Juneau closed the quarter on a 10-0 run for a 43-37 lead at the half.

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Mt. Edgecumbe’s RJ Didrickson Jr. hit a shot past the arc for a 7-6 lead with 8:16 left in the first quarter and Jacob Friske and Zach Anderson hit back-to-back baskets to lead 14-11 with five minutes in the stanza.

The rest of the action seemed to be with Juneau despite a close contest in the first half.

Saviers, Tompkins and Brady Carandang all hit past the arc in the first quarter and Tompkins, Cody Grussendorf, Kolby Hoover and Kendrick Payton added scores to give Juneau a 25-20 lead after 10 minutes.

“We just came off city league so we’ve been playing with each other and against each other,” Saviers said. “It is just good to play. Basketball is that one thing you can do year around. It’s not like the other sports. So I’m just fortunate enough to still be able to play and compete with a bunch of good teams and at a high level.”

Mahina Toutaiolepo gave Juneau a 27-20 lead to start the second quarter, but Mt. Edgecumbe scored four straight baskets by Friske, Claude Young, Anderson and Tyrell Cromer to take a 28-27 lead.

Juneau’s Guy Bean got it back with a shot past the arc and Juneau’s Cromer tied it again with two free throws for 30-30.

Hoover hit past the arc to give Juneau a 33-30 lead and Mt. Edgecumbe’s Friske, Anderson and Didrickson took the lead back at 37-33, the last time they would be ahead.


“I like this bracket,” Saviers said. “I remember back when they used to have it and Anchorage teams came down and I think even a couple times out of state teams. Hopefully we can get this bracket back like an country wise email marketing list eight-team bracket as time goes on…it’s just like the B Bracket, right? They fill the stands and hopefully we can do the same thing.”

Juneau extend their lead to 10 points, 53-43, midway through the third quarter and 59-49 with two minutes left in the stanza and close on two baskets by Saviers and another by Ethan Kadake for the 65-49 lead with 10 minutes left to play. Juneau would outscore Mt. Edgecumbe 26-16 in the fourth quarter.

Juneau advances to play Filcom at 4 p.m. Wednesday and Mt. Edgecumbe plays Southeast Boys in an elimination game at 9 a.m.

Quarter scores: JNU 25-20, JNU 43-37, JNU 65-51.

Juneau – Tompkins 21, Saviers 19 (1F), Carandang 13 (1F), Bean 8 (2F), Hoover 8 (1F), Cody Grussendorf 6 (2F), Payton 6 (1F), Toutaiolepo 4 (2F), Keontay Jackson 4 (3F), Kadake 2 (2F). Juneau hit 2-2 from the free throw line.

Mt. Edgecumbe – Anderson 17 (1F), J. Friske 16 (4F), Cromer 13 , Didrickson 10, Zach Kline 4 (1F), Young 4, Andrew Friske 2, Brian Friske 1. Mt. Edgecumbe hit 15-20 at the line.