HOUSTON - The area’s best girls basketball players will descend upon Wheeler Fieldhouse on Saturday for the annual GHAGBA All-Star Game, which is slated for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
All-Star teams will be divided into Team Blue, led by Manvel coach Jhared Marshall, and Team White, led by Summer Creek coach Carlesa Dixon.
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"I feel honored to be selected for that," Dixon, who also coached in the 2019 game, said. "It's a big game representing the best of the best in the Houston area. I just feel fortunate to be a part of it."
Both teams are headlined by some big-time stars that we will see at the next level. Summer Creek's Kaitlyn Duhon is signed to Auburn University and will actually be on Team Blue, meaning Dixon will have to coach against her star player that helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to the UIL State Basketball Tournament in San Antonio this season for her final high school game.
"That's going to be different," Dixon said with a laugh. "Luckily, I know how she plays. I know how to get into her head. It's going to be fun ... She's very competitive, I'm competitive, so it's going to be interesting to see us two go against each other. That hasn't happened."
Along with Duhon, the rosters for both teams is chuck full of talent.
On Team Blue joining Duhon are the likes of Lamar-signee R'Mani Taylor from Shadow Creek, Georgetown-signee Victoria Rivera from Dobie and University of Mary--Hardin Baylor-signee Kenna Gibson of Clear Springs rounding it out. On Team White, University of Texas at Arlington-signee Nya Threatt of Fort Bend Dulles, Siena College-signee Savannah Wilson from Kingwood Park and Dayton-signee Saija Cleveland of Langham Creek.
"It shows that there's a lot of talent in the area," Dixon said about the rosters. "All these girls can play and play next level. It's going to be a fun and competitive game because each one of these kids on these rosters they are winners in some sort of capacity, so they don't like to lose. I think it's going to be an intense game but also fun just being able to appreciate the greatness we do have in the Houston area in girls basketball."
Another fun roster note heading into Saturday's all-star game is that twin sisters Caitlin and Cortni Harris of Crosby, who are both signed to the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor will be on opposite teams as well.
Earlier this week the teams held practices, which Dixon said are all about "having fun" and "enjoying the moment" but when the game starts, it will be business as usual.
"Once that ball goes up in the air, I'm going to be all business," Dixon said with a laugh. "I'm going to have to keep reminding myself it is just an All-Star game but at the same time I want to win.
"Most importantly, I want the kids to have fun and enjoy that moment."
TEAM Blue – Coach Jhared Marshall
Kaitlyn Duhon- Summer Creek (Auburn) R'Mani Taylor- Shadow Creek (Lamar) Victoria Rivera- Dobie (Georgetown) Dai Dai Powell- Dulles (University of Texas of Permian Basin) Anita Ivery- Foster (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) Jada Grigsby- Hightower Tia Mitchell- Cy Lakes Sian Phipps- Cy Springs Jasmine Green- Stratford Emei St. Laurent- Oak Ridge Kenna Gibson- Clear Springs (Mary-Hardin Baylor) Cailtin Harris-Crosby (Mary-Hardin Baylor) Amanda Crowninshield- Bridgeland *Blake Matthews- Atascocita (Bucknell)
TEAM White - Coach Carlesa Dixon
Anahlynn Murray- Summer Creek (Tyler JC) Jasmyn Jackson- Cy Creek Brooklin Brown- Shadow Creek Nya Threatt- Dulles (University of Texas at Arlington) Alyssa Berry- Clear Brook Aleah Franklin- Hightower JJ Schmaltz- Clear Creek Atria Dumas- North Shore Katelyn Chomko- Tomball Memorial (Mineral Area College) Savannah Wilson- Kingwood Park (Siena College) Cortni Harris- Crosby (Mary-Hardin Baylor) Jasmeen Lemons- Hastings (Milwaukee Area Technical College) Jalyn Wright-Hardin Jefferson Peyton Foster-Langham Creek (Hill College) *Saija Cleveland- Langham Creek—on bench-can not play due to injury (Dayton)