Auburn High School was the place to be last week to watch high school basketball at its showboating best. In the first of four games the Nisqually All-Stars faced the Seamount All-Stars in the South Sound All-Star Basketball Classic.

So what is the definition of All-Star? The word All-Star is an adjective, consisting of athletes chosen as the best at their positions from all teams in a league or region. Well that pretty much sums it up.

The Seamount All-Stars beat the Nisqually All-Stars by a score of 121-76. You might ask yourself why such a high score. To start with the game was played with 10 minute quarters not eight, which gave them an extra eight minutes to score. Next, and this is most important, the game was played with All-Stars! They are the best of the best in their league. These players can score by driving to the hole, shooting a mid-range shot or hitting a three. It’s what they do and they all do it very well.

The teams do not have any practices before the game, mostly due to the travel time for some of the athletes. So during the game neither team really ran any plays, and actually they didn’t have to. Playing the game of basketball for as long as they have it just comes naturally. This showcase of talent was allowed to show their stuff, and show they did. The game was very entertaining for the fans and the players. Both teams played to win but it was the camaraderie between the players that made it enjoyable to watch. There were several times during the game players were laughing and yucking it up with each other.

For coach Tony White of Evergreen High School and coach Shaun DeYager of Seattle Christian High School, this was their very first time as All-Star coaches. Both were chosen, “Coach of the Year” in their leagues. What was interesting about the game, neither coach had their own kids to coach. That meant coach White took the Nisqually All-Stars and coach DeYager had the Seamount All-Stars.

During the game both coaches replaced players by the “the platoon substitution." What that means is that five players would come out of the game and five players went in. That made it quick and easy.

Every player on both teams had faced each other in the regular season, but now they are playing as teammates.

“That makes it a lot more fun to not compete against each other,” said coach White. “They can have fun and laugh and enjoy it. It actually really helps the ones that didn’t know each other, helps them get to know each other and it builds camaraderie for each league. It’s a great deal all around.”

Coach DeYager commented, “It’s just a fun event to see kids go out and play hard and have some fun with each other. They obviously know each other from playing several times throughout the year, and through their four years.”

When asked about coaching against his own players he added, “Yeah, it helped because I was able to tell the kids I was coaching what each player did well and what to take away. Kind of cheating I guess, but it’s a really good scouting report.”

Local players for the Nisqually team were SCS seniors Richard Jensen, who scored 15 points, Chase DeVries who had two and sophomore Cody Miller who added 11.

On the Seamount team, Evergreen’s senior Tuan Le had seven points and junior Alex Campbell had 19. Foster seniors Gabe Gutierrez and Ablie Leigh scored nine apiece. Senior Mitch Penner of Kennedy Catholic scored a game high 25 points.

For Kennedy Catholic’s standout player Penner, it was his third consecutive All-Star game, but this one was special. It was the last game of his illustrious high school career.

“It’s just fun to get out there with everyone in the league and everyone’s having a good time,” Penner said. “To play my last game here with all the guys I met throughout my entire league career. They’re cool guys. Everyone is really fun to play with so it’s good.”

Mitch will be playing for the Seattle Pacific University Falcons next year.

“It should be a lot of fun. They are a great fit for me,” he said. “They run my type of offense and defense and have a great coach, so I’m really excited to play with them.”

Another Seamount player, junior Alex Campbell of Evergreen, sadly missed his teams’ two playoff games this year due to an illness. Fortunately for him he was able to play in the All-Star game.

Coach White described what it was like being an All-Star coach.

“It’s my first game in a long, long time where I just relaxed the whole game. I didn’t get nervous, no nothing, no yelling and my blood pressure didn’t go up. I just sat back and watched the kids have fun, and that’s what it was all about. I love high school basketball. That’s my passion and I can’t wait 'till next year. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”