Sports

East UP dominates annual all-star basketball games – Daily Mining Gazette

Published

1 year ago

August 3, 2023

admin

Jun 21, 2023
Shown are members of the West girls’ team from the annual U.P. All-Star Classic on Saturday in St. Ignace. Pictured in the back row (from left): coach Mike O’Donnell, Negaunee; Kylie Michaelson, Baraga; Kate Borseth, Ewen-Trout Creek,; Makennah Uotila, Ontonagon; Anja Kleiman, Iron Mountain; Isabella Hebert, Hancock; Stella Wickstrom, Houghton, and coach Tyler Larson, Baraga. In the front row (from left): Meghan Trewhella, Houghton; Annika Peterson, Houghton; Corina Jahfetson, Baraga; and Ashlae Datto, Dollar Bay-Tamarack City. (Photo submitted)
ST. IGNACE — Just like the NBA, the Upper Peninsula has their All-Star Classic basketball weekend. For the 37th year, it took place on Saturday at the St. Ignace High School gym. It featured those players who were named to 2022-23 All-U.P. boys and girls basketball teams earlier this year by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
Players were divided into two teams – East and West with M-95 being the dividing line. Each team had around 10-12 players.
The game is sponsored each year by the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame. Proceeds go towards the group’s scholarship program.
The all-day event featured not only the all-star game, but a skills competition with a free throw shooting, three-point shooting and slam dunking. The East girls and boy’s teams both won their respective games. On the girls’ side, they downed the West 78-74. In the boys’ game, the East won 101-91.
Leading the West girls’ squad were coaches Tyler Larson of Baraga and Mike O’Donnell of Negaunee.
“It was a lot of fun to come together one last time,” he said. “We had a practice on Friday, and got to coach with girls that we compete against during the season.”
“The game itself was a close one with many lead changes,” he said. “We (West) got it within one point, but couldn’t pull it off.”
Of local interest, Houghton’s Meghan Trewhella won the three-point contest.
John Schutz, of Jeffers, was the West boys’ coach. He echoed a similar sentiment of admiration.
“It was an amazing experience,” he said. “Seeing and coaching the top players from the area was an honor.”
Members of the East girls’ team included: Kenzie Bell, Claire Erickson and Ella Marchand, Sault Ste. Marie; Lily Plowman and Taylor Williams, Engadine; Leah French and Monique Brisson, Munising; Carney Salo, Escanaba; Lena Pleaugh, Gwinn; Morgan MacPhee, Marquette; Lena Pleaugh, North Dickinson; coach, Pat Bennin, Sault Ste. Marie.
Members of the West girls’ team included: Ashlea Datto, Dollar Bay; Isabella Herbert, Hancock; Annika Peterson Meghan Trewhella and Stella Wickstrom, Houghton; Makennah Uotila, Ontonagon; Kate Borseth, Ewen-Trout Creek; Corina Jahfetson and Kylie Michaelson, Baraga; Anja Kleiman, Iron Mountain; coaches Mike O’Donnell, Negaunee; and Tyler Larson, Baraga.
Members of the East boys’ team included: Dominic Haller, Carter Oshelski and Max Scott, Sault Ste. Marie; Kevin Frazier, St. Ignace; Kane Nebel and Cully Trezeciak, Munising; Casey Bray, Escanaba; Kaden Drossart, Bark River-Harris; Connor Florenski, North Central; coaches, Doug Ingalls, St. Ignace and Terry Keinitz, Munising.
Members of the West boys’ team included: Amos Norland, Dollar Bay; Mikko Salmi, Houghton; Ashton Kunishige and Tavin Larson, Jeffers; Shawn Gibbons, L’Anse; Joey Colavecci, Iron Mountain; Griffin Argall, A.J. Prosser and Alex Sundberg, Ishpeming; and coach John Schutz, Jeffers.
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