Senior all-star hoops squads loaded with talent, 8 Valley players to participate

WASILLA — Last season, the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches debuted its senior all-star game at Colony High School. This year, the association is taking its annual event to the next level.

AABC will host girls and boys all-star games at a pair of venues, association president Dave Porter said. The first doubleheader is slated for April 12 at 6 and 8 p.m. at Soldotna High School. The all-star teams will play again April 14 at 5 and 7 p.m. at Service High School in Anchorage.

“We’re trying to make it better every year,” Porter, the Houston High boys basketball coach, said. “Last year, I thought it was a great start. I thought it was a lot of fun, an exciting environment to be around.”

This year, the AABC put together another stellar list of Alaska senior standouts. Of the 24 girls and 24 boys named to the list, 37 were named to an all-state team and five were named player of the year of their respective class. There are also 10 players in the group who won a state championship earlier this month and three more who played for a state title.

“It’s a good selection,” Porter said. “It’s pretty indicative of what happened this year.”

Eight Valley players will participate in the senior all-star game. Wasilla’s Alyssa Hutchins and Pherrari Brumbaugh, Houston’s Savanna James and Palmer’s Kasara Brandenburg were named to the girls team. Wasilla’s Connor Devine and Braydon Kuiper, and Houston’s Scott Kramer will represent the Valley on the boys team.

Both teams include a mix of 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A talent. Among the notable names on the girls list are Fort Yukon’s Kandice Carroll, the 1A Player of the Year; Noatak’s Brianna Kirk, the 2A Player of the Year; Galena’s Jenna Buchanan, the 3A Player of the Year; and Hutchins, the 4A Player of the Year.

Devine, the 4A Player of the Year, is among the top players on the boys’ side.

Four of the five 4A first-team all-state selections will play in the game. Dimond’s Colter Lasher and Ryden Hines, and Bartlett’s Treshawn King-Dunbar will join Devine on the floor.

Monroe seniors John Michaels and LaDarius Milton, who helped the Rams win the 3A state title, are also on the boys team.

Porter said each of the groups of 24 will be divided into a pair of teams for the all-star games. Each team will include a mix of players from the four classes.

“We try to make it as even as possible,” Porter said.

The winners of AABC’s Coach of the Year awards have been invited to coach the teams during the all-star games. The top 1A and 4A coaches will lead one team and the top 2A and 3A coach will direct the opposing squad.

The same split is made for boys and girls.

Porter said another goal for the game is to provide another way for college coaches and scouts to see Alaska’s talent. Last year, there was great success, particularly on the girls’ side.

“Out of the 24 girls last year, 18 of them signed with schools to play in college,” Porter said. “Eight of them signed at the game.”

Porter said Dimond head girls basketball coach Jim Young hosts his Alaska Exposure Basketball Camp during the same weekend. That allows college coaches attending the camp to also hit the AABC all-star games.

Overall, Porter said AABC hopes to continue to build the all-star games and host the games throughout the state. It’s AABC’s goal to host at least one of the games in a central location, such as Anchorage or the Valley, but also wants to feature the games in other communities, such as Soldotna.

“We want everybody to have the opportunity to see these kids,” Porter said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

AABC Senior All-Stars

Girls team:

Savanna James, Houston; Jenna Buchanan, Galena; Brianna Kirk, Noatak; Saige Stefanski, Colony; Jill Phillips, West Valley; Alyssa Hutchins, Wasilla; Pherarri Brumbaugh, Wasilla; Kandice Carroll, Ft. Yukon; Alexis Rogers, Dimond; Morgan Wensley, Kenai; Bailey Beeson, Kenai; Wendy Paleo, East; Cheryl Nidoy, West; Melissa Castle, Craig; Kristin Smeaton, Dillingham; Melissa Elliot, Ketchikan; Dessirrea Kenworthy, Kotzebue; Siera Ady, Sitka; Caitlin Auble, Valdez; Abbie Koenig, Point Hope; Tina Esbenshade, Yakutat; Meg Berry, Seward; Kira Polk, Bethel; Kasara Brandenburg, Palmer. Alternates: Caroline Long, Point Hope; Devynn Johnson, Nome; Echo Winfrey, Hutchison; Hannah Wing, Haines.

Girls coaches:

Team 1: Ed Lester, New Halen; Steve Caciari, West Valley; Team 2: Bea Klaich, Nikoleavsk; Levi Duca, Dillingham.

Boys team:

Colter Lasher, Dimond; Ryden Hines, Dimond; Luke Adams, Dimond; Treshawn King-Dunbar, Bartlett; Trenton Anthony, Bartlett; Braydon Kuiper, Wasilla; Connor Devine, Wasilla; Tony Yadao, Juneau-Douglas; Lance Ibesate, Juneau-Douglas; AJ Hull, Kenai; Evan Withrow, Soldotna; Kyle Day, Ketchikan; Kendall Brown, West; Scott Kramer, Houston; Chris Parker, Eagle River; John Michaels, Monroe; LaDarius Milton, Monroe; Colin Long, Barrow; Nathan Blandford, Nome; Tyler Swinton, Haines; Mik Potruski, Sitka; Jared Miller, Dillingham; Nathan Hadley, Buckland; Chance Hunter, Scammon Bay.

Boys coaches:

Team 1: Wayne Morgan, Aniak; Rob Galosich, Dimond; Team 2: Darren Zibell, Noorvik; Chuck Boerger, Grace Christian.