Junior guard Sean Oliver pushes through a crowd of players for a layup during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Junior guard Sean Oliver pushes through a crowd of players for a layup during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears teams secure victories at 2nd night of tournament

JDHS girls and boys keep the momentum at Princess Cruises Capital City Classic

Another night, another round of wins for both the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears basketball teams.

On Thursday night, the JDHS boys were a force in the fourth scoring 27 points in the last quarter to secure a comeback win against South Anchorage High School, meanwhile, the JDHS girls led from start to finish to topple the visiting West Valley High School girls during the second day of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic.

[Crimson Bears teams start red-hot at Capital City Classic]

JDHS boys head coach Robert Casperson said the 67-52 win was no small feat and it took a team effort to face the tough competition South brought throughout the entire game.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 
Junior guard Sean Oliver dribble to the net during the first quarter during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Junior guard Sean Oliver dribble to the net during the first quarter during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

The game was tight in the first three quarters with the teams only playing within a few points of one another. Going into the fourth, JDHS trailed South by seven points.

“I think South played really hard and they are well coached and gave everything they could do to give themselves a chance to win,” Casperson said. “I felt like we were a little sluggish early on, but once we picked up our second win late in the third quarter, the tide just turned — you could see that our pressure had finally worn on them.”

Senior guard Joseph Aline jumps for the ball during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Senior guard Joseph Aline jumps for the ball during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Casperson said the stand-out players of the night included senior forward Kai Hargrave, senior forward Orion Dybdahl and senior guard Bodhi Nelson. Dybdahl was the top JDHS scorer of the night scoring 19 points for the team, followed closely by junior guard Sean Oliver who secured 16 points.

Casperson said Hargrave brought a spark during the fourth quarter scoring all four of his free throw shots. He said Nelson kept strong defensively during the entire game and noted he was the only JDHS player to make a 3-pointer.

Senior Bodhi Nelson throws the ball up during warm ups going into the second half during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Senior Bodhi Nelson throws the ball up during warm ups going into the second half during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

The JDHS girls also had tough competition, said head coach Tonya Nizich, but managed to outscore West Valley 49-32, earning their second win of the tournament.

“West Valley definitely gave us a nice physical game,” she said. “Everybody was ready to get in the game and everyone did great things.”

The top scorers of the night were freshman point guard Gwen Nizich securing 18 points and junior point guard Mila Hargrave with 9 points. Nizich said posts Hargrave and Ashely Laudert, a senior, were major keys to Thursday night’s success, along with Senior guard Skylar Tuckwood keeping up the pace of the game.

Nizich said she felt the girls got off to a slow start but were able to kick into gears in the second half of the game. She said the seniors on the team were critical in leading the rest of the players to take the necessary steps to keep control of the game and secure the win.

“We got a lot of senior leadership out there and I think it definitely helps,” Nizich said. “We know our game and we know how to play hard and it takes leadership on the floor to get that done.”

• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.

More in Sports

Metlakatla’s Willie Hayward floats through Klukwan defenders Dave Buss (22), Erik McCormick (6) and Andrew Friske (12) during Masters Bracket action Monday at the 76th Annual Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Monday madness at Gold Medal

Late night track meet, early morning celebration, mid-day shootout.

A red-winged blackbird male shows off his colorful “epaulets.” (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
On the Trails: Spring comes slowly

February ground to a halt and March slowly geared up. Days were… Continue reading

Hydaburg’s Devin Edenshaw looks for a move against Hoonah’s (#2) during a C bracket game Sunday at the the 76th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 23, at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Opening day of 76th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament sets the bar high

Big games, little games, games of all shapes and sizes are underway at weeklong tournament at JDHS.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé dance team performs a portion of their Region V tournament routine during halftime of the East Anchorage/Ketchikan state championship game Saturday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS dance team brings magic to state tournament

Crimson Bears return to state venue for first time in 18 years

Ketchikan senior Jonathan Scoblic shoots under pressure from East Anchorage senior Muhammed Sabally (23) during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Ketchikan gives East Anchorage a run for 4A title

Kings fly close to sun, fall to defending state champ Thunderbirds.

Sitka junior Trey Johnson scores past Nome sophomore Stanley Booth during the Wolves’ 62-43 loss to the Nanooks on Saturday in the 3A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Sitka falls to Nome in 3A state championship

Wolves lead Nanooks in third quarter, but lose 62-43.

Mt. Edgecumbe’s Richard Didrickson Jr. (21) shoots from past the arc over Barrow’s Ethan Goodwin (2) during the Braves’ 81-73 win over the Whalers in the 3A boys 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Braves win shootout over Whalers for third place

Mt. Edgecumbe earns 81-73 win over Barrow at state tournament.

JDHS junior Gwen Nizich hits a shot past the arc over Mountain City Christian Academy’s Jasmine Schaeffer (23) during the Crimson Bears’ 57-37 loss to the Lions in the 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS girls fall to Mountain City to finish state play

Crimson Bears place fifth in 57-37 loss to Lions on Saturday

Ketchikan senior Gage Massin (5) hits the game winner in the Kings’ 46-43 semifinal overtime win against the Grizzlies on Friday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Ketchikan boys top Grace to earn championship game

Ketchikan senior Gage Massin hit a fade-away shot in the key with… Continue reading

Most Read