Tom Dinsdale All-Star Hoops Classic boasts Regional feel.

Clearwater-Orchard star Andy Kerkman goes up for the jam. Kerkman will one of many all-state players playing in the Tom Dinsdale All-Star Classic Saturday, June 4th at GICC.

Tom Dinsdale All-Star Hoops Classic boasts Regional feel.

by Bobby Mills (1000 Yard Guy)

When Grand Island entrepreneur Tino Martinez assembles a post season high school all-star basketball classic, you can bet it will break the mold of most others played this time of year.

Just the same as Martinez highly successful Heartland Hoops Classic, there are no boundries as far as participants are concerned. Along with graduated seniors from the Central Nebraska area, basketball talent from North Platte to Lincoln and Oxford to Pierce will travel to GICC to perform.

Tom Dinsdale Automotive, the all-star games brand new sponser, will provide the main financial support for the Girl/Boy double-header to be played this Saturday, June 4th at Central Catholic high school here in Grand Island.

"Tom Dinsdale Automotive is excited to take over as the premier sponsor of the Central Nebraska All Star Games. Supporting Grand Island and the surrounding communities, particularly in the area of youth sports and activities, is a huge priority for us," said Mike Jakubowski, General Manger of Tom Dinsdale Automotive.

"The all star basketball games showcase the best of the best from central Nebraska and offer graduating seniors one more opportunity to show off their skills on the court. We are happy to be able to step in and keep an event like this going strong."

Tom Dinsdale Automotive has been hugely supportive of local high school sports, most notably in its contributions to the Memorial Stadium field turf at Grand Island Senior High, the new gymnasium at Grand Island Central Catholic, and the sports court and scoreboard at the Heartland Events Center.

The girls are slated to tip off at 5:00, followed by the boys at 7. Each player will wear their own high school uniform for easy identification, although many of the former high school hoops standouts will need no introduction.

The Boys White team, piloted by Henderson Heartland head coach Clark Ribble, features 2 of the top hardwood players in the entire state. Gretna's Jared Samuelson and Clearwater-Orchard standout Andy Kerkman are driving in for the game.

Kerkman, the Augustana College basketball recruit, averaged 18 points and nearly 15 boards a game during his 80 game career at Cleatwater-Orchard and was a Three time all-state basketball selection and 2 time all-state football pick. Think about that.

Samuelson was the driving force while leading his Gretna team to a Class B title a year ago. Probably the state's best pure shooter, the 6-2 senior shot it right between the eyes when the Dragons needed it the most. Brad Feekens team was 52-4 when Samuelson was in command the past 2 seasons. Last winter against Boys Town, Samuelson went off for 38 points.

Throw in Lexington dandy Trevor McKeone (17 ppg), Hasting High sharpshooter Morgan Karloff and St. Cecilia's Dayton Sealey, you have some real fire power on this White team.

The Boys Blue Team, who will be directed by Kearney Catholic skipper Scott Carlin, will have Lincoln North Star's Logan Cale and Lincoln Southeast's Brady McDonald on it's roster.

The 6-1 Cale drained 17.5 ppg for the 11-13 Gators and can bury the trey, as witnessed by his 57 long range bombs last season. Southeast defensive standout Brady McDonald will provide pressure for the Blue squad when they guard those dangerous White team shooters.

Three players from Adams Central's Class B runner-up squad will be on hand and they include Cale Pleak, Luke Goldenstein and Garrett Sittner. That trio can bury the long range three point shot from anywhere on the floor. Ditto for Southern Valley all-stater Seth Miller.

Underneath, Carlin will have St. Cecilia's all-state Zach Kitten and Boone Central Newman Grove's Kyle Kramer to go along with Pleak. Add North Platte St. Pats all around athlete Bryce Byrn, and you have some serious talent.

On the girls side, GISH head coach Alex Michel will have the pleasure of coaching some top notch talent on the Girls White team.

Pierce high school's Shelby Bretschneider and Casey Sutherland will be there to play for Michel on Saturday. Both girls were key figures in leading Pierce to Three Class B championships the past 4 seasons.

Also on tap for the White are big time All-State talent players in Hastings High's Sophia Pankrantz and Kearney Bearcat scoring machine, Skyler Snyder. Pankrantz is absolutely one of the finest ball handlers I have seen the past 10 years and the Hastings Tiger star just simply does everything well on the hardwood.

Skyler Snider is the epitomy of what a high school basketball player should be. The 5-10 Snider averaged nearly 18 ppg in her 71 game career and drained over 30 points four times last season. Give Snider one step and she will drive and score, and you certainly do not want to leave her alone beyond the three point stripe.

