Saturday’s A-Town All-Star Games at Smoky Hill High School celebrated 40 of the best boys and girls basketball players from around Aurora.
Much of that same talent has other all-star competition in their future in the coming days, as 23 of the players that appeared in those games (presented by Sentinel Colorado – boys recap, girls recap) will suit up again soon.
The EMAC All-Star girls basketball game is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Vista PEAK Prep, with coach Howard Payne (who coached Team East in the A-Town All-Star Game) at the helm of the South Team that includes seven A-Town All-Stars in Vista PEAK sisters Denali and Seairra Hughes and Kaya Evans, Rangeview’s Angel Broadus and Brianna Linnear, Aurora Central’s Zana’e Hodges and Gateway’s Kaushnic Noble.
Also on the South Team are Hinkley’s Camilla Davis and Rakhetti Garrett-Mills, Aurora Central’s AriJanna McClain, Rangeview’s Ny’Era West and Vista PEAK’s Mikayla Jones.
Denali Hughes is also part of a large contingent of Aurora boys and girls players selected for The Show All-Star Games March 23 at Metro State University. She is the only Aurora representative in the Girls Senior Game as she will play for the Navy Team in a game slated for a 9 a.m. tip-off.
The 10:30 a.m. Boys Senior Game includes the trio of Rangeview’s Jodaun Dotson, Vista PEAK’s Jaerron Hunter and Regis Jesuit’s Jamil Safieddine — all A-Town All-Star selections, though Safieddine was unable to play — on the Green Team, while Safieddine’s Regis Jesuit teammate Matt Wheelock was also picked but is unable to participate.
The Boys Top 40 Game at 4:30 p.m. sees A-Town All-Stars Christian Speller of Rangeview on the Maroon Team plus Vista PEAK’s AJ LaCabe and Overland’s Hezekiah Swanson on the Green Team, while Rangeview’s Obi Agbim and Overland’s Kaleb Chaney will also suit up for the Maroon Team.
The Girls Top 20 game at 6 p.m. features four A-Town All-Stars in Cherokee Trail’s Makayla Hemingway and Regis Jesuit’s Avery VanSickle — who will play together on the Purple Team — plus Grandview teammates Tomia Johnson and Allyah Marlett on the Navy Team.
Regis Jesuit’s Francesca Belibi and Jada Moore, who both played in the A-Town All-Star Game as well, were selected but are unable to play.
Belibi (Colorado’s Gatorade Player of the Year) has the biggest All-Star appearance of them all ahead of her as she will head to Atlanta for the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 27 at State Farm Arena.
The Show Boys Top 20 game (7:30 p.m.) is loaded up with eight A-Town All-Stars in Eaglecrest’s Aaron Bokol and Ty Robinson, Regis Jesuit’s Daniel Carr, Smoky Hill’s Kenny Foster and Grandview’s Dayne Prim on the Maroon Team and Overland’s Graham Ike, Rangeview’s Quincey Jewett and Christopher Speller on the Green Team.
Grandview junior Caleb McGill was also selected, but is unable to play. He also missed the A-Town All-Star Game due to injury.
AURORA ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAME SELECTIONS
EMAC ALL-STAR GIRLS GAME (March 18, 6:30 p.m. at Vista PEAK)
South Team: Zana’e Hodges (Aurora Central), Kaushnic Noble (Gateway), Rakhetti Garrett-Mills (Hinkley), Angel Broadus (Rangeview), Denali Hughes (Vista PEAK), Seairra Hughes (Vista PEAK), Kaya Evans (Vista PEAK), Mikayla Jones (Vista PEAK), Camilla Davis (Hinkley), AriJanna McClain (Aurora Central), Brianna Linnear (Rangeview), Ny’Era West (Rangeview). Coach: Howard Payne (Vista PEAK)
North Team: Jenessey Aragon-Dennis (Adams City), Valeria Salinas-Vargas (Adams City), Kai Padilla (Northglenn), Ryan Paswaters (Northglenn), Victoria Cabrera (Prairie View), Ashtyn DeLorenzo (Prairie View), Monique Delatorre (Thornton), Shamahra Henderson (Thornton), Kaylah Lewis (Brighton), Nikki Antonopoulos (Brighton), Tori Hendricks (Brighton), Mai Le Waters (Brighton), Valerie Gallegos (Westminster)
THE SHOW (at Metro State University)
Girls Senior Game (March 23, 9 a.m.)
Navy Team: Denali Hughes (Vista PEAK)
Boys Senior Game (March 23, 10:30 a.m.)
Green Team: Jodaun Dotson (Rangeview), Jaerron Hunter (Vista PEAK), Jamil Safieddine (Regis Jesuit); Selected by unable to play: Matt Wheelock (Regis Jesuit)
Boys Top 40 Game (March 23, 4:30 p.m.)
Maroon Team: Obi Agbim (Rangeview), Kaleb Chaney (Overland), Christopher Speller (Rangeview); Green Team: AJ LaCabe (Vista PEAK), Hezekiah Swanson (Overland)
Girls Top 20 Game (March 23, 6 p.m.)
Purple Team: Makayla Hemingway (Cherokee Trail), Avery VanSickle (Regis Jesuit); Navy Team: Tomia Johnson (Grandview), Allyah Marlett (Grandview); Selected but unable to play: Francesca Belibi (Regis Jesuit), Jada Moore (Regis Jesuit)
Boys Top 20 Game (March 23, 7:30 p.m.)
Maroon Team: Aaron Bokol (Eaglecrest), Daniel Carr (Regis Jesuit), Kenny Foster (Smoky Hill), Dayne Prim (Grandview), Ty Robinson (Eaglecrest); Green Team: Graham Ike (Overland), Quincey Jewett (Rangeview), Christopher Speller (Rangeview); Selected but unable to play: Caleb McGill (Grandview)