Top Prep Talent On Display At "The Show"

Colorado Springs School's DeLovell Earls goes up for a contested layup Saturday during The Show, a prep all-star game sponsored by the Denver Nuggets and Gold Crown Foundation.

Photo by Michael Furman, Mile High Hoops

DENVER—Colorado’s top prep basketball talent came together Saturday to participate in “The Show,” the state’s end-of-season all-star game. For most of the players, it was their last time lacing up as a prep player.

The Show, now in its 10th season, is sponsored by the Denver Nuggets and the Gold Crown Foundation. Of the 40 players on both the boys and girls rosters, 32 of them are seniors.

Here’s a look at the all-star rosters with game recaps following:

Boys roster

Blue team: Donthe Lucas, Pueblo Central; Austin Maag, Fort Collins; Jimmy McGrath, Otis; Joey Ptasinski, Regis Jesuit; Reuben Riggs-Russell, Rampart; Roderick Taylor, Montbello; Bud Thomas, Regis Jesuit; Martin Thomas, Fountain-Fort Carson; Dominic Williams, Lincoln; Tyrell Williams, Pueblo South. Coach: J'on St. Clair, Rampart.

White team: Tim Billingsley, Arapahoe; Sydney Donaldson, Longmont; DeLovell Earls, Colorado Springs School; DeSe Lee, Aurora Central; Andre Marquez, Eaglecrest; Wes McKenzie, Liberty; Josh Morgan, Buena Vista; Darragh O'Neill, Fairview; Trevor Wages, Chatfield; Kamryn Williams, Sierra. Coach: Jeff Kloster, Longmont.

Girls roster

Blue team: Demitra Aspergis, Columbine; Alison Gorrell, Conifer; Jamie Katuna, Longmont; Kim Lockridge, Heritage; Katelyn McDaniel, Highlands Ranch; Kaitlyn Mileto, Mesa Ridge; Adaugo Osuala, Green Mountain; D'Shara Strange, Fountain-Fort Carson; Sendy Valles, Highlands Ranch; Christina Whitelaw, St. Mary's; Quincey Noonan, Legacy (unable to play). Coach: Harry Knight, Fountain-Fort Carson.

White team: Alex Evans, Monarch; Brooke Jelniker, ThunderRidge; Alexus Johnson, Monarch; Amy Kame, Central (G.J.); Shae Kelley, East; Danielle Lewis, Kim; Carlie Needles, ThunderRidge; Alex Ochoa, Fountain Valley; Megan O'Neil, Regis Jesuit; Hayley Thompson, Mullen. Coach: Bill Bradley, ThunderRidge.

Game Recaps:

Girls Game:

The best high school girls in the state certainly lived up to that billing Saturday afternoon at the Pepsi Center. In the end, the White team knocked off the Blue team, 64-62.

The contest, as expected, was evenly matched throughout the game. The lone sophomore in the game, Monarch’s Alexus Johnson, carried the White team in the first half. She drilled a two three-pointers and led all scorers with 10 points in the half.

“Alexus came out in the first half and just dominated the ball game, and that’s the only reason we were close in the second half,” said ThunderRidge coach Bill Bradley, who coached the White team.

After one half the White team trailed the Blue team 28-27. Sendy Valles, a senior from Highlands Ranch who’s headed to Northern Arizona next year, had a big first half with seven points.

The story of the second half was ThunderRidge junior Carlie Needles. The point guard was held scoreless in the first half but scored 10 straight points for the White in the third period. After her point explosion, the White team led 47-42 heading into the final period.

“She got some open looks and got some good looks and just knocked the shots down,” Bradley said.

In the fourth quarter, the Blue squad battled back on some impressive drives to the basket by Fountain Fort Carson senior D’Shara Strange.

But with less than two minutes left, Needles came up big again. With the Blue team leading 62-60, Needles jab-stepped left took two dribbles to her right, and nailed a 10-foot floater in the lane to knot the game up at 62 all.

After consecutive turnovers by both teams, White retained possession. Grand Junction Central senior Amy Kame made a strong drive to the basket, got the foul and buried both free throws with 0.9 left to play.

A desperation heave by the Blue squad fell short, and White came away victorious.

Valles (16 points) and Strange (11 and nine rebounds) led the Blue team. Johnson (16 points, eight rebounds) and Kame (15) led the White team.

Bradley said it was a great environment for prep athletes to compete. “It’s so much fun to see that much athleticism in one place—great basketball players and competitors,” he said.

Boys Recap:

Similar to the girl’s game, the state’s best ballers were evenly matched and the result was another exciting and close contest.  The White team came out victorious when the final whistle blew.

Arapahoe senior Tim Billingsley came out hot, scoring the first five points for the White team. And he wasn’t the only one producing for the White squad in the first period. Longmont senior Sydney Donaldson and Colorado Springs School senior DeLovell Earls each scored four points on some nifty drives in the first quarter. After one, the White team led 21-8.

But the Blue team proved resilient and went on a 21-8 second quarter run to knot the score at 29 all. Rampart senior Reuben Riggs-Russell drilled two three-pointers in the frame and Pueblo South senior Tyrell Williams scored six second quarter points.

The White team managed to score the final four points to take a 33-29 halftime advantage.

In the third frame, Regis senior standout Joey Ptasinski caught fire and connected on a couple three-pointers. Ty Williams also stayed hot and the Blue team bolted to a 56-54 lead after three quarters.

In the fourth, however, Billingsley and Earls sparked the White team again. Billingsley drained two three-pointers in the fourth and finished with 15 points. “Some of the guys said ‘step up,’ so I took some big shots and hit them,” Billingsley said.

Earls had a couple highlight reel dunks, and finished the game with 16. The duo was too much in the fourth quarter for the Blue team to overcome.

Billingsley said he was excited to play his final prep game on the Pepsi Center court in front of a large crowd. “It’s a blessing,” he said. “It’s humbling, and I’m just really thankful to be able to play here and get an opportunity.

Earls, who said he will attend Air Force Prep School next season, said it was nice to play alongside 4A and 5A stars (Earls competes in 2A). “This was a great opportunity—to come here and play with a lot of great players,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Williams led the Blue team 18 and Riggs-Russell added 14.

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