It seems everything has been going Guy Bean’s way lately. The Juneau-Douglas High School senior just finished a victorious state-championship basketball season for the Crimson Bears. Bean was also recently selected to the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches Senior All-Star game.
He also just earned a scholarship to play basketball at the college level.
Bean signed a letter of intent with the Grays Harbor College of the Northwest Athletic Conference on Saturday and will play for the Chokers on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
On the way to Anchorage to play in the AABC Senior All-Star game, Bean is feeling grateful for the opportunity to continue playing competitive basketball, but he didn’t always know that was a possibility for him.
“I didn’t think it was gonna be a reality until I went on a trip and played against some college guys and realized I could handle it,” Bean said.
One of Bean’s teachers, Kelly McCormick, helped him make the push to the junior college level. She gave him an extra credit assignment to identify three junior colleges in the Northwest region and send them a highlight film.
After sending film out, Bean went on a basketball showcase trip with Dimond High School girls coach Jim Young and some of Alaska’s best players. Bean played against Grays Harbor on the trip and made an impression on Chokers coach Alonzo Cole.
Cole called Bean when he made it back to Alaska and offered Bean the scholarship.
“It’s kind of a rebuilding program with a new coach,” Bean said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of that … I like the campus. It’s not huge, and I kind of like that because it reminds me of Juneau. I don’t think I’ll get homesick.”
Bean knows it’s hard to get the amount of exposure an Alaskan athlete needs to make it to the next level. He had some advice for those Juneau kids who don’t know what kind of talent they have.
“Ask your parents if you can travel down south and play against those type of guys and see how you match up against them,” Bean said. “The other thing I would say is to advertise yourself, contact coaches first, send videos to all the coaches and don’t be shy about that because it’s all about selling yourself.”
In his senior season at JDHS, Bean has put together one of the best performances in the state. The guard scored 362 points in his final season, hitting a team-high 57 3-pointers and trailing only second-team all-state teammate—and cousin—Kaleb Tompkins in scoring.
Bean led his team with 37.7 percent from 3-point territory. His 55.3 percent from field goal range on the season, trailed only the big men, junior Bryce Swofford and sophomore Erik Kelly, in efficiency. His 74 assists fell four short of team-leading senior Treyson Ramos’ 78.
Bean will play for his coach Robert Casperson in the AABC senior All-Star game in Anchorage. He said his only goal was to “shoot a bunch of threes.”
Juneau-Douglas’ Guy Bean drives against Sitka’s Trevan Coleman at JDHS on Thursday. JDHS won 71-60.
