NOTE: Mt. Carmel 8th grader Gavin Smith and 7th grader Blayne Sisson were chosen to play.
INA, Ill. -Meet the players for Rend Lake College's 2019 Southern Illinois Premier Jr. High All-Star Classic, Feb. 23 and 24, at Waugh Gym in Ina.
Coaches and athletic directors in the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association nominated the following student-athletes as the best junior-high boys and girls basketball players in the region. These players will showcase their skills at Rend Lake College's second-annual Southern Illinois Premier Jr. High All-Star Classic, Feb. 23 & 24 at Waugh Gymnasium on the Ina campus. The event has expanded to include 7th graders this year.
This is the second year Warriors Head Coach Tommy Holder has hosted the games to "provide an opportunity for players to enjoy one more memory of playing junior high basketball on a big stage.”
Player nominations started in November. All schools in the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) were asked to nominate five players from their class, in each the 7th and 8th grade divisions, with up to two from their own team. Those nominations were submitted to Holder who explained that, in a few cases, a school has more than two representatives due to players being nominated by opponent coaches. He also said that the original schedule has changed. The 7th grade girls Classes M and L game has been combined due to a low number of nominations. An additional 8th grade boys Class S game has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, due to a high number of nominations.
Players participating in the event will wear either their home or away team jerseys, based on team placement. Each player selected will receive a Southern Illinois Premier Jr. High All-Star Classic tee-shirt. RLC will host practices on Feb. 16 — girls from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and boys from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — at which time teams will be picked.
