The Ketchikan Kings knocked off Juneau-Douglas High School 58-54 Tuesday night in the first round of the ASAA Region V 4A basketball tournament in Ketchikan.
The Kings exploded for 27 points in the third quarter as four different Kings players made 3-pointers.
JDHS started the third up 26-22 but was down 49-37 when it was finished.
“We looked really good for three quarters of that game, and really, three and a half quarters,” JDHS head coach Robert Casperson said. “We had about a four-minute span in that third quarter where we struggled and they took advantage of it.”
Seniors Erik Kelly and Kolby Hoover scored 21 points and 12 points, respectively. Senior Luke Mallinger had 10 and freshman Cooper Kriegmont added seven in his Region V tournament debut.
Kings sophomore Chris Lee tallied 20 points, including 12 in the third quarter. Older brother Marcus had 15 points.
After going down 12 points, the Crimson Bears battled back in the fourth quarter, eventually only trailing by three with under 10 seconds to go.
“We started playing tougher defense again,” Casperson said of the fourth quarter. “We started making it harder for guys to get the ball, we know where they want to get guys the ball, and so we made it tougher for those situations to occur. And then we started attacking the basket.”
JDHS put Chris Lee on the line with 5.8 seconds remaining, and the sophomore made one of two free throws to put the Kings up four and seal the win. Ketchikan went five of 15 from the line in the fourth quarter and 15 of 29 in the game.
“We’re shooting 68 percent as a team from the foul line and for us to miss that many — luckily we were able to hold on,” Stockhausen said. “But for most of them, that’s the first region game they’ve ever played.”
Chris and Marcus Lee’s marksmanship from three started a 21-6 third-quarter run. The brothers hit 3-pointers less than 30 seconds just over a minute into the quarter.
JDHS started the game on a 6-0 run and led for most of the first half, when Kelly made six free throws and 10 points.
The Kings now face Thunder Mountain Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. in the second-round of the tournament. The Falcons received a first-round bye after finishing with the best conference record this season.
JDHS plays Thursday afternoon in a must-win game. The Crimson Bears also lost in the first round of the Region V tournament last year. They went on to win the next three games, however to claim the region’s 4A crown.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com.
