Opening doubleheader in Freedom Hall, rematch in Bankers Life Fieldhouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pat McKee, 317-403-1665

May 22, 2012 IBCA Coordinator of Special Projects

The 2012 Indiana All-Stars take to the hardwood to compete against their counterparts from Kentucky in less than three weeks.

Led by Mr. Basketball Gary Harris of Hamilton Southeastern, the Indiana boys will take on their Bluegrass rivals for the 71st year in a home-and-home series featuring the top graduating high school players from both states.

The Indiana girls, now in their 37th year facing Kentucky and featuring Miss Basketball Jessica Rupright of Norwell, will open the basketball doubleheaders each evening.

This year's series begins on Friday, June 8 at Freedom Hall in Louisville (girls at 5:30 p.m., boys to follow). The rematches will be on Saturday June 9 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (girls 5 p.m., boys to follow).

This is the fifth year of the one-week format for the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series. This format enables the talented athletes on both sides to report to their NCAA Division I programs almost immediately after graduation.

The Indiana teams will report to camp on June 2 at Marian University in Indianapolis, hold practice sessions each day and have exhibition games against the Indiana Junior All-Stars on June 4 at Seymour High School and June 6 at Pendleton Heights High School.

Per tradition, Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball were selected through ballot voting from high school coaches, sportswriters and sportscasters throughout Indiana. They are joined by 12 teammates each -- selected through balloting, observations and a committee chaired by Indiana All-Star Games Director Charlie Hall -- to create well-balanced, competitive teams.

The Junior All-Star teams are chosen by Indiana Basketball Coaches Association committees, the 22-member girls' committee chaired by Scott Kreiger of Fort Wayne Canterbury and a separate 22-member boys' committee chaired by David Wood of West Lafayette. The Junior All-Stars feature a core group that will play in both Senior exhibitions and north and south groups that will play in one Senior game each.

New this year are a pair of Junior All-Star doubleheaders against the Kentucky Junior All-Stars. Those games, featuring boys and girls, will be Friday, June 15 at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis and Saturday, June 16 at North Oldham High School in Goshen, Ky. The Junior core team will play in both games; the north and south groups will play in one game apiece.

One other event in conjunction with the All-Star games is the "All-Star Shootout" on June 9 at Ben Davis. This event is a "shootout" for 24 high school programs with their teams for next season -- 12 boys teams and 12 girls teams. It begins at 9 a.m. with multiple games running concurrently throughout morning and afternoon. Players and coaches who participate in this event receive a ticket to the All-Star games that evening.

The IBCA is handling the administration of the Indiana All-Star games following an agreement last fall with The Indianapolis Star, the All-Stars' presenter since 1939. The Star is continuing as a presenting sponsor of the games by providing promotional ad space in the newspaper and on the newspaper's Web site.

The IBCA has taken over the production of all aspects of the games, including the selection of coaches, players, exhibition sites, support staff, securing sponsors, interaction with players and families, etc. This year's games have a new title sponsor in Best Choice Home Health, an Indianapolis-based home health care firm that serves families in Indiana and Ohio.

Net profits from staging the games will continue to be donated to various Indiana-based charities, including the Indiana National Guard, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the IBCA Scholarship Fund that finances the group's annual Marion Crawley, Junior Mannies and Pat Aikman scholarship awards.

The Indiana All-Star basketball program dates to 1939 and has included standouts such as Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Damon Bailey, George McGinnis, Jumpin' Johnny Wilson and Eric Gordon as well as Stephanie White, Shanna Zolman, LaTaunya Pollard, Katie Gearlds and Katie Douglas.

In annual games against Kentucky since 1940 and, more recently, exhibitions against top Indiana juniors, the All-Stars have filled stands and highlight reels, and stoked the dreams of the next generation. Many players have gone on to greater glory, some even Hall of Fame pro careers. Indiana leads the boys' series with Kentucky 86-42. Indiana also leads the girls' series, added in 1976, 40-32.

Of note: This is the 74th Indiana boys All-Star team. The Indiana All-Stars began in 1939 but played Frankfort, the Indiana state champions, that first year. The series with Kentucky began in 1940. No teams were chosen in the World War II years of 1943 or 1944, but teams for those years were selected in 1993 and 1994.

