Middle stage JJ hand UTG

It's mid way through a 5 table tourny I have a slightly less than average stack. Villain is the table leader and has me well covered. I have recently moved to this table and have no reads.

Hero ($2400)
Villain ($8000)

Blinds $50/$100
Preflop: Hero is UTG with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hero raises $300
4 folds
Villain raises $600
3 folds
Hero calls $300

OK, at this point I'm thinking that Villain has either AA, KK, QQ, or AK. I call with the intention of playing very cautiously unless a Jack hits. If it does, I stand a good chance of doubling up. My implied odds are as much as 8 to 1.

Flop: ($1350) K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Hero checks
Villain checks

OK, not what I expected when I was hoping for a J to hit. I decide to slowplay here and let him do the betting. He only folds if he's drawing to 0 or 2 outs.

What do you make of his check? Does it safely eliminate QQ or any lower pair?

Turn: ($1350) 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Hero checks
Villain checks

Same thinking continued. I am still puzzeled by his check, but I don't have much time to think about it because he's checking behind me so quickly.

River: ($1350) A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Major scare cared for me. Both his most likely, and my most hoped for, hands just hit better boats. I decide to check. Is this increadibly tight?

Hero checks
Villain bets $500
Hero calls $500

Villain shows K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and wins pot $2350.

Should I be proud that I lost only $800 on this hand? Ashamed that I called on the river given my read on his likely hands? Or embarassed that I let excessive paranoia keep me from getting knocked out?

You didn't go broke for a couple reasons :

1- You slowplayed it.
2- Vilain slowplayed it.
3- The river is an Ace.

I think that the flop check is good, however I would have bet the turn I think, but calling the river was a very good call.

Nice hand, but Vilain played it way too slow...