By Marcus Stockhausen
The Region V tournament will have a new format: a three-game series to determine the region's champion. Because Thunder Mountain recently closed, there are only two teams in the region. The Region V 4a games will start Thursday, March 6th, at 6:00 PM with the first game for the girls, followed immediately by the boys’ game at 7:45 PM.
Boys Bracket
Ketchikan (16-8, 3-1)
Last Region Title: 2019
vs JD: 3-1
Seed: 1
Key Players: Marcus Stockhausen, Gage Massin
X-Factors: Jonathan Scoblic
For the second year in a row, the Ketchikan boys have earned the first seed in the region tournament. Seeding only affects the color of each team's jerseys; there are no true benefits. The Kings are led by Marcus Stockhausen, a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist, and senior captains Gage Massin and Jonathan Scoblic. Stockhausen is scoring 20.5 PPG, Massin is scoring 11.0 PPG, and Scoblic is scoring 9.5 PPG.
With a pretty even scoring attack with nearly three players averaging double digits and a handful of others that can shoot, Scoblic says that Kings are a dangerous team.
“The way we play defense and how anybody on our team has the ability to score makes us a very dangerous team. We know that any team can beat us and we know we can beat any team. So heading into this tournament we need to play against the game and play focused and disciplined so that we can earn the opportunity to make some noise at state.”
Head Coach Eric Stockhausen says that even though the Ketchikan squad has beaten the Juneau team three times this year every game will be a close one. Juneau always plays hard and their coach gets the best out of them.
“Even if one team is better than the other every single game with Juneau is going to be a close one. Coach Casperson does a good job at getting his boys to play hard and he gets them to be tough. It isn’t the better team who wins in regions, it is the tougher team and this year two tough teams are competing against each other so it will be a good series.”
Juneau-Douglas (8-13, 1-3)
Last Region Title: 2023
vs Kayhi: (1-3)
Seed: 2
Key Players: Joren Gasga, Pedrin Saceda-Hurt
X-Factors: Brandon Casperson
The Crimson Bears are made up mainly of upperclassmen who have come together just this season as the two high schools combined. Their top scorers in conference play are senior Pedrin Saceda-Hurt 13.0 PPG and junior Joren Gasga 14.0 PPG, both of them played for Thunder Mountain last season and have stepped into leadership roles this year. The Juneau team plays extremely hard and plays through the buzzer every game.
Juneau’s starting point guard Brandon Casperson said playing with 100% effort at all times is a focal point of their team’s gameplan. It is one of the most important parts of their identity.
“Going all out is honestly the thing we are most focused on. We go in every night and play from buzzer to buzzer. 100% the full game, shots will fall or they won’t. The thing that we control the most is our energy and our effort.”
Pedrin says that although this is his first year in Coach Casperson’s program the transition hasn’t been hard but it is a new challenge. He has enjoyed stepping into the leadership role on the new team.
“The transition has been interesting. I wouldn't necessarily say it’s been hard but it’s definitely different from previously being at TM. It has been fun for the most part and it’s exciting. The team has a good group of guys that have made the transition from JD to TM and becoming a leader is an easy one. They’ve all been supportive in the new roles.”