2022 BasketballAHSAA

Players Report to Mobile for 33rd Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic

March 10, 2023

Montgomery, AL – Alabama’s All-Star boys’ and girls’ teams reported Thursday to Mobile for the upcoming 33^rd annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic to be played Saturday, March 11 at the Pete Mitchell Center on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

The girls’ all-star game will tip off Saturday at noon, the boys will follow at approximately 2 p.m.

The teams were announced prior to the 2023 AHSAA State Basketball Championships in Birmingham. Since then, two changes have been made to the final roster. Prattville Christian’s 6-foot senior forward Coco Thomas, who was named MVP of the Class 4A championship after leading the Lady Panthers to the state title – their third in s row but first in Class 4A. She is filling the spot vacated by Nyla Grace Collier of Hazel Green, who is stepping aside due to an injury. The boys’ squad is adding 6-foot-6 guard Carson Muse of West Morgan, who is taking the spot of Vestavia Hills guard Win Miller, who stepped down due to a prior commitment.

Brandon Dean, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA), announced the changes Wednesday. The teams, consisting of 12 boys and 12 girls, were selected from coaches’ nominations by the AHSADCA All-Star Selection Committee.

Thomas, who plans to attend Shelton State Community College, earned Class 4A MVP honors with 49 points and 32 rebounds in the Panthers’ two wins at the Class 4A State Championships. She is joining an all-star squad that already had her sidekick and teammate at Prattville Christian Hannah Jones on the roster. Jones, who plans to play volleyball at the University of Memphis, had 37 points and 28 rebounds in the Class 4A state tourney and was also named MVP of the Class 3A State Volleyball Tournament last October. Both players anchored PCA’s 2022 Class 3A state volleyball championship team. Jones scored 750 points for the Panthers (34-3) this past season and had 380 rebounds on the season averaging 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Thomas averaged 13.1 points and 10.1 boards.

The Alabama girls are being coached by Kenny Hill of Guntersville and Katie Barton of Saint James. Hewitt-Trussville’s Tonya Hunter is the squad’s administrative coach.

The Alabama and Mississippi teams will undergo one practice each Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Alabama boys’ squad, coached by Enterprise coach Rhett Harrelson and Autaugaville coach Darren Golson, will be at Saraland High School Thursday night. Administrative coach is Dru Powell of Saraland. The Alabama girls’ squad will practice at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. The teams will practice at the same locations Friday morning and Friday afternoon. Mississippi’s All-Stars will practice at Williamson High School (boys) and Murphy High School (girls) at the same time.

All four squads will have a shoot-around at Mitchell Center Saturday morning with Mississippi’s boys working out at 8:30 a.m., Mississippi’s girls at 9 a.m., Alabama’s girls at 9:30 a.m., and Alabama’s boys at 10 a.m.

Among the Alabama girls’ players is Hoover’s Reniyah Kelly and Kristen McMillan, who led the Lady Bucs to back-to-back Class 7A state championships, as well as Deshler guard Chloe Siegel of Deshler High School, who was named MVP of the Class 4A state tournament in 2022 after leading the Tigers to the state crown. She finished her prep career as the national leader for 3-point goals made in a career. Also on the squad is point guard Emily Vandergrift, who was named MVP while leading Guntersville to the 5A state title in 2022. Inside, the Alabama squad features 6-3 Alabama signee Naomi Jones of Jackson and 6-5 Timya Thurman of Linden, who is heading to Auburn.

Golson will have his own guard Jaden Nixon playing in the Alabama-Mississippi boys’ All-Star game. The 6-3 Nixon has started for four years, leading the Eagles to a perfect 30-0 record as a sophomore in 2021, and to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2022 and 2023. Jacksonville’s John Broom, who earned MVP honors at the 4A state tourney this year, helped the Golden Eagles capture back-to-back state titles. He was named MVP of the 2023 Class 4A state tourney.

Other members of the Alabama All-Star team participating in the state tourney this year are Troy University signees 6-8 Thomas Dowd of Dothan and 6-6 Kerrington Kiel of Class Ramsay. Piedmont guard Alex Odam closed out his prep career with 3,229 points in 159 games – an average of 20.3 points per game for his career. He scored 59 points in the Bulldogs’ sub-regional win over Hokes Bluff with 47 coming in the first half.

Both contests will be televised over the NFHS Network and AHSAA TV Network with WOTM TV producing both contests. Mississippi will also be producing its own live-stream of the games.

Alabama’s girls won last year’s game over Mississippi 89-81, and the Alabama boys won 96-89. Alabama holds a 17-15 edge in boys’ series, and the Alabama girls’ have an 18-14 edge in the girls’ series, which date back to 1991.

This year’s all-star teams include: