Juneau-Douglas’ Erik Kelly fakes Dimond’s Kylan Osborne into the air during the 2016 Capital City Classic at JDHS. The Lynx return to Juneau this weekend for a pair of games against the Crimson Bears. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau-Douglas’ Erik Kelly fakes Dimond’s Kylan Osborne into the air during the 2016 Capital City Classic at JDHS. The Lynx return to Juneau this weekend for a pair of games against the Crimson Bears. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau-Douglas to challenge No. 1 Dimond at home

The Juneau-Douglas High School boys basketball team hosts the Dimond Lynx tonight and Saturday night at 8 p.m. at JDHS.

It’s the second consecutive year the Lynx — the 2016 state-runner up and last year’s state champion — have visited Juneau for a clash with the Crimson Bears.

JDHS defeated the Lynx for the 2016 state championship before the two rematched one another last season at the Capital City Classic. Dimond downed JDHS 61-48 in the rematch to win the Classic boys crown.

Both teams made it back to the state tournament but never played one another in the tournament.

After defeating Wasilla for the state title, the Lynx haven’t missed a beat so far this season. Dimond (15-2, 7-1 CIC) has the highest WPI (winning percentage index) in the state through the first week of February. The rankings measure a team’s winning percentage and strength of schedule.

The Lynx’s only loss to a Class 4A opponent came late last month against Chugiak.

JDHS is ranked 12th in the WPI standings. Erik Kelly, one of two remaining players from the 2016 state championship-winning team, is averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds per game this season.

The Thunder Mountain boys basketball team plays its first two games of the season against Ketchikan on the road on tonight and tomorrow night. It will be the first conference game of the season for Ketchikan and fifth for TMHS.

The Falcons (9-8, 3-1 SEC) played in Ketchikan once already this season at the Clarke Cochrane Christmas Classic in December.

The JDHS girls basketball team (5-13, 2-2 SEC) play against Sitka High School tonight and Saturday. The Wolves, a 3A team, easily defeated Thunder Mountain twice in a row earlier this season.

The TMHS girls basketball team (3-14, 0-4 SEC) are playing in the Lady Lynx Prep Shootout in Anchorage. The Lady Falcons lost to Wasilla 66-34 in its first game of the tournament, which features a total of 16 teams and four full days of basketball. The Lady Falcons played Palmer on Thursday afternoon.

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

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