Crimson Bears fall to Wolf Pack 71-48 to open state play
- Klas Stolpe
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Athletic and talented JDHS meet their match against number one seed West Valley
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears played the roles they have played all season, they did the jobs they have worked every moment on the basketball court and they never bowed their heads in an unfortunate 71-48 loss to the West Valley Wolf Pack in their opening game at the March Madness Alaska 4A State Basketball Championships on Wednesday night inside Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
Seniors Noah Ault, Tyler Frisby and Kurt Kuppert battled defensively. Senior Joren Gasga did his thing on the state level scoring a team-high 17 points. Senior Brandon Casperson got into the paint, creating opportunities for himself and others, scoring above his average and giving teammates the opportunity to score above theirs. Senior Elias Dybdahl and junior Logan Carriker banged inside against, arguably, the most physical team faced this season, and Dybdahl blocked two shots and Carriker altered a few. Seniors Christian Rielly, Ryland Carlson and Hunter Carte, sophomore Micah Nelson, and freshman Zachary Polasky did not shy away from confrontations when they came onto the court.
“We needed guys to step up and they did,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “We had a hard time getting Elias going, the ball would roll around the rim and fall off, but he kept a positive attitude the whole time.”
West Valley is just as athletic, quick and physical as JDHS. Their strength of schedule helps refine that level of play.
“That is their athleticism,” Casperson said. “Their quickness. You don’t really notice it that much on film. You see them on film and you think, ‘man, maybe they have some weaknesses.’ They are not super big, not super athletic, but their atheleticism is in their quickness and they are not making a lot of mistakes.”
West Valley was hot from the start. Their first three shots — one from junior Deontae Cromer inside and two from senior TJ Small past the arc — forced a JDHS timeout with six minutes left to play in the first quarter. The break didn’t slow the Wolf Pack, and they were up 14-0 before JDHS’ Carriker hit a free throw and 16-1 when JDHS’ Gasga hit at the buzzer.
JDHS played nearly even with West Valley in the second quarter and went into the half trailing 28-12.
“You’re not going to have a real opportunity to beat somebody at the state tournament if you come out and just score a couple points in the first half,” JDHS coach Robert Casperson said. “I really liked the looks that we got in that first quarter. We missed some layups that probably could have calmed the nerves, righted the ship because we had been going basket for basket with them…There is a reason they are the number one team in the state. They have been doing it all year long. I thought they played really well. We weren’t able to get them out of their rhythm and force them into things we wanted them to do.’
JDHS did force some turnovers on West Valley, but did not capitalize with the ball in their possession. The Crimson Bears had some good looks inside, but the ball just rolled off or out. Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé rebounded just as hard as their opponent, but also had more turnovers.
“They are different,” Casperson said. “They are not flashy. They use that athleticism in pretty fundamental ways which is great for them. Jayden Maranda plays really well for them and did a great job running the show and then caught fire in the second half shooting three’s. Once he got a couple to go he started hitting them with our hands in his face.”
West Valley’s Miranda, Small, Cromer and senior Ryder Pitka each had a three-point shot in the third quarter, something the JDHS team does almost effortlessly each game. Tonight, however, the team adapted and Gasga hit five field goals inside the arc and Dybdahl, Frisby, Carriker and B. Casperson worked for one as well. The Crimson Bears had their best quarter, matching point for point with the Wolf Pack and trailed 50-32 with the final quarter looming.
“I told the boys I was extremely proud of them, win or lose,” “It would have been a lot more fun to win, but they battled, they stayed together, they weren’t ever chippy, they showed great sportsmanship. They battled. If somebody just walked in off the street and didn’t know what the score was you couldn’t tell by our body language because we were competing. And that is what we ask for, that they just compete and they did that.”
JDHS’ B. Casperson played like a DI guard in the fourth quarter, running the offense, working on defense, burying two shots past the arc and two under extreme defensive pressure closer in. Gasga, Carriker and Carlson each added a basket. The Crimson Bears scored 16 points in the stanza, a respectable total against the Wolf Pack. But West Valley added another 21 points onto the scoreboard for the 71-48 final.
“We will have a night to lick our wounds and move on,” Casperson said. “One of the things we talked about is that I understand feeling disappointed. I am disappointed for them, not at them. But we can’t be devastated. Now our goal of a state championship has to be adjusted. We are looking to do the best we can. We will try to win our next two games starting against whomever on Friday and make the best experience of this trip as we can... That is what the state tournament is about. You have to be ready to go when you get here.”
Gasga led JDHS with 17 points and was awarded the Player of the Game. B. Casperson added 13, Carriker seven, Dybdahl four, Ault, Carlson and Frisby two each, and Kuppert one. The Crimson Bears hit three shots past the arc, 18 closer in and 3-9 from the free throw line. JDHS will face #4 Service, a 69-67 loser to #5 South Anchorage, at 9:30 a.m. Friday in a consolation bracket semifinal.
Miranda led West Valley with 20 points, Small senior Halen Nield added 13 apiece, Cromer 12, Pitka nine, junior Darius Hanson and seniors Trevon Huntington, Langston Damario and Vegaas Kruger one each. The Wolf Pack hit 11 three-point shots, 15 two-point field goals and 8-23 at the line. West Valley advances to play South Anchorage in a semifinal at 6:15 p.m. Friday.
#2 Grace Christian, an 80-52 winner over #7 Wasilla, plays in the other semifinal against #3 Lathrop, a 55-50 winner over #6 Dimond, at 7:45 p.m. Friday. Wasilla and Dimond play in a consolation bracket semifinal at 11 a.m. Friday.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