Rosters, key dates and other information for the 2012 Indiana All-Star teams (seniors and juniors) follow the ticket information immediately below.

Ticket information for 2012 games

Tickets for this year's June 9 doubleheader at Bankers Life Fieldhouse are available through TicketMaster or the Bankers Life Fieldhouse box office. Tickets are priced at $100, $18, $16 and $5.

Tickets for the June 8 doubleheader at Freedom Hall are available through TicketMaster, through the Kentucky games' Web site (www.kyallstars.net) or, on game day, the Freedom Hall box office. Tickets are priced at $19 and $10.

Tickets for the Indiana Junior-Senior exhibitions at Seymour and Pendleton Heights are $5 each and available at the door.

Tickets for the Indiana-Kentucky Junior doubleheaders at Heritage Christian School and North Oldham High School are $10 each and available at the door.

Indiana All-Star rosters for 2012

2012 INDIANA ALL-STAR SENIOR GIRLS TEAM

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

1 Jessica Rupright, Norwell, 6-2, 21.2, Miami (Ohio)

2 Brionna Barnett, Elkhart Memorial, 5-7, 14.9, Wisconsin-Green Bay

3 Jessica Brown, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), 5-6, 14.0, Indiana Wesleyan

4 Amanda Moore, Seymour, 5-10, 23.4, Florida Gulf Coast

5 Alex Morton, Penn, 5-9, 15.7, Western Michigan

6 Raveen Murray, Merrillville 5-6, 16.2, Northeast Community College (Neb.)

7 CoCo Moore, Lawrence North, 5-7, 14.3, SIU-Edwardsville

8 Rachael Gregory, North Central, 5-10, 12.7, Buffalo

9 Lakin Roland, Jeffersonville, 6-1, 13.6, Dartmouth

10 Jocelyn Mousty, Eastern (Pekin), 6-3, 19.3, Undecided

11 Nariah Taylor, North Central, 6-5, 11.7, Auburn

12 Kasey Johnson, Plainfield, 5-8, 16.5, Indiana State

13 Akilah Sims, Fort Wayne Snider, 5-10, 21.3, IUPUI

Head coach: Scott Kreiger, Fort Wayne Canterbury

Assistant coaches: Alana Harrington, Bloomington North, and Karla Rieckers, Brownstown Central

2012 INDIANA ALL-STAR SENIOR BOYS TEAM

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

1 Gary Harris, Hamilton Southeastern, 6-4, 25.4, Michigan State

2 D.J. Balentine, Kokomo, 6-3, 18.2, Evansville

3 Ron Patterson, Broad Ripple, 6-3, 18.5, Indiana

4 Glenn Robinson III, Lake Central, 6-6, 21.7, Michigan

5 Kellen Dunham, Pendleton Heights, 6-5, 29.5, Butler

6 DeJuan Marrero, Bowman Academy, 6-5, 20.1, DePaul

7 Nick Osborne, Muncie Central, 6-8, 15.0, Loyola

8 Austin Burgett, Avon, 6-9, 16.5, Notre Dame

9 Jeremy Hollowell, Lawrence Central, 6-8, 23.1, Indiana

10 Ronnie Johnson, North Central, 6-0, 21.1, Purdue

11 Yogi Ferrell, Park Tudor, 5-11, 17.8, Indiana

12 Patrick Ingram, North Central, 6-2, 16.8, Iowa

13 RJ Hunter, Pike, 6-6, 20.3, Georgia State

Head coach: Craig Teagle, Jay County

Assistant coaches: Tom Bradley, Orleans, and Chris Johnson, Homestead

2012 INDIANA JUNIOR ALL-STAR GIRLS

Core Team (Playing June 4, 6, 15 and 16)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

10 Taya Reimer, Hamilton Southeastern, 6-3, 19.4, Notre Dame

15 Stephanie Mavunga, Brownsburg, 6-3, 21.6, North Carolina

24 Celeste Edwards, North Central, 5-10, 12.7, Dayton

25 Ally Lehman, Indian Creek, 5-10, 26.0, Undecided

28 Bridget Perry, Roncalli, 6-2, 19.8, Purdue

30 Ariana Simmons, Fort Wayne South, 5-11, 14.7, IPFW

North Team (Playing June 6 and June 15)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

