Spectators at high school basketball games this past season were watching all-star calibre hoops.
Vancouver Island all-stars were announced yesterday and a whopping 15 players from Nanaimo were named to the three all-star teams.
The 15 players, representing five different high schools, have been invited to play in the Vancouver Island Seniors Classic All-Star Games on April 6 in Victoria.
The NDSS Islanders program led the way with half a dozen all-stars: Arielle Dupuis and Ava Johnson made the North girls’ team, Joel Bilyk and Owen Morrison were selected to the North boys’ A team and Finn Bradbrooke and Jake McGonigle are North boys’ B all-stars.
The Wellington Wildcats are also well represented, as Jill Jeffrey and Shayla Scott are North girls’ all-stars, Justin Goodman made the North A boys’ team and Cole Arsenault was selected to the North boys’ B team.
Zach Taylor of the Barsby Bulldogs was selected a North A boys’ all-star.
Caleb Kotai and Shawn Lansdell of the Dover Bay Dolphins were chosen North boys’ B all-stars, as were Alex Bloedorn and Nathan Faganello of the Nanaimo Christian School Trail Blazers.
Matt Kuzminski and Avneet Brar, coach and assistant coach, respectively, of the national-champion VIU Mariners, will coach the two North teams at the all-star classic.
The event is B.C.’s longest-running high school all-star competition, notes a press release, “involving this year’s best graduating high school players on Vancouver Island.”
GAME ON … The games will take place at Victoria’s Spectrum Secondary School on April 6. The boys’ B game is at 3:30 p.m., the girls’ game is at 5:15 p.m. and then the boys’ A game is a 7 p.m. tipoff. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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