Basketball

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl goes in for a layup against TMHS during a conference game early this season. The two cross-town rivals are set to play games for the Region V Tournament this week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Regions ready to rumble at Thunder Mountain High School

Tourney tips off this week.

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl goes in for a layup against TMHS during a conference game early this season. The two cross-town rivals are set to play games for the Region V Tournament this week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A basketball passes through a hoop at Thunder Mountain High School. Expect to see a lot more of that this week as the Region V Tournament will be hosted at the high school. Games start Wednesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

2A Schools will fill gym at Region V Tournament

Top teams and players are among the state’s best.

A basketball passes through a hoop at Thunder Mountain High School. Expect to see a lot more of that this week as the Region V Tournament will be hosted at the high school. Games start Wednesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
JDHS junior Sean Oliver takes a free throw shot during a game against Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Feb. 2. Oliver finished with a total of 20 points against the Crimson Bears’ most recent game against Palmer High School on Friday, Feb. 17. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

JDHS notches win against Palmer ahead of conference play

Crimson Bears now sit with a 14-7 record.

JDHS junior Sean Oliver takes a free throw shot during a game against Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Feb. 2. Oliver finished with a total of 20 points against the Crimson Bears’ most recent game against Palmer High School on Friday, Feb. 17. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
TMHS junior Thomas Baxter rises for a layup on a fastbreak during a Saturday night game against Ketchikan. Baxter on Feb. 9 became the fastest Falcon to reach 1,000 points and is now the school's third leading scorer. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Baxter passes 1K points, now eyes Thunder Mountain’s scoring summit

He’s the fastest in school history to hit 1,000-point mark.

TMHS junior Thomas Baxter rises for a layup on a fastbreak during a Saturday night game against Ketchikan. Baxter on Feb. 9 became the fastest Falcon to reach 1,000 points and is now the school's third leading scorer. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Klukwan’s Michael Ganey, center, shoots against Hydaburg’s Ben Young in the C final at the 2019 Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. The tournament returns this March after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

After a 3-year break, Gold Medal basketball is almost here

“This tournament is a generational thing.”

Klukwan’s Michael Ganey, center, shoots against Hydaburg’s Ben Young in the C final at the 2019 Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. The tournament returns this March after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain’s Cailynn Baxter (23) and Kiara Endicott (14) guard Ketchikan’s Kali MacManus (1) during Saturday’s game at Ketchikan High School, which Thunder Mountain won 60-38. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

Thunder Mountain girls split 2 with Kayhi

They followed a Friday loss with a 22-point win.

Thunder Mountain’s Cailynn Baxter (23) and Kiara Endicott (14) guard Ketchikan’s Kali MacManus (1) during Saturday’s game at Ketchikan High School, which Thunder Mountain won 60-38. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
JDHS junior Sean Oliver puts up a tricky lay up against Ketchikan High School during a conference game Friday night. Oliver was second in leading his team in scores for a total of 16 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS boys win 2 against Ketchikan

Crimson Bears girls finish 1-1 agaisnt Mt. Edgecumbe.

JDHS junior Sean Oliver puts up a tricky lay up against Ketchikan High School during a conference game Friday night. Oliver was second in leading his team in scores for a total of 16 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

‘What a battle’: Fierce fourth quarter propels JDHS to narrow win over TMHS

Second game between Juneau teams went a lot like the first.

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
JDHS junior Sean Oliver and senior Orion Dybdahl share all-tournament honors at the conclusion of this year’s 3-game Al Howard Shootout tournament in Soldotna. (Courtesy Photo / Robert Casperson)

JDHS boys finish 2-1 in Al Howard Shootout tournament

Next, they play two cross-town games.

JDHS junior Sean Oliver and senior Orion Dybdahl share all-tournament honors at the conclusion of this year’s 3-game Al Howard Shootout tournament in Soldotna. (Courtesy Photo / Robert Casperson)
Thunder Mountain’s Thomas Baxter (30) prepares to shoot the ball as Kayhi’s Archie Dundas (22), Jared Rhoades (15), and Andrew Kleinschmidt-Guthrie (13) try to block him during Thunder Mountain’s 54-56 loss to Kayhi on Friday at Ketchikan High School. On Saturday, the Falcons won the rematch 60-58. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

TMHS boys bounce back against Kayhi

Another day, another 2-point game.

