GREENFIELD – A collection of basketball talent assembled at Greenfield High School for the 22nd annual Hampshire-Franklin IAABO Board All-Star games on Friday night.
The night began with the East girls downing the West girls, 72-52.
Greenfield’s Samantha Smith led the West with 20 points and earned MVP honors.
“It was pretty cool because the last home game we thought it was our last,” Smith said. “We didn’t know this was going to be here so I was pretty cool to get to play with everyone.”
Smith plans on attending Babson College to play basketball with the Beavers.
“This was to build a relationship with other girls,” Smith said. “Not take anything too seriously and just get to know everyone I have played against in the last four years.”
Belchertown’s Elise Pikul, who earned MVP honors herself, helped the East pull away in the second half with 17 points.
Tori Tenney had eight points had for the East, while Mahar teammate Jazmyn Vautour had six points.
“It was fun,” Vautour said. “They are the best players on their teams.”
Vautour is still looking at colleges and plans on majoring in special education. Tenney will attend Mount Holyoke and has interest in playing soccer for the Lyons.
The Pioneer girls and Frontier boys teams were the recipients of the Jack Leaman sportsmanship awards, while Turners Falls’ coach Gary Mullins took home the Tom Cove Award for contributions to basketball in Hampshire and Franklin County.
The newly minted trio of Smith, Greenfield’s Raegan Hickey and Frontier’s Ariana Walker helped the West team jump to a 11-5 lead.
Walker made a couple nice basket cuts on the baseline before a Hickey 3-pointer led to the game’s first time out.
Vautour had a steal and a lay up in the second quarter for the East while Tenney scored on consecutive possessions off an offensive rebound and then a steal for the East.
The West took the lead back when Walker, Hickey and Smith returned to the floor. Hickey’s second 3-pointer gave the West a 29-24 lead.
Hickey finished with eight points.
Hickey is looking at either a post graduate year at Deerfield Academy or Saint Michael’s with both options continuing her field hockey career.
The West led the East 35-31 at halftime.
Pikul and South Hadley’s Bella Earle (11 points) led a run in the second half for the East.
Pioneer’s Olivia Rowe had four points with three blocks for the West.
In the boys’ game the West beat the East, 107-81.
Pioneer’s Garrett Cote was the Co-MVP for the West with 22 points and four 3-pointers.
“This is awesome,” Cote said. “This is the best talent in the area. This is what a kid dreams of and this is a great venue. There was a lot of local people here. It was packed. Friends and family from all over. It’s a really great feeling to know that I’m with these guys and included as one of the best in the area.”
Cote is looking at Springfield College or possibly a prep school next year and plans on continuing his basketball career.
Frontier’s Carsten Carey missed the game with an injury. Carey has plans to spend a year at Deerfield Academy to pursue a rowing career.
“No more basketball for me,” Carey said. “It will be rowing and possibly running as well. I love hoops, but I have always gravitated toward rowing and running. Endurance and repetitive motion sports. That’s what I can see myself doing in college.”
Brymere Edwards represented the Athol basketball team, while Jordan Desrosiers represented Mahar Regional.
Desrosiers had 8 points with two 3-pointers for the East.
The first half of the boys game was essentially a 3-point contest, along with multiple attempts in the early going to get Northampton’s Jaeden Johndrow a dunk.
Johndrow got his dunk late in the first half to give the West a 50-35.
Johndrow was the other MVP for the West with 26 points.
Winning the MVP for the East was Smith Academy’s Brett Gratz, who had 16 points with four 3-pointers.
The second half was more of the same with many 3-point attempts from both sides.
Mohawk’s Jackson Hicks had some good late minutes and had six points for the West. Frontier’s Kalen Evans added six points, also for the West.
East 72, West 52
East (72)
Pikul 7-0—17, Birks 5-0—12, Earle 5-1—11, Duffy 3-2—10, Tenney 4-0—8, Sexton 3-0—6, Vautour 3-0—6, Tweedie 1-0—2, Burke.
West (52)
Smith 10-0—20, Herman 3-0—8, Hickey 3-0—8, Walker 2-0—4, Rowe 2-0—4, Joy 1-0—2, Smiarowski 1-0—2, Waldron 1-0—2, Reynolds 1-0—2, Cavanaugh.
Most Outstanding Players: East, Elise Pikul, Belchertown; West, Samantha Smith, Greenfield.
West 107, East 81
East (81)
Gratz 6-0—16, Hilson-Mallory 3-1—9, Slattery 4-0—9, Desrosiers 3-0—8, Doty 4-0—8, Lanoue 3-0—7, Lavin 2-0—6, Wright 3-0—6, Woodward 2-0—6, Gaughan 1-0—3, Zygmont 1-0—3, Edwards, Murdock, Graves.
West (107)
Johndrow 12-1—26, Cote 9-0—22, Mottor 5-0—13, DeJesus 4-0—11, Maniatty 4-0—9, Evans 3-0—6, Hicks 3-0—6, Cordova 2-0—4, Sharp 1-0—2, Buckman 1-0—2, Phelps 1-0—2, McCarthy 1-0—2, Pellegrini, Campbell.
Most Outstanding Players: East, Brett Gratz, Smith Academy; West, Jaeden Johndrow, Northampton and Garrett Cote, Pioneer.