Area Trio Tabbed For All-Star Game
MISHAWAKA – A trio of area senior standouts have been selected to play in the inaugural McDonald’s Michiana All-Star Girls Basketball Game.
Chosen on Friday as members of the Gray team are Warsaw stars Lindsay Baker and Jennifer Walker-Crawford, along with Wawasee’s KiLee Knafel.
The game, organized and sponsored by McDonald’s of Northern Indiana and Bethel College, is set for Monday, March 25. Tip-off will be at 5 p.m. in the Wiekamp Center on the Bethel College campus. The boys game, which is scheduled to include Jared Bloom of Warsaw and Clay Yeo of Triton, will follow at 7:15 p.m.
Baker and Walker-Crawford helped lead the Tigers to a 24-2 mark during the 2012-13 season. The pair helped coach Michelle Harter’s squad claim the Northern Lakes Conference title and then Class 4-A sectional and regional championships.
Baker, a sharp shooting guard, averaged 11.4 points-per-game. The University of Toledo recruit paced the Tigers in 3-point shooting.
Walker-Crawford, a versatile forward, averaged a team-high 14 ppg. The Kentucky Wesleyan University recruit also ranked second on her team at six rebounds per contest.
Knafel put together a stellar senior season for the Warriors. The 5-7 guard, who will play at IUSB, averaged 24.3 ppg. for coach Kem Zolman’s team. Knafel finished her prep career second in school history in career points, trailing only former Miss Basketball and WNBA player Shanna Zolman (the state’s all-time leading scorer for girls).
Also selected for the Gray team are Toni Murphy (Michigan City), Kaeshyanna Cooper (Michigan City), Kerria Columbus (South Bend Riley), Amber Redinger (Plymouth), Christine Valentine (St. Joseph, Mi.), Erica Priebe (St. Joseph, Mi.) and Lauren Brower (St. Joseph, Mi.).
The Red team features Savannah Bley of NorthWood, along with Aimee Swihart of Goshen and Monica Jones of Elkhart Memorial. Also selected for the squad are Tia Garnett (Elkhart Central), Olivia Carlton (Penn), Taylor Lutz (Penn), Katie Barnard (Mishawaka Marian), Molly Hoover (South Bend Trinity), Michelle Adeniyi (South Bend Clay) and Carri Tyler (Lakeshore, Mi.).
Sydney Smallbone, who played at South Bend St. Joseph and Tennessee, was tabbed to coach the Gray team. Katy Stuppy, who played at Dowagiac (Mi.) and Bethel College, will coach the Red team. Smallbone and Stuppy are also cousins.
Tickets for the March 25 doubleheader are $5 for adults and $2 for students and will be available at the door on game night.