11 Andrijana Cvitkovic, Culver Academy, 6-2, 15.8, Undecided

12 Nicki Monahan, Portage, 5-9, 15.5, Undecided

13 Meredith Shipman, Fort Wayne Snider, 5-10, 17.1, Western Michigan

21 Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central, 5-11, 21.0, Undecided

22 Bailey Farley, Fort Wayne Canterbury, 5-11, 18.7, Loyola (Ill.)

31 Lindsay Baker, Warsaw, 5-11, 14.4, Toledo

South Team (Playing June 4 and June 16)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

11 Jill Morrison, Winchester, 5-9, 27.1, Undecided

12 Rhagen Smith, Sullivan, 6-2, 16.0, Indiana State

14 Nicole Anderson, Terre Haute North, 6-1, 15.4, Undecided

18 Jenn Anderson, Westfield, 6-3, 20.5. Indiana

21 Dakota Weatherford, Hamilton Heights, 5-6, 22.2, Undecided

22 Katie Curtis, Lebanon, 5-7, 16.1, Undecided

Head coach: Eric Thornton, Norwell.

Assistant coaches: Jeff Knoy, McCutcheon, and Greg Werner, Southridge.

2012 INDIANA JUNIOR ALL-STAR BOYS

Core Team (Playing June 4, 6, 15 and 16)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

3 Demetrius Jackson, Mishawaka Marian, 6-2, 22.4, Undecided

4 Zak Irvin, Hamilton Southeastern, 6-7, 18.8, Michigan

6 Collin Hartman, Cathedral, 6-6, 13.9, Indiana

7 V.J. Beachem, New Haven, 6-7, 19.9, Notre Dame

9 Tony Wills, Ben Davis, 6-4, 15.2, Undecided

14 Devin Davis, Warren Central, 6-7, 18.9, Indiana

North Team (Playing June 6 and June 15)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

2 Bryson Scott, Fort Wayne Northrop, 6-2, 25.2, Purdue

5 Josh VanMeter, Norwell, 5-11, 18.3, Undecided

10 Nick Davidson, Andrean, 6-4, 17.7, Valparaiso

11 Leo Svete, Penn, 6-5, 17.5, Undecided

17 Clay Yeo, Triton, 6-6, 26.0, Valparaiso

22 Mike Schlotman, Munster, 6-3, 10.5, Undecided

South Team (Playing June 4 and June 16)

No. Name, School, Ht., PPG, College Choice

5 Zavier Turner, Pike, 5-8, 15.0, Undecided

8 Sam Philpott, Noblesville, 6-7, 16.7, Undecided

10 Blake Simmons, Castle, 6-5, 19.7, Evansville

11 Mike Crawford, Tipton, 6-5, 23.3, Undecided

12 Darryl Baker, Jeffersonville, 6-2, 12.7, Undecided

24 Conner Wittmer, Loogootee, 6-6, 15.3, Undecided

Head coach: Scott Heady, Carmel.

Assistant coaches: Stacy Meyer, Greensburg, Marvin Rea, Bowman Academy.

KEY DATES

June 2: All-Stars report to Marian University, Indianapolis

June 4: Exhibitions vs. Junior All-Stars at Seymour. Girls 6 p.m., boys to follow. Admission: $5.

June 6: Exhibitions vs. Junior All-Stars at Pendleton Heights. Girls 6 p.m., boys to follow. Admission: $5.

June 8: All-Stars at Kentucky, Freedom Hall in Louisville. Girls 5:30 p.m., boys to follow. Tickets: $19 and $10.

June 9: All-Stars vs. Kentucky, Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Tickets: $100, $18, $16 and $5. Girls 5 p.m., boys to follow.

June 15: Junior All-Stars vs. Kentucky Juniors at Heritage Christian School, Indianapolis. Girls 6 p.m., boys to follow. Admission: $10.

June 16: Junior All-Stars vs. Kentucky Juniors at North Oldham High School, Goshen, Ky. Girls 5:30 p.m., boys to follow. Admission: $10.

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