DI commits lead list of senior all-stars

WASILLA — The Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches is hosting its senior all-star games for the ninth time April 12, and a group of Division I commits highlight the list of athletes selected to play.

“This is one of the best we’ve ever had,” AABC president Dave Porter said of the overall talent slated to hit the floor for the 1A/2A and 3A/4A all-star games at the Wells Fargo Arena in Anchorage. “There are so many talented kids. This senior class is just stacked.”

Dimond’s Alissa Pili, Colony’s Sullivan Menard, and Wasilla’s Olivia Davies and Daniel Headdings are the Division I-bound seniors who will play in the all-star games. Pili (Southern California) and Davies (Hawaii) each signed their National Letter of Intent in November of 2018. Menard (DuPaul) and Headdings (New Mexico) have both committed as preferred walk-ons.

Porter said it’s great to see Alaska’s Division I talent desire to participate in the event even though their college plans are set.

“I think it’s special,” Porter said. “We don’t have a lot of DI talent in the state, so when you have four in a given year coming to the game to play is very, very special.”

But he said he is eager to see the unsigned seniors get their chance. The original vision for the all-star games, Porter said, was to provide exposure for Alaska seniors who are still in search of an opportunity to play at the next level. The AABC coordinates with Dimond girls head coach Jim Young and Bartlett boys head coach Steve Drussell who host exposure camps. Porter said the AABC makes sure the all-star games are hosted at the same time of year as a camp. Porter said it makes it easier to attract college coaches to Alaska when there is the opportunity to scout the camps and the all-star games.

“With it combined, it’s kind of perfect,” Porter said. “They have an opportunity to see the players in drills, and turn around in see them in a game situation.”

Davies and Headdings are among five Valley players slated to play in the games. Palmer senior Abriana Busbey, and Susitna Valley seniors Mackenzie Moore and Will Snyder were also selected to play.

The are four games slated. The list includes the girls 1A/2A game, girls 3A/4A, boys 1A/2A and boys 3A/4A games. East Anchorage’s Chuck Martin (3A/4A boys), Valdez’ Todd Wegner (3A/4A boys), Bartlett’s Clarence Smith (3A/4A girls), Galena’s David Wightman (3A/4A girls), Glennallen’s James Fields (1A/2A boys), Nikolaevsk’s Steve Klaich (1A/2A boys), Cordova’s Chad Bourgeois (1A/2A girls) and Gary Lamar (1A/2A girls) will serve as head coaches in the games. Porter said the coaches in each team will divide the players from each division into two teams.

The 3A/4A girls and boys games are scheduled for April 13 at 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. The 1A/2A girls and boys games will follow at 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. There will also be three-point and dunk competitions.

The price of admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens. Children 6 and under are free.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.