Boys Future Stars: Lots Of Threes And Lots Of Smiles

It took about 20 seconds to set the tone of the Northwest Conference Future All-Stars boys game Friday night at Lynden High School’s Jake Maberry Gymasium.

After Lynden Christian junior Andrew DeVries tossed in a 3-pointer from the corner to start the game, the next time down the court Jackson Reisner made sure he covered DeVries by sumo wrestling DeVries … all the while trash talking, of course.

“Yeah, that set the tone,” laughed DeVries. “We have so many games where we worry about defenses and game plans. We were just having fun.”

It definitely was fun with lots of 3-pointers — 38 in all — and too many smiles to count as Team White defeated Team Black, 119-107, in a contest that featured the league’s top underclassmen.

For more photos from the game, be sure to check out the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.

“It was super fun,” said Squalicum junior Dedrick Mitchell, who had 20 points for Team White and earned game MVP honors.

“I knew there would be a lot of 3-pointers,” said Mitchell, who had four of Team White’s 18 3’s. “Once I read the names (on the rosters) and saw all those 3-point shooters.”

Ten different players on Team White hit shots from beyond the arc with Lynden Christian sophomore Jaden DeBoer tossing in three.

Team Black had nine different players hit 20 3-pointers, with Burlington-Edison junior Wyatt Walker and Bellingham junior Colm Schaelfer hitting four each, and Blaine sophomore Josh Russ and Burlington-Edison junior Reisner adding three each.

Nobody seemed to care that much about the score, which you could tell by the number of fouls called (only one in the first 10 minutes of the game) and the number of missed dunks (sorry, but we lost count after a half dozen).

But there was lots to enjoy:

* DeVries falling into the opposing bench and, while sitting on his opponents out of bounds, taking a 3-point shot (he missed but he deserved style points).

* Team Black coach Ray Ootsey finding himself with the basketball during a dead ball and faking a 3-pointer of his own (the former Western star probably would have made it).

* Meridian junior Jackson Short flopping after a wild 3-point attempt in hopes of getting a call (he wasn’t going to get one in this game … but he flopped better than any World Cup soccer player).

For the record, Team White came back from a two-point halftime deficit to “hold” Team Black to 44 points in the second half and pull away thanks to the 11 points of Sedro-Woolley junior Isaiah Guerrero and the 10 of Lynden Christian junior Bryce Bouwman after halftime.

Guerrero finished with a game-high 23 points. Also scoring in double figures for Team White were Lakewood junior Alex Jensen with 12, DeBoer with 11, and DeVries and Bouwman with 10 each.

Team Black was led by Russ’s 17 points. Also scoring in double figures for Team Black were Bellingham junior Colm Schaelfer with 14, Walker with 12, Reisner with 11, and Blaine junior Zane Rector and Lynden sophomore Liam Hanenburg with 10 each.

If there was one player who enjoyed the day more than anyone, it was Lynden junior Brock Heppner, who also happened to be celebrating his 17th birthday.

“It was cool to get to know the guys,” said Heppner, who was a big part of Lynden’s two consecutive Class 2A state championships. “This was my best birthday … so far.”

Team White 119, Team Black 107
Team Black                     63         44 — 107
Team White                     61         58 — 119

Team Black: Jordan Veenstra (jr., Mer.) 6, Colm Schaelfer (jr., Bell.) 14, Logan Wright (jr., Burl.) 5, Zane Rector (jr., Bla.) 10, Josh Russ (so., Bla.) 17, Jackson Short (jr., Mer.) 5, Ryan Johnson (jr., Mer.) 3, Brock Heppner (jr., Lyn.) 9, Jackson Reisner (jr., Burl.) 11, Wyatt Walker (jr., Burl.) 12, Liam Hanenburg (so., Lyn.) 10.

Team White: Dedrick Mitchell (jr., Squal.) 20, Jaden DeBoer (so., LC) 11, Bryce Bouwman (jr., LC) 10, Devante Powell (jr., Squal.) 8, Isaiah Guerrero (jr., SW) 23, Jackson Schultz (jr., Lake.) 6, Kaeden Flynn (jr. Anac.) 3, Alex Jensen (jr., Lake.) 12, Grayson Eaton (jr., Anac.) 7, Andrew DeVries (jr., LC) 10, Zach Sipma (jr., LC) 9.

Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.

Jackson Reisner plays some serious defense on Andrew DeVries.
Dedrick Mitchell drives to the hoop for two of his 20 points.
Jackson Reisner hits one of Team Black’s 20 3-pointers.
Team White celebrates another big play.
Andrew DeVries gets off a shot from the wrong bench.
Jordan Veenstra looks to drive past Jaden DeBoer.
Team Black coach and former WWU star Ray Ootsey debates taking a 3-pointer.
Dedrick Mitchell (1) doesn’t mind interrupting Josh Russ (10) as he prepares to shoot free throws.
Birthday boy Brock Heppner (left) flashes a grin after one of the game’s few successful dunks.
Jim Carberry of Whatcom Hoops

Author
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.

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