Warsaw senior Jennifer Walker-Crawford dives for a loose ball during All-Star game action Monday night at Bethel College. The standout scored a game-high 16 points to help her team to a 76-66 victory (Photos by Mike Deak)

MISHAWAKA – Jennifer Walker-Crawford and Lindsay Baker got to share the spotlight one final time as teammates Monday night.

That was not only a very good thing for the pair of former Warsaw stars, but for their All-Star squad too.

Walker-Crawford and Baker both played pivotal roles in helping the Gray Team to a 76-66 win over the Red Team in the McDonald’s Michiana All-Star Game.

Walker-Crawford scored a game-high 16 points and Baker netted 11 as the Gray Team won the first-ever girls contest in the Wiekamp Center on the Bethel College campus.

KiLee Knafel, a senior standout guard from Wawasee, had five points for the winning Gray Team.

Walker-Crawford and Baker were both key down the stretch as the winners closed the competitive contest with a 9-1 run. The silky smooth Walker-Crawford, a 6-1 forward, had six points in the game-closing run. She hit 4-4 free throws in the stretch and also scored on a rebound basket. Baker had a key steal in the sequence.

The two former Tiger teammates both relished another chance to suit up on the same team. The outstanding duo led Warsaw to a 24-2 season as seniors, which included a Northern Lakes Conference title and then Class 4-A sectional and regional championships before a 47-44 semi state loss at home to Fort Wayne South Side.

“It was just really fun to get to play on the same team with Lindsay one more time,” said Walker-Crawford. “It’s the chemistry between us. You could see the two of us pick our team up when we were in there together.

“We just played together completely unselfishly this season. It was a great support system to have her and to have the teamwork we had together. I’m really going to miss that.”

Warsaw’s Lindsay Baker heads to the hoop Monday night. The talented guard had 11 points in the McDonald’s Michiana All-Star game.

Baker, who will play at the University of Toledo, paid her former teammate quite the compliment.

“To get to play with Jen one more time tonight was a blast,” said Baker. “She’s the best teammate I ever had.  We played together since the 7th grade and I’m going to miss her energy. She always had my back and the chemistry we had together is rare.”

Walker-Crawford and Baker both wore huge smiles after claiming the victory.

“This is so much fun and these games are the best to play in,” Baker said. “There is no pressure and you get a chance to get out here and play with so much talent.

“We’re all competitive though and all of us want to win. You always play to win and it was great for us to get the win tonight and to go out with a bang like that.”

The Gray team, coached by former South Bend St. Joseph and Tennessee player Sydney Smallbone, led 29-24 at halftime.

“This was just a fun event to be a part of,” said Walker-Crawford, who will play at Kentucky Wesleyan University. “To get to play another game with the best of the best is cool. There were a lot of smiles out there tonight, but of course I wanted to win. Regardless of what the game or where, I want to win.

“I know when I look back on our season it was great and I have no regrets. I still get chills thinking about getting to play my last game in my home gym with like 4,400 fans there. I’ll never forget that. It was unbelievable.”

Walker-Crawford, who was somehow overlooked and did not get invited to the Top 60 Senior Workout, also had eight rebounds, four assists and three steals Monday night.

Baker had seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Wawasee star senior KiLee Knafel takes a jumper Monday night at Bethel College. Knafel helped her Gray Team to a 76-66 victory in the All-Star game.

Knafel, who averaged 24.3 points-per-game in her stellar senior season, had a rebound and an assist. The IUSB recruit hit 2-6 shots from the field, including 1-4 on 3-point tries.

Senior Keshyana Cooper (Michigan City) had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Gray Team. Senior Amber Redinger (Plymouth) scored eight points, while senior Christine Valentine (St. Joe, Mi) hd seven and senior Kerria Columbus (South Bend Riley) six. Senior Toni Murphy (Michigan City) added four points, while senior Erica Priebe (St. Joe, Mi) and senior Lauren Brower (St. Joe, Mi) each had three.

The Gray team shot 28-60 from the field, including 3-22 on 3-point attempts. The winners were 17-24 from the free throw line.

Senior Savannah Bley of NorthWood paced the Red Team with 14 points. Bley hit 7-11 shots and also had five rebounds. Senior Aimee Swihart (Goshen) scored 11 points and senior Michelle Adeniyi (South Bend Clay) and senior Monica Jones (Elkhart Memorial) each had eight. Senior Olivia Carlton (Penn), senior Cam Tyler (Lakeshore, Mi) and senior Molly Hoover (South Bend Trinity) each had five points, while senior Taylor Lutz (Penn) and senior Tia Garnett (Elkhart Central) each had four and senior Katie Barnard (Mishawaka Marian) two.

The Red Team, coached by former Bethel College player Katy Stuppy, shot 30-84 from the field, including 3-21 on 3-point tries. They were just 3-5 from the free throw line.