Optimist hoops tips off Saturday

The 42nd Annual Optimist All-Star Basketball Games are set for Saturday at Sacramento High School with a heap of local hoopers joining the festivities. Four games are scheduled, beginning at 10 a.m. with the Girls Small Schools game, followed by the Boys Small Schools game at noon, the Girls Large Schools game at 2 p.m. and the Boys Large School game closing out the show at 4 p.m. Placer's Foothill Valley League MVP Konner Baroni headlines the Hillmen on the Large School boys squad along with fellow league members David O'Looney of Nevada Union and Graham Spitzer of Oakmont. Skyler Tuttle of Foresthill was the Co-MVP of the Central Valley California League with Sacramento Waldorf's Tyson Duncan, both of whom will be on the North Small Schools squad. Foresthill's CVCL Coach of the Year James Kuykendall is an assistant coach on the team. Capital Valley Conference MVP Jaylen Solich of Roseville bolsters the Large School North backcourt. Also representing the CVC on the Large Schools North team are a pair of big-time scorers in Antelope's Ty Burrell (23.7 points per game) and Bella Vista's Krei Kyncy (23.3). Sierra Foothill League MVP Drake Middleton of Oak Ridge is joined by fellow SFL members Jack Welty of Del Oro, Cory Gohl and Evan Terry of Rocklin, and Jalen Scott of Folsom in the Large School boys game. It's nearly an All-SFL All-Star team on the girls Large School North squad. Whitney head coach Sydney Gatson and her staff will have in their corner All-League players in Jada Lewis, Mackenzie Macfarlane and Emily Brustman (Whitney), Jenna Duley (Del Oro), Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin), Devry Millett (Folsom) and Peyton Mitcheom (Granite Bay). Also featured on the North Large Schools team are FVL Co-MVPs Meadow Aragon of Nevada Union and Tyra Al Mujadidi of Placer, which also features do-it-all forward Delaney Keddie. Lincoln's Keegan Linke, Roseville's Madi Law and Antelope's Arianna Spann round out the North. Vista del Lago's Lindsey Moody represents the Lady Eagles on the Large School South team locally. Valley Christian's Bernada Rreshpja, the section's second-leading scorer at 27 points per game, led VCA to its seventh consecutive Sacramento Metro Athletic League title and the school's fourth Section championship. The Duquesne University-bound, Albanian-born senior highlights the girls Small Schools North team. CIF NorCal finalist Forest Lake Christian is represented by senior Lily Sween, who led the Lady Falcons to back-to-back undefeated SMAL titles up in Lake of the Pines. Western Sierra Collegiate Academy's Brenna Mellish, who flirted with averaging a quadruple-double this season (13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 8 steals per game) makes her second Optimist roster this season. Mellish, who led the section in assists per game, also represented WSCA in December's volleyball All-Star game. Sac-Joaquin Section champions are scattered across all eight rosters. Sheldon, who was one win away from a state title in February, sends Justin Nguyen, Kaito Williams and Josh Morgan to the boys South Large Schools squad. Division II champ St. Mary's sends 6-foot-7 forward Bryce Johnson. The D-II girls champion Sacramento Lady Dragons feature Andriana Avent, RyAnne Walters and Muirae Gomez. Division III girls champion Bradshaw Christian sends Jasalyn Brown and Cookie Marques. Rashida Myers of West Campus represents the D-IV girls champs and Rreshpja reps the D-VI champion VCA Lions. 42nd Annual Optimist All-Star Basketball Games The games are on April 6 at Sacramento High 10am - Small Girls Noon - Boys Small 2pm - Large Girls 4pm - Large Boys BOYS LARGE SCHOOLS NORTH TEAM Ty Burrell, Antelope Krei Kyncy, Bella Vista Jordan Bryant, Del Campo Jack Welty, Del Oro Yaadvir Dhaliwal, Inderkum Jack Jones, Jesuit David O'Looney, Nevada Union Graham Spitzer, Oakmont Konnor Baroni, Placer Jake Paxton, Rio Americano Jonah Roth, Rio Americano Evan Terry, Rocklin Cory Gohl, Rocklin Jaylen Solich, Roseville Head Coach Rob Richards, Antelope Assistant Coaches Al DaCruz, Antelope Mike Dresser, Antelope Dustin Thompson, Antelope BOYS LARGE SCHOOLS SOUTH TEAM Preston Hall, Capital Christian Trey Jones, Capital Christian Aiden Doms, Davis Jalen