• Tevin Brown of Fairhope and Justin Thomas of Spanish Fort to lead Baldwin cagers’ contingent on South All-Star squad

MONTGOMERY— All-star squads for the 2016 North-South boys’ and girls’ basketball games have been selected. Sixty outstanding junior basketball players, 15 on each team, were chosen from nominations submitted by high school coaches from across the state to participate at the 20th annual AHSAA Summer Conference and AHSADCA All-Star Games competition in Montgomery July 18-22, according to an announcement by Alvin Briggs, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA).

The girls’ and boys’ basketball games will be at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the Alabama State University campus July 20 at 6 and 8 p.m., respectively.

The AHADCA All-Star Games also include in-state all-star games in soccer, baseball, volleyball and softball. The 56th North-South All-Star football game will be played Thursday night, July 21, at Cramton Bowl.

The AHSAA Summer Conference is a week-long conference that includes sports specific clinics and special sessions for coaches, principals, athletic directors, cheerleading coaches and officials. Also, an All-Sports Equipment Expo and other related activities are scheduled throughout the week. 
     Among the conference’s highlights will be the Sportsmanship Luncheon honoring all schools that have not had an ejection or fine during the 2015-16 school year and the Championship Coaches Awards Banquet that includes the naming of the 2015-16 Making A Difference Award Recipients ,Coaches of the Year, and the AHSADCA Athletic Director of the Year. Both banquets will be Friday, July 22.


      Concluding the week will be the annual Officials Awards Banquet set for Saturday, July 23, at noon. Cecil Williams of Keith High School and Darryl Walton of LeFlore have been selected to coach the South girls’ squad. St. James’ Nigel Card is the administrative assistant. Coaching the North are David Hill of Lexington and JoVanka Ward of Homewood.
      Williams led Keith to the 2015 Class 1A state championship and a runner-up finish in 2016. Walton coached LeFlore to a perfect 34-0 record and the 6A girls’ championship in 2016. Ward guided Homewood to the 6A state championship in 2015 and was runner-up to LeFlore in 2016. Hill guided Lexington to the Class 3A Northwest Regional tournament in 2016.

North coaches for the boys’ all-stars are Chris Randall of White Plains and Cale Black of Geraldine. Lewellyn is also the boys’ administrative coach. South coaches are Janasky Fleming of Northview and Obadiah Threadgill IV of LeFayette. Threadgill led LaFayette to the 2015 Class 2A state championship, and Fleming’s Cougars reached the 2016 South Regional semifinals.  Randall directed White Plains to the Northeast Class 4A Regionals, and Black’s Geraldine team reached the Class 3A sub-regional round of the state playoffs in ’16.


     Among the players selected for the North Boys are 2016 Class 6A state tourney MVP Luke Touliatos of Homewood, 6-foot-10 center and ASWA Class 7A player of the year Austin Wiley of Spain Park, and 6-9 center Alex Reese of Pelham. The North also features 6-8 Cleveland forward Khalil Johnson and 6-7 Myles Parker of Class 3A state champion Madison Academy. The South squad features 6-1 forward Marlon Williams of 7A state champion McGill-Toolen, 6-7 forward Herbert Jones of Hale County, 6-7 forward Zechariah Byrd of Stanhope Elmore and 6-1 point guard Jartavious Whitlow LaFayette, an ASWA Class 2A player-of-the-year finalist for 2016. 
      The South girls’ team includes Faith Academy standout forward Unique Thompson, who averaged 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds this past season, Brewbaker Tech guard Bianca Jackson and Lanett guard Ataiya Bridges. Bridges averaged 23 ppg and Jackson 22.0 in 2016.
Gadsden City duo Brooks Burns and Haley Troup highlight the North team. Burns has scored 1,472 points and Troup had totaled 1,726 heading into their senior seasons. Alexus Dye and Jayla Morrow, who helped Wenonah win its third straight 5A state title last season, are also on the North squad.
The North girls won last summer’s game 66-56 and now holds a 17-2 edge in the series. The South boys won 72-65 and snapped a 12-game winning North winning streak. The North holds a 46-26 edge in the series that started in 1953. 
To see full North-South rosters visit AHSAA All-Stars.