS with 12 points, junior Madden Mendoza added nine, sophomore Erik Thompson five, junior Christian Riley four, sophomore Hunter Carte and junior Marcus Mendoza three apiece, and freshman Zach Polasky two. JDHS hit 7-12 at the free throw line, Skagway 5-8.

Royce Borst led the Panthers with a game high 24 points, Kaleb Cochran and Camden Lawson added 10 apiece, Landon Rodig seven and Malcolm Lawson four. JDHS led 12-10 after eight minutes, trailed 21-15 at the half and 41-25 after three quarters.

In the Petersburg loss Thompson and Belcourt scored eight points apiece for the Crimson Bears, Carte six, Madden Mendoza three and junior Vernon Brewer two. JDHS went 2-5 at the free throw line, Petersburg 7-13.

Junior Noah Pawuk led Petersburg with 12 points, junior Brayden Tucker 10, junior Logan Tow eight, junior Aiden Knudsen five and senior Evan Ware two. The Vikings led 13-5 after eight minutes, 22-12 at the half and 33-16 after three quarters.

With the varsity playing north the junior varsity was chaperoned by JDHS Assistant Principal Nate Creel, a PHS Vikings alum.

“Petersburg runs a high class tournament and brought in some great competition for our JV boys,” Creel said from the venue. “They were gracious hosts and we are thankful for the invite. We are having a great time. We started off a little slow but have continued to battle and improve with each game that we played. I am super proud of how our Bears competed and represented our school community during this tournament.”

In the Craig loss Belcourt scored 13 points, Thompson 11, Carte 10, Polasky eight, Marcus Mendoza six, Madden Mendoza five and Brewer one. JDHS hit 7-12 at the free throw line, Craig 12-19.

The Panthers were led by 22 points from Josh Bennett, Brody Bazinet added 18, Ayden Benolken 14, Ashton Bean six, Adam Vickers three and Aiden Goheen two. Craig led 18-13 after one quarter, trailed 29-26 at the half, but took a 50-45 advantage heading into the final stanza of play.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.

More in Sports

Twigs of red huckleberry are green all year, but brighter in summer than winter. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
On the Trails: Tree bark

The center of a tree or shrub stem (from roots to trunk,… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Layla Tokuoka (14) floats a jump shot over Wasilla senior Layla Hays (52) during the Crimson Bears’ 46-30 loss Saturday to the Warriors in the George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
A small Layla, a tall Layla give highlight plays on Saturday

JDHS’ Tokuoka, Wasilla’s Hays key second matchup of the weekend as Warriors prevail 46-30.

Lucas Bovitz of Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale carries the puck with attention from Kenai Central goalie Evyn Witt and William Howard at the First National Cup Division II state hockey tournament Saturday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Crimson Bears hockey place third on state ice

Juneau-Douglas gets revenge win over Kenai

Wasilla junior Katie Jackson drives and passes around Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé seniors Cailynn Baxter and Addison Wilson (10) during the Warriors’ 65-34 win Friday over the Crimson Bears in the George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Wasilla girls storm Juneau-Douglas home court

Warriors down Crimson Bears in George Houston Gymnasium

In this file photo Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Dylan Sowa (35) is congratulated on a scoring goal by senior captain Luke Bovitz (4) during senior night weekend against Kenai. Sowa had two goals Friday in the Crimson Bears’ 5-2 loss to Palmer at the 2025 ASAA Division II Hockey State Tournament in Soldotna. JDHS will face Kenai in the 3rd/5th-place game Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Moose push Crimson Bears aside 5-2 in state semifinals

Palmer will play for title, JDHS for third at state hockey tournament.

Snow is also a four letter word with more than one proper use. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Pure Sole: WTF with the F word

The F word. F… U… and no need for that third and… Continue reading

Jessica Larsen of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute describes her research on Alaska’s Mount Churchill at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union on Dec. 9, 2024. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
Alaska Science Forum: The threat within an Alaska mountain

Mount Churchill stands in a white corner of the Alaska map, deceptive… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Dylan Sowa (35) beats Bartlett senior Wyatt Rust (13) in a faceoff earlier this season. Sowa scored four goals in Thursday’s 5-4 extra-time win over the Houston Hawks to open the 2025 ASAA Division II Hockey State Tournament at Soldotna. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Crimson Bears open postseason by devouring Hawks on extra-time ice

Sowa wears big hat for sixth-seed JDHS in win against third-seed Houston at state hockey tournament.

Wasilla’s Layla Hays blocks a Colony shot in the Warriors win over the Knights in last season’s state title game. Hays, a senior, and her number-one ranked Warriors play JDHS inside the George Houston Gymnasium on Friday and Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Sports on tap for this week feature current and future state champs

Sports fans living in Juneau, or visiting, will be treated to a… Continue reading

Most Read