Thunder Mountain’s Thomas Baxter (30) prepares to shoot the ball as Kayhi’s Archie Dundas (22), Jared Rhoades (15), and Andrew Kleinschmidt-Guthrie (13) try to block him during Thunder Mountain’s 54-56 loss to Kayhi on Friday at Ketchikan High School. On Saturday, the Falcons won the rematch 60-58. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
Courtesy Photo / Robert Casperson JDHS junior Sean Oliver and senior Orion Dybdahl pose for a photo on Saturday after earning all-tournament honors at the O’Brady Invitational tournament in South Anchorage.

JDHS boys basketball takes 3rd place in O’Brady Invitational tournament

Crimson Bears beat Bartlett and and South Anchorage but fall to West Valley.

Courtesy Photo / Robert Casperson JDHS junior Sean Oliver and senior Orion Dybdahl pose for a photo on Saturday after earning all-tournament honors at the O’Brady Invitational tournament in South Anchorage.
Kayhi’s Lindsay Byron (21) tries to block Juneau’s Skylar Tuckwood (13) as she attempts a layup Friday at Ketchikan High School. Juneau won 40 to 33. Photo by Christopher Mullen Ketchikan Daily News

JDHS girls net big conference wins in Ketchikan

Crimson Bears girls find two wins against Lady Kings.

Kayhi’s Lindsay Byron (21) tries to block Juneau’s Skylar Tuckwood (13) as she attempts a layup Friday at Ketchikan High School. Juneau won 40 to 33. Photo by Christopher Mullen Ketchikan Daily News
Sophomore Addison Wilson races toward the basket late in TMHS' comeback win. Wilson was one of four players on her team to score 9 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain girls storm back for a Saturday night win

They play again at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sophomore Addison Wilson races toward the basket late in TMHS' comeback win. Wilson was one of four players on her team to score 9 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
TMHS junior Samuel Lockhart makes his way past the outstretched arm of a Colony defender on his way to the hoop during a Thursday night home game. Lockhart would finish the game with a team-leading 17 points in the 52-41 loss. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

TMHS boys lose pair of home games to Colony

It wasn’t their Knights.

TMHS junior Samuel Lockhart makes his way past the outstretched arm of a Colony defender on his way to the hoop during a Thursday night home game. Lockhart would finish the game with a team-leading 17 points in the 52-41 loss. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl takes the ball down court while being closely guarded by two defenders on Wednesday night’s game. Dybdahl led the Crimson Bears in scoring with 19 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS loses close game against Colony

Wednesday night’s game was Suicide Prevention Awareness.

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl takes the ball down court while being closely guarded by two defenders on Wednesday night’s game. Dybdahl led the Crimson Bears in scoring with 19 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Friday night's basketball game was the second annual Take a Timeout to Talk - Suicide Prevention Awareness game. Coaches and players donned purple and Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss spoke at halftime about the importance of mental health and suicide awareness.

JDHS hosts annual Suicide Prevention Awareness game

“The event is about encouraging teens to evaluate their lives…”

Friday night's basketball game was the second annual Take a Timeout to Talk - Suicide Prevention Awareness game. Coaches and players donned purple and Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss spoke at halftime about the importance of mental health and suicide awareness.
JDHS senior guard Joseph Aline takes the ball down court during one of two games against Service High School this week. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS boys win one of two games against Service

Wednesday was recognized as Military Appreciation Night.

JDHS senior guard Joseph Aline takes the ball down court during one of two games against Service High School this week. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Sports Report This combination image shows many of the great women’s basketball players in Alaska’s history.

Alaska Sports Report: Picking Alaska’s greatest women’s basketball player

There were few layups, but there were definitely some slam dunks.

Alaska Sports Report This combination image shows many of the great women’s basketball players in Alaska’s history.
JDHS junior guard Sean Oliver scores a layup against West Valley High School on Friday during the conclusion of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic tournament. The Crimson Bears girls team also played against Anchorage Christian School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Capital City Classic finales offer chance for growth, coaches say

JDHS teams fall short of tournament titles.

JDHS junior guard Sean Oliver scores a layup against West Valley High School on Friday during the conclusion of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic tournament. The Crimson Bears girls team also played against Anchorage Christian School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Senior guard Skylar Tuckwood shoots a free throw during Wednesday night’s game against Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears teams start red-hot at Capital City Classic

JDHS girls and boys takes home their first wins of the tournament

Senior guard Skylar Tuckwood shoots a free throw during Wednesday night’s game against Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)