Columbus deadeye Caitlyn Edzards and smooth as silk ball handler Macy Peregrine (Fullerton) will also play for Michel's White squad.

GICC first year coach Stacia Rice will guide the Girls Blue team and will also have plenty of talent to work with.

On this Blue team, you have to start with St. Cecilia's outstanding Shandra Farmer. Not only did the 5-3 Farmer score 1,080 points the past TWO seasons, the Hawkette sensation ended her magnificent career with 1,718 points, good for 39th on the All-Time scoring list in Nebraska. The 2 time all-state selection led her team to 4 consecutive state tournament appearances which resulted in 3 runner-up finishes and this year's 3rd place finish in Class C-2. Farmer will play for Jina Johannsen at Hastings College next year.

Also playing will be Kearney Catholic all-state basketball/volleyball star and Bellevue University VB recruit, Maddie Squiers. Include Columbus Scotus 3 point expert Sarah Schumacher (career school record 52), Hastings College recruit and tough as nails Rebecca Stewart of Minden, plus Lexington's Hannah Ostrom (18.8 ppg career) and you have a elite group of girls.

Ostrom has been one of Class B's top scorers the past 2 seasons, while Adams Central's Jacki Fowler, who is also on the Blue squad, was cerainly one of Class C-1's niftiest ball handlers.

GICC head basketball coach Tino Martinez has spiced up the game with some sweet scoring induced rules that include 12 minute quarters, no zone defenses and each player being allowed 6 personal fouls.

That GICC scoreboard may very well be in need of repair after the anticipated scoring surge Saturday night.

Admission to the Tom Dinsdale All-Star Classic will be $5.00 for adults and $4.00 for students.

The Rosters:

* * *

Girls White Team

10 Shelby Bretschneider Pierce

10 Caitlyn Edzards Columbus

22 Ashley Frenzen Fullerton

11 Annie Grealish Hastings

32 Josie Jacobson Grand Island

10 Jamie Johnson Hastings

32 Ellie McMeekin Columbus

24 Taylor Moran Kearney

10 Cheyenne Ostrander Fullerton

13 Sophia Pankrantz Hastings

14 Macy Peregrine Fullerton

30 Skyler Snider Kearney

14 Lauren Speicher Kearney

4 Casey Sutherland Pierce

Head Coach: Alex Michel - Grand Island Senior High

Assistant Coach: Stacy Kramer - Fullerton

* * *

Girls Blue Team:

12 Justine Bader G.I. Heartland Lutheran

25 Morgan Brendenkamp Adams Central

32 Jessica Eckhout Amherst

1 Shandra Farmer Hastings St. Cecilia

10 Emily Fehringer Columbus Scotus

11 Jacki Fowler Adams Central

45 Kacie Jurgens Amherst

12 Kenady Kuhnel Osceola

20 Laura Lowry Grand Island Central Catholic

3 Hannah Ostrom Lexington

14 Sarah Schumacher Columbus Scotus

41 Maddie Squires Kearney Catholic

45 Rebecca Stewart Minden

20 Isabel Zelasney Osceola

Stacia Rice, Head Coach Grand Island Central Catholic

Sara Partington, Asst. Coach Aurora

* * *

Boys White Team:

41 Jaron Anderson Holdrege

2 Trent Anderson Holdrege

50 Clay Bergan Henderson Heartland

13 Nolan Kohmetscher Nebraska Christian

2 Morgan Karloff Hastings

12 Andy Kerkman Clearwater / Orchard

31 Trevor McKeone Lexington

2 Dallas Oberg Columbus

21 Colton Samuelson Southern Valley

14 Jared Samuelson Gretna

1 Dayton Sealey Hastings St. Cecilia

24 Jagger Smith Clearwater / Orchard

11 Aaron Vinkenburg Aurora

24 Jake Waller Kearney

Head Coach: Clark Ribble - Henderson Heartland

Assistant Coach: Tom Leininger - Aurora

Boys Blue Team:

* * *

23 Bryce Byrn North Platte St. Pats

10 Logan Cale Lincoln North Star

11 Zac Dockweiler Nebraska Christian

3 Luke Goldenstein Adams Central

50 Travis Holcomb Centura

11 Bryce James Kearney Catholic

20 Zach Kitten Hastings St. Cecilia

31 Kyle Kramer Boone Central / Neuman Grove

12 Brady McDonald Lincoln Southeast

4 Seth Miller Southern Valley

34 Cale Pleak Adams Central

3 Zach Ryan Kearney

5 Garrett Sittner Adams Central

32 Colton Zulkoski Ord

Head Coach: Scott Carlin-Kearney Catholic

Assistant Coach: Adam Stolzer - Burwell