Locals play in 1A basketball all-star series

“It’s always an honor of course to coach the all-star team,” said Hull, who guided the squad for the second straight year along with Country Christian Coach Dawson Nofziger. “It worked out really well because we were the same coaches who guided the team in last year’s all-star series. It is nice to just have the opportunity to coach your own kids again, too.”

In their first game on June 30, the Big Sky/Valley 10 team lost, 80-56, to the Mountain Valley League/Skyline League All-Stars. Ongers and Best both scored two points and Rubio had one point. In their second game on July 1 in a consolation contest, the Big Sky/Valley 10 squad lost, 74-65, to the High Desert League/Old Oregon League All-Stars. Ongers had nine points, Rubio scored five and Best had two points.

“It’s an honor for these kids to be playing in the game,” said Hull. “They don’t need to get caught up in whether they win or lose. They’re all being recognized for being an all-star and they just need to enjoy the experience. It was nice to see James flying around again on the court and I’m going to miss him. I’m going to miss Ian, too, and all his scoring and everything else that he does in a basketball game.”

The Big Sky League/Valley 10 League OBCA Girls All-Star team, guided by South Wasco Coach Carly Johnson, included seven area players on the Big Sky League/Valley 10 League squad. The duo of Big Sky League player-of-the-year Kylie Iverson and Sadie McCoy represented the Redsides in the four-team series. The Sherman County High duo of Natalie Martin and Morgan Geary represented the Huskies. Alise Gimlin of the Klickitat/Glenwood High Vandals, Gabby Mooney of the Horizon Christian School Hawks, and Willa McLaughlin of the Trout Lake High Mustangs also played in the series.

In their first game on June 30, The Big Sky/Valley 10 girls All-Stars won, 60-37, over the Mountain Valley/Skyline League team. Iverson led with 12 points. McLaughlin scored 11 points, followed by McCoy (seven), Mooney (five), Gimlin (four), Martin (three) and Geary (one).

In their second game on July 1, the Big Sky/Valley 10 girls squad lost, 67-50, to the High Desert League/Old Oregon League All-Stars. McLaughlin scored a game-high 20 points while Iverson was the second leading scorer with 19 points. Gimlin had nine points, McCoy had six, Mooney had two and Geary had two.

At the conclusion of the event, the OBCA 2023 All-State Awards were presented to the players. Iverson and McLaughlin each earned a girls third team all-state award. South Wasco senior Julie Hull received a girls all-state honorable mention award.

Ongers was selected for a boys second team all-state award. Jason Hull, a South Wasco incoming sophomore, earned a boys third team all-state award — the lone freshmen selected to the 29-member team. The all-stars each received commemorative medals, certificates, and T-shirts.