Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Sean Oliver exploded for 31 points and 14 rebounds as the Crimson Bears eliminated the Kayhi Kings from the Alaska Airlines Region V 4A Basketball Tournament 67-48 on Thursday at Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s B.J. McGillis Gymnasium in Sitka.
Oliver also had five steals and two blocks. Just four Crimson Bears found the scoring stat line, but 12 players contributed to the win at some point.
A hard-fought first quarter saw the two teams tied at 13-13, but Kayhi juniors Jonathan Scoblic and Marcus Stockhausen were whistled for two fouls apiece in the stanza, thanks in part to the full-court press of the Crimson Bears that pushed the pace of the game.
“I am really proud of the way our guys showed up to play today,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “They were focused and all business.”
JDHS leapt out to a 20-14 lead to start the second stanza as Oliver and senior Alwen Carrillo found steals and baskets. After two free throws by Kayhi senior Andrew Kleinschmidt, JDHS sophomore Brandon Casperson scored on a transition pass by Carrillo, and Carrillo buried a shot past the arc, his third of the first half.
Kayhi stayed close on inside work by Scoblic and Stockhausen, but Casperson and Oliver found baskets and Carrillo hit his fourth shot past the arc for a 35-23 Crimson Bears lead at the half.
“That game turned on defense and rebounding,” coach Casperson said. “Our defense was really strong and played well for each other. Then we attacked the glass on both ends. It was a great team win.”
The JDHS press forced hurried Kayhi shots starting the second half, and the Crimson Bears’ Oliver and senior Jhowel Estigoy had fast break layups with assists by Carrillo and a pair of Oliver free throws for a 42-24 lead with 6:20 left to play in the quarter.
A pair of Kayhi baskets were answered by a speedy Carrillo losing two defenders for a layup and an Oliver steal for another score for a 46-29 lead.
Kayhi’s Stockhausen hit his first basket of the game and a deep three by senior teammate RC Lorenzo were answered by scores by JDHS’ Oliver, his 10th point of the quarter, and JDHS held a 49-36 advantage with 1:24 remaining in the third.
Stockhausen hit a pair of free throws to close Kayhi to 49-38, but Oliver answered with two charity stripe shots for a 51-38 JDHS lead.
Stockhausen hit another pair at the line, then stole a ball and was fouled on a layup. Stockhausen would make the free throw to close Kayhi to 51-43 to end the quarter.
Kayhi’s Kleinschmidt sandwiched two buckets around a Crimson Bears layup by Carrillo to open the fourth quarter. Oliver rebounded for a score to push the lead back to eight at 55-47 with 5:27 remaining.
Oliver drew Stockhausen’s fourth foul and hit one of two freebies for a 58-47 advantage. A free throw by Stockhausen closed the deficit for Kayhi to 10 points, 58-48, but JDHS pushed up the tempo again in a 12-0 run, for a 64-48 advantage as Carrillo and Oliver displayed basketball clinics through the paint.
Oliver recorded his second block of the game, swatting Kayhi’s Stockhausen with 1:24 left, and giving the Crimson Bears time for a huddle around coach Robert Casperson.
An inbounds full-court pass to Oliver gave the Crimson Bears a 66-48 advantage with under a minute remaining. A Kayhi turnover led to Oliver being put on the free-throw line for his 31st point of the game.
Benches from both teams played out the final 30 seconds in the JDHS 67-48 win over Kayhi.
Carrillo added 20 points for the Crimson Bears, along with five assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block. Casperson had nine points (2 STL, 2 AST), Estigoy seven points (9 RB), senior Alex Mallot seven rebounds and junior Ahmir Parker four assists and four rebounds.
JDHS hit 11-14 at the charity stripe, Kayhi 14-21.
Kleinschmidt led the Kings with 17 points, Scoblic and Lorenzo nine apiece, Stockhausen eight, sophomore Jozaiah Deal Cruz three and senior Kyler Secrest two.
JDHS will play Thunder Mountain High School at 4:45 p.m. Friday in the Region V championship game. TMHS earns the title outright and a berth to the state tournament with a win. The Crimson Bears need a win Friday to force an if-necessary title game against the Falcons on Saturday for the state berth.
“Our goal is to maintain the effort and execution tomorrow,” coach Casperson said. “Honestly though, that game was a lot of fun. Ketchikan plays with heart and always competes until the end.”
JDHS opened tournament play with a 62-54 loss to TMHS on Tuesday. The Falcons then beat top-seeded Kayhi 66-63 on Wednesday.
