Okanagan High School All-Stars Face Off at UBCO

The best of the Thompson Okanagan took the UBC gymnasium by storm Friday night, showing off their skills with the hoops.

The seventh annual Okanagan High School All-Star games were played Friday night, with nearly 80 high school basketball players participating in the four games. These four games in the Junior and Senior levels in both Girls and Boys were played in front of a large group of family, friends, and interested onlookers and were officiated by referees volunteering their time.

(L to R): Brianna Falk, Ally Lincoln, Jollee Perrier, Kinsey Vosper, Chelsea Espenberg, Mackenzie Horst, Jamie Lane, Kate Johnson, Hannah Walline, Kim Whelpton (Coach). (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

(L to R): Mariah Perry, Celine Francisco, Darian Mahmi, Marian Felt, Meagan Roualt, Desiree Day, Rene Watson, Teaghan Wallace, Jody Vesper (Coach). (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

The Junior Girls game was mostly filled with grade 10 players, but it was two females in grade nine who led in scoring. Immaculata’s own MacKenzie Horst led her team, the dark jerseys, with 14 points, and KLO’s Desiree Day finished with 20 points. Day was named player of the game and helped the light jersey squad to a 62-58 win. OKM junior Darian Mahmi scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter, marking the only other player to score double digits.

Back Row (L to R): Mitch Goodwin (Coach), Nick Smith, Jacob Stokker, Devin Halcrow, Owen Keys, Mason Boucier, Austin Penrose. Fron Row (L to R): Ben Macdonald, Blaise Beauchemin, Cruz Anderson, Parm Sandher. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

The Junior Boys game saw a rematch against the coaches from last year, with UBCO men’s former basketball player and current assistant coach Landry Ndayitwayeko facing off his team against Mitch Goodwin’s, who is a junior guard on the Heat team. Goodwin’s team in the light jerseys took the match by turning a 57-57 draw into a 70-57 win with 13 unanswered points.

Back Row (L to R): Randall Mosca (Coach), Mitch Glutek, Grant Shepard, Nate Humes, Simranjit Sandher, Gurlal Dhaliwal, Landry Ndayitwayeko (Coach). Front Row (L to R): Money Boparai, Prabh Chahal, Matt Williamson, Mitchell Mathieson, Mason Laughren. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

The leading scorer for the dark jerseys was KSS’s Grant Sheppard with a game high of 22 points. This game marked Sheppard’s second straight year of leading the Junior All-Star game in scoring. Playmaking guard Mason Bouchier from KSS, however, earned Player of the Game Honours. He led his light jersey team to the 70-57 victory, finishing with four points after passing the ball along amongst his teammates. Other double-digit scorers were NorKam’s Devin Halcrow with 13 points, KSS’s Owen Keys with 12 points, OKM’s Nick Smith with 12 points, and Kelowna Christian’s Cruz Anderson with 10 points.

Back Row (L to R): Andrew Gini (coach), Natasha Reimer, Nicole Hart, Jordan Korol, Jordyn Cullum, Kristy Fugel Front Row (L to R): Tessa Lannon-Paakspuu, Lindsay Nicholas, Avery Watson, Liz Anderson, Danya Lincoln. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

Crowds saw a comeback win in the Senior Girls All-Star Game when the dark jersey squad stole the game in the final minutes. Immaculata’s Emma Johnson, incoming Heat guard and member of the AA High School Provincial champions, finished off with a game high of 17 points and Player of the Game honours. However, her efforts weren’t quite enough as the dark jerseys took the match with a five-point win at 67-62.

Back Row (L to R): Roz Huber (Coach), Meagan Admussen-Blair, Bretelle Ellerton, Danielle Ruocco, Anna Rice, Madison Terbasket-Winser. Fron Row (L to R): Emma Johnson, Lindsay Lalash, Reiko Ohama, Sadie MacDonald. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

Pen Hi’s Natasha Reimer had a team high of 14 points for the light jersey squad, all of which were scored in the second half for the win. South Kam’s Liz Anderson scored four three-pointers for all 12 points, and South Kam’s Danya Lincoln had 11. Another South Kam player made double digits with Sadie MacDonald making three three-pointers and finishing with 11 points.

Back Row (L to R): Parker Simson, Abhishek Lekhi, Michael Burnham, Kohl Linder, Kache Kopec, Glenn Garvie (Coach). Front Row (L to R): John Garvie, Avery Walline, Matt Lafontaine, Paul Garcha, Jack Small. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

Back Row (L to R): Brandon Isaac, Amar Sandher, Navtej Sandhu, Ben Kornelsen, Rashaun Roulac, Dino Gini (Coach). Front Row (L to R): Evan Cave, Riley Bruschinsky, Treyton Waardenburg, Michael Gini, Jeff Tubbs. (Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)

The dark jersey squad also won in the Senior Boys All-Star Game with a final score of 88-81. Mount Boucherie’s Kache Kopec was named Player of the Game after he scored 14 of his game high 22 points in the second half. This high scoring helped push the dark jerseys to the victory. Michael Burnham from George Elliot had carried the dark jerseys in the first half, scoring 14 points with 10 in the first half. Other double digit scorers were NorKam’s Evan Cave with 16 points, Immaculata’s Michael Gini with 15 points, and Fulton’s Brandon Isaac with 12 points.

UBC’s Okanagan campus has hosted this event since 2009, and past All-Star players have gone on to Heat teams and even the NBA.

(Photo Credit: UBCO Heat)