AURORA | A profile look at Cherokee Trail junior Abbie Sparks, who is set to play for Team East in the second A-Town All-Star Girls Game set for Friday, March 16, 2018, at Rangeview High School. The girls game is scheduled for 5 p.m.:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
ABBIE SPARKS
School: Cherokee Trail High School
Year: Junior
Height: 5-foot-11
2017-18 averages: 7.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.2 steals per game
Season highlights: When standout Makayla Hemingway was lost to a knee injury before the season began, Sparks and all the other players on coach Jerry Austin’s had to adjust their roles to adapt. Sparks — whose older sister Hannah starred with the Cougars a few years ago — was one of those who picked their games up and she played to an All-Centennial League second team level in her junior season. Sparks averaged 11.1 rebounds per game — more than any other Aurora player — bolstered by 16 games in which she was credit with double-digit rebounds, including a high of 16 accomplished four times. She recorded six double-doubles and her 7.4 points per game scoring average ranked second on the team, while she paced Cherokee Trail with 1.5 blocked shots per game and also contributed 1.2 steals per contest. Sparks is a first-time A-Town All-Star Girls Game selection.
Sparks vs. Aurora teams: vs. Gateway (11 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocked shots); vs. Regis Jesuit (3 points, 9 rebounds); vs. Smoky Hill (7 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots; 16 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocked shots); vs. Grandview (4 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocked shots; 3 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocked shots); vs. Overland (4 points, 9 rebounds; 5 points, 7 rebounds); vs. Eaglecrest (8 points, 16 rebounds, 5 blocked shots; 14 points, 16 rebounds)