AURORA | One of only two Colorado girls basketball players nominated for the 2017 McDonald’s All-American Game hails from a city program in Grandview senior Michaela Onyenwere.
The UCLA commitment, who has led the Wolves to 9-1 record and the No. 6 spot in the country in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25 rankings, and Ralston Valley’s Ashley VanSickle represent the state — along with boys nominees Calvin Fugett of George Washington and D’Shawn Schwartz of Sand Creek — among 729 nominees from 45 states and the District of Columbia.
According to McDonald’s, players were nominated by high school coaches, athletic directors, principals and members of McDonald’s All-American Games Selection Committee, which will use a series of balloting system votes to pick the 24-player rosters for the boys and girls games. The 40th annual McDonald’s All-American Games are slated for March 29 at the United Center in Chicago, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
The rosters will be revealed during the McDonald’s All-American Games Selection Show at 8:30 p.m. MT Jan. 15 on ESPNU. The show will be televised live from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Onyenwere has a strong resume for selection, as she is a two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year and is considered a five-star recruit by many publications. The 6-foot guard/forward also gave her verbal commitment to a top-10 NCAA women’s program in UCLA last November and was also recruited by the likes of Arizona State, Louisville, Tennessee and Duke.
With a supporting cast that has come of age for the Class 5A state champion favorites, Onyenwere hasn’t had to do as much as in the past for the Wolves. She averages 15.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.4 steals per contest.
Going into Wednesday’s game against Cherokee Trail, Onyenwere has scored 1,868 points and pulled down 900 rebounds in 87 varsity games.
Aurora had a very viable candidate for last season’s McDonald’s All-American Game — former Overland star De’Ron Davis — but he was not selected. Colorado has had a long drought for a selection on the boys or girls side in the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2017 COLORADO MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN GAME NOMINEES
Boys: Calvin Fugett (George Washington), D’Shawn Schwartz (Sand Creek)
Girls: MICHAELA ONYENWERE (GRANDVIEW), Ashley VanSickle (Ralston Valley)
