Valley talent added to all-star games

WASILLA — The second annual Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches Senior All-Star Games will feature even more Valley talent than expected.

Eight local players initially made the cut, but now a dozen Valley seniors will suit up for the all-star games, which are slated for Thursday at Soldotna High School and Saturday at Grace Christian School in Anchorage.

In late March, AABC released a list of 48 seniors, 24 boys and 24 girls, selected to play in the all-star games. But a handful of the athletes chosen will not be able to participate, AABC president Dave Porter said. Four Valley players are among the alternates picked to complete the rosters.

Houston’s Savanna James, Colony’s Saige Stefanski, Palmer’s Kasara Brandenburg and Wasilla’s Alyssa Hutchins and Pherrari Brumbaugh were among the original group of 24 named to the girls’ all-star team. Susitna Valley’s Sierra Pedersen has since been named to the team.

Houston’s Scott Kramer, and Wasilla’s Connor Devine and Braydon Kuiper made the initial cut for the boys’ squad. Wasilla’s Dillon Ferro, Palmer’s Jared Straight and Houston’s Hunter Pease have also been added to the 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; Notatak’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, another 4A Player of the Year, is among the top players on the boys’ side.

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

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

Colter Lasher and Luke Adams, members of Dimond’s 4A title-winning squad, are also on the boys’ all-star team.

Porter said the boys and girls groups will each be divided into 12-player teams before the games this week. The AABC will try to make the teams as even as possible, he said.

The coaches for the all-star games have also been announced. West Valley head coach Steve Caciari, Dillingham head coach Levi Duca, Point Hope head coach Ramona Rock and Soldotna head coach Doug Blossom will coach the girls’ teams.

Caciari was the 4A Coach of the Year and Duca was named the 3A Coach of the Year. Rock led Point Hope to a 2A state championship and Blossom was named the Northern Lights Conference Coach of the Year.

Dimond head coach Rob Galosich, Grace head coach Chuck Boerger, Soldotna head coach Matt Johnson and Aniak head coach Wayne Morgan will coach the boys teams.

Galosich was the 4A Coach of the Year, Boerger was the 3A Coach of the Year and Morgan was the 1A Coach of the Year.

Soldotna High will host the first doubleheader of all-star games, with the girls’ game slated for 6 p.m. and the boys contest scheduled for 8 p.m.

The all-stars will play again Saturday at Grace Christian School, with the girls playing at 5 p.m. and the boys at 7 p.m.

AABC hosted only one all-star doubleheader last year, but Porter said the organization has been eager to expand.

“We’re trying to make it better every year,” Porter said. “Last year I thought it was a great start.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.

AABC Senior All-Star Teams

Girls:

Savanna James, Houston; Jenna Buchanan, Galena; Brianna Kirk, Noatak; Saige Stefanksi, Colony; Alyssa Hutchins, Wasilla; Pherrari Brumbaugh, Wasilla; Kandice Carroll, Ft. Yukon; Morgan Wensley, Kenai; Wendy Paleo, East; Cheryl Nidoy, West; Melissa Castle, Craig; Kristin Smeaton, Dillingham; Dessirrea Kenworthy; Caitlin Auble, Valdez; Abbie Koenig, Point Hope; Tina Esbenshade, Yakutat; Meg Berry, Seward; Kira Polk, Bethel; Kasara Brandenburg, Palmer; Caroline Long, Point Hope; Echo Winfrey, Hutchinson; Seirra Pedersen, Susitna Valley; Hannah Wing, Haines; Amy Messerschmidt, Haines.

Boys:

Colter Lasher, Dimond; Luke Adams, Dimond; Treshawn King-Dunbar, Bartlett; Trenton Anthony, Bartlett; Braydon Kuiper, Wasilla; Connor Devine, Wasilla; Tony Yadao, Juneau; Evan Withrow, Soldonta; Scott Kramer, Houston; Chris Parker, Eagle River; Farimang Touray, Service; John Michaels, Monroe; LaDarius Milton, Monroe; Colton Anderson, Nikiski; Colin Long, Barrow; Jared Straight, Palmer; Tyler Swinton, Haines; Bo Reilly, Kenai; Jared Miller, Dillingham; Nathan Hadley, Buckland; Chance Hunter, Scammon Bay; Edward Benson, Barrow; Dillon Ferro, Wasilla; Phillip Pease, Houston.

What: Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches Senior All-Star Games.

When and where: Thursday at Soldotna High School; girls game at 6 p.m. and boys game at 8 p.m. Saturday at Grace Christian School in Anchorage; girls game at 5 p.m. and boys game at 7 p.m.