Niagara girls basketball all-stars announced for Dec. 18 games

Sir Winston Churchill’s Kaley DeMont (right) is one of 40 players chosen to play in the 15th Annual Niagara Girls Basketball All-Star Games.

The best and the brightest players will be in action on Wednesday, Dec. 18 when St. Catharines Collegiate plays host to the 15th Annual Niagara Girls Basketball All-Star Games.

The Top 20 game will be played at 6 p.m. followed by the top 10 game at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for adults with all proceeds going to Gillian’s Place.

“It is the time of year to recognize the players and coaches for an outstanding year on the court,” said Frank Keltos, who co-chairs the event along with Paul Grummett. “I look forward to running the game yearly as it is the last game of some player’s careers and the last high school game for others as they will be off to post secondary schools playing.”

Keltos has invited many U Sports coaches to attend the event, including McMaster, Brock, Western and Guelph, as well as colleges coaches from Niagara and Mohawk.

“It is a good game for post secondary coaches to recruit and see their recruits play against the best players in our area,” Keltos said.

Coaches whose teams made the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations or Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association championships have volunteered to coach the respective teams. Coaches will be Agi Mete from Notre Dame, Aaron Belding from E.L. Crossley, Tara Poulin from Jean Vanier, Brian MacIsaac from Eden and Keltos from Sir Winston Churchill.

Jean Vanier won antique bronze at the OFSAA A championships while Eden and E.L. Crossley both won two games at the OFSAA AA championships before losing in the quarter-finals. Sir Winston Churchill, which dominated play locally, lost in the SOSSA AAA semifinals.

Also helping out with the event are: the St. Catharines Rebels basketball association, sponsors of the jerseys and player of game plaques; No Limit Performance, Brock University and Niagara College, sponsors of the player of the game gifts; and, the Niagara District Basketball Referees Association, who are donating their game fees to the cause.

Named to the Zone 4 Top 10 team are: Sir Winston Churchill’s Ally Sentance and Kaley DeMont; Governor Simcoe’s Allison Addy; Blessed Trinity’s Madison O’Brien and Ella Muraca; Eden’s Madalyn Weinert and Avery Cushing; Denis Morris’ Lexxus Bell and Jordyn Britton; and, Holy Cross’s Caleigh Cunningham.

Named to the Zone 3 top 10 squad were: A.N. Myer’s Molly Taylor; Jean Vanier’s Isabelle Sinclair; Centennial’s Emily Campbell; E.L. Crossley’s Sydney Grummett and Tess Puchalski; Notre Dome’s Jamira Rousseau, Alissa Mete and Abby Philips; Port Colborne’s Maddie Coleman and, Greater Fort Erie’s Megan Louws.

Selected to the Zone 4 top 20 team are: Heritage Christian’s Ruth VanDyke; Grimsby’s Madelyn Strongitharm; Blessed Trinity’s Lexia Poitras; Sir Winston Churchill’s Olivia Krieger; Eden’s Julia McNeaney; Smithville Christian’s Sophia Bezemer; Holy Cross’s Logan Brown; St. Francis’ Rachel Bufalino; St. Catharines Collegiate’s Trinity Taylor; and, Thorold’s Bri Davidson. Picked to represent Zone 3 in the top 20 game were: A.N. Myer’s Vienna Vercesi; Centennial’s Jessica Acaster and Sarah Stayzer; E.L. Crossley’s Taryn Mitchell; Saint Michael’s Lauren Manlow; Jean Vanier’s Alyssa Arcand; Niagara Christian’s Emma Winger; Stamford’s Megan Hill-Doxtater; Saint Paul’s Hanna Dino; and, Greater Fort Erie’s Hannah Bourdon.

Coaches from each high school were asked to nominate three players from their team and rank them for the committee.

There will be some replacement players named to the teams because there are some injured players selected to the teams.