Niagara’s best and brightest female basketball players took the stage Wednesday at St. Catharines Collegiate.
The annual high school girls all-star games was played Wed. Dec. 16th with the Top 20 game scheduled for 7 p.m. and the Top 10 game slated for 8:15 p.m.
“It is a finale to all these girls’ high school careers at their schools, or a thank you from coaches for being a great team player,” said Frank Keltos, a member of the organizing committee along with Jim Boutilier and Dante Pirillo.
“They are the players nominated and representing their school at the game. It is also the last game for some and a chance to play with all the best talent in region is a nice finishing touch.”
Every school in Zones 3 and 4 was invited to nominate and rank three players from their school.
“After we get the nominations from schools, we then start putting together the team by how successful the team did and then how talented the players are,” Keltos said.
Team success is not necessarily the determining factor.
“A team that is not as successful could have two or three really good players,” he said. “We do, however, include every school that nominates a player.”
After a player is chosen for each team, the committee then starts looking at teams for a second or third player to fill the 20 spots on both teams. The committee had an excellent response from the high schools.
“We had 100 per cent involvement from the schools who had a senior team,” Keltos said. “There are schools that did not have a senior team and that’s why they do not have representation in game.”
Coaches whose teams have won zone, Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association or Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations titles are invited to coach in the games.
“It is a thank you to them for a great year coaching,” Keltos said.
The North (Zone 4) coaches for the Top 10 game are Keltos and Bill Huizer from Sir Winston Churchill and Eden’s John Pilling and Brian MacIssac will coach the Top 20 game. Saint Paul’s Kristin McDonald is expected to coach both South (Zone 3) squads.
The St. Catharines Rebels travel basketball organization is helping by purchasing tank top jerseys and St. Catharines Collegiate hosts the game free of charge.
Admission is $5 for adults $3 for students and seniors. All money is donated to Gillian’s Place.
Below are the rosters:
North (Zone 4) Top 10: Samantha Keltos, Jummy Oladipo and Marilena Spagnola, Sir Winston Churchill; Cassandra Plute, Shannon Colling and Kara DiPasquale, Blessed Trinity; Lexy Parkin, Governor Simcoe; Leah Bracken, St. Francis; Jenneke Pilling, Eden; Erin Kenny, Denis Morris. Injured is Danielle Bridle, Sir Winston Churchill.
North Top 20: Hannah Baker, Thorold; Sam Corbett and Tia Stys, Holy Cross; Kaycee McBean, St. Catharines Collegiate; Sabrina Evans-Hinzmann, Beamsville Jasmine Lougheed, Laura Secord; Dana Bashford and Miranda Juras, Eden; Sabrina Sestiliß, Denis Morris; Jessica Radko, South Lincoln.
South (Zone 3) Top 10: Maddy Gojmerac and Miranda Smith, Notre Dame; Ally Peek and Annissa Rizzo, A.N. Myer; Michelle Riganelli and Kendall Dunn, Jean Vanier; Rysa DelMundo, Saint Michael; Lauren Dempsey, Megan McLeod and Sarah Behring, Saint Paul. Natasha Desjardins of Jean Vanier is unable to attend and Erica Wilson, E.L. Crossley is injured.
South Top 20: Hannah Shoaltz and Victoria Klauck, Lakeshore Catholic; Meghan Kapellas and Mae Lannan, Port Colborne; Michelle Maecker, E.L. Crossley; Krysten Rymarchuk, Westlane; Olivia Smith, Centennial; Christena Spadzinski, Niagara Christian; Carlee Ibey, Saint Michael; Sophie Vaillancourt, Jean Vanier.