Thomas Myers, Kenzie Patberg and Mason Sherman aren’t planning to play basketball in college, so tonight’s All-Area All-Star Games will be one last chance for the local trio to play in a competitive game.
The same can be said for most of the area seniors playing in tonight’s games at Columbus Christian. The girls contest will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the boys game at around 7:30 p.m.
“I think it’s really cool that we get the chance to do that,” said Myers, a Columbus East senior who is headed to Ball State. “It will be great to go out and play one last game with all the guys that I’ve always been playing with.”
The games feature most of the players from The Republic All-Area boys and girls basketball teams. Twenty-five of the 27 girls and 18 of the 27 boys selected to the first team or honorable mention have indicated that they likely will be in attendance tonight.
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In the boys game, East, Jennings County and Edinburgh players are paired together on the Gold team; while Columbus North, Hauser and Brown County players will be on the Maroon squad. South Decatur senior Matt Cornett, who led the area in scoring and rebounding, will be unable to play after breaking his wrist late in the regular season.
All five selections, including The Republic Boys Basketball Player of the Year Alex Gross, from the Mid-Hoosier Conference champion Hauser boys team that beat Class A state champion Morristown in the regular season, but fell to the Yellow Jackets in the sectional semifinals, likely will play.
“I’m really just looking to have some fun,” said Sherman, a Hauser senior who is undecided on his college destination. “I know a lot of these guys that we’re playing with, and I’m looking forward to one last game with them.”
In the girls game, players from East, Hauser, Jennings, Columbus Christian and South Decatur are paired on the Gold team. Players from North, Brown County, Edinburgh and Trinity Lutheran are on the Maroon squad.
Tonight’s contest likely will be the last basketball game for Addy Galarno, who earned The Republic Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors after leading East to a sectional title. Fellow Olympian seniors Britney Ballard, who will play at Franklin College, and Kristen Lyons are slated to play in the Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game April 8 at Bloomington North.
Six players from the Conference Indiana champion North girls plan to play tonight, including seniors Jenna Borger and Patberg, who do not plan to play in college.
“All of us coming together and playing one last game will be fun,” said Patberg, who is headed to Butler. “We’ll have good times and good laughs. I think it’s a great finish. We all had great seasons, no matter what school we came from, and it will be fun for a lot of us to come together.”
Admission for the games is $5, and proceeds will help with the medical bills of Levi Sallee, a Columbus Christian player who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury resulting from a 2016 car accident.
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What: All-Area All-Star Games
When: 6 p.m. (girls); 7:30 p.m. (boys)
Where: Columbus Christian
Admission: $5
Rosters:
GIRLS
Gold
Addy Galarno;Columbus East
Britney Ballard;Columbus East
Kristen Lyons;Columbus East
Claire Cunningham;Columbus East
Whitley Rankin;Columbus East
Sarah Tedder;Hauser
Grace Hasler;Hauser
Callie Wilder;Jennings County
Taylor Best;South Decatur
Madison Owens;South Decatur
Maroon
Jenna Borger;Columbus North
Kenzie Patberg;Columbus North
Tessa Lomax;Columbus North
Annie Anderson;Columbus North
Liz Tynan;Columbus North
Nadia Lomax;Columbus North
Allison Stogsdill;Brown County
Gracie Matlock;Brown County
Aubrey Hollander;Brown County
Destiney Ramey;Edinburgh
Haven Link;Edinburgh
Sidney Beier;Edinburgh
Abby Hackman;Trinity Lutheran
Sydney Jaynes;Trinity Lutheran
BOYS
Gold
Matt Frost;Columbus East
Thomas Myers;Columbus East
Drew Johnson;Columbus East
Max Nolting;Columbus East
Travis Wilson;Jennings County
Landin Hacker;Jennings County
Christian Cox;Edinburgh
Coltan Henderson;Edinburgh
Bryce Burton;Edinburgh
Maroon
Jaylen Flemmons;Columbus North
Bailey Hester;Columbus North
Blake Barker;Columbus North
Alex Gross;Hauser
Justin Compton;Hauser
Mason Sherman;Hauser
Andrew Titus;Hauser
Sam Meek;Hauser
Ezra Scully;Brown County
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