Inaugural 3A vs. 2A basketball all-star games come complete with intensity, even defense

Some feats in basketball are rare. But a high-intensity, floor-smearing All Star Game … with defense? … That’s just harebrained, right?

Well, it happened.

The inaugural Southern Colorado 3A vs. 2A All-Star Showcase held Friday at St. Mary's spotlighted the top 2A Black Forest and 3A Tri-Peaks players in the area. The night included a boys’ and girls’ game, a 3-point contest and playoff-like intensity from the players on up to the fans.

“I was surprised,” said All-Star coordinator and CSS coach Venita Ames about the level of play. “It was just a great night and for a lot of these kids it was a time that they could put on their team’s uniform and play one more time.”

In the girls’ game, TCA’s Taylor Garcia missed a game-tying jumper near the hoop with 1 second remaining for 3A as the 2A girls edged the higher class 58-56. ECA’s Abby Doorman led2A with 11 points and Fountain Valley’s Delia Brekken added six of her eight points in the fourth. For 3A, TCA teammates Shannon Durck and Garcia led the team with 12 points apiece and Manitou Springs' Amelia Schofield added 11.

“We were talking about how funny it is that we are cheering for people who we wanted to beat so bad during the season,” said Garcia, who led TCA in scoring and rebounding. “It was really cool to come together as a league and just play for each other.”

After the girls left the floor, the tight-defense remained in the boys’ game, but the scoreboard finally got some breathing room as 3A routed 2A 93-68. For 3A, five players scored in double digits as TCA’s Sean Durck put in 18 and CSCS’s Nate Engesser added 15. Kiowa's Justin Campbell was the only 2A player in double figures with 17.

“There are a lot of little kids in the stands and we wanted to show them how the game is supposed to be played,” Engesser said. “Hopefully we put on a good show.”

To cap off the night, there was the 3-point contest. Engesser (3A) and Peyton’s Craig Thomas (2A) each abused the net to grab the win. Then, Engesser beat Thomas in the finals.

For the girls, Gabi Florek won in the 3A contest and Vanguard’s Bailey Haist edged out Peyton's Victoria Goodman, a freshman, who led the state with 82 3’s. Haist then beat Florek in the finals.

Finally, to wrap it all up, Engesser tiptoed past Haist in a battle of the sexes.

“I was little scared there,” Engesser laughed.

After the 3-hour affair, the All-Star committee says they plan to continue the festivities for years to come as all of Friday’s proceeds will go to its future funding.

2A BLACK FOREST GIRLS ALL-STARS 58, 3A TRI-PEAKS ALL-STARS 56

2A—Delia Brekken (FV) 2 0-0 4, Letizia Degradi (CSS) 2 0-0 6, Abby Dorman (ECA) 4 1 0-0 11, Victoria Goodman (PEY) 2 0-0 6, Bailey Haist (VAN) 2 1-2 7, Shelby Patterson (PEY) 2 0-0 4, Erin Renzelman (CAL) 3 0-0 6, Cassandra Sulski (VAN) 3 0-0 6, Angel McNulty (VAN) 1 0-0 2, Sam Trehal (KIO) 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 7 1-2 58.

3A—Annie Brown (JI) 4 0-0 8, Shannon Durck (TCA) 4 4-4 12, Taylor Garcia (TCA) 5 2-2 12, Gabi Florek (SM) 0-0 0, Ryley Hoekert (CSCS) 1 0-1 2, Anna Marie Howard (CSCS) 1 0-0 2, Nicole Niles (SM) 1 0-2 2, Amelia Schofield (MS) 4 1 0-0 11, Erika Yost (MS) 2 1 0-0 7. Totals 22 2 6-9 56.

3A TRI-PEAKS ALL-STARS 93, 2A BLACK FOREST ALL-STARS 68

2A—Ethan Abello (PEY) 2 1 1-2 8, Vincent Brackett (ECA) 3 0-2 6, Justin Campbell (KIO) 4 3 0-0 17, Jarrod Crook (CAL) 1 0-0 2, Cameron Dillavou (ECA) 2 0-0 6, Ken Force (VAN) 4 0-0 8, Gerardo Mandera (KIO) 0-0 0, Jackson Pinney (CSS) 4 0-0 8, Quintin Renzelman (CAL) 3 0-0 6, Jay Robinson (CSS) 0-0 0, Nikolaus Shaefer (FV) 1 0-0 2, Jared Watkins (PEY) 2 1 0-0 7. Totals 24 7 1-4 68.

3A—Kyle Broekhuis (CSCS) 7 0-0 14, Nate Engesser (CSCS) 6 1 0-0 15, Andrew Wilber (CSCS) 3 0-0 6, Sean Durck (TCA) 6 2 0-0 18, Zach Gee (TCA) 1 1-2 3, Aaron Malvern (MS) 1 0-0 3, Jesse Megyeri (MS) 3 2 0-0 12, Casey Quarry (MS) 0-0 0, Daniel Padrnos (SM) 4 1 2-2 13, Jacob Raedel (SM) 1 0-0 3, Steven Rhode (JI) 2 0-0 4. Totals 32 8 3-4 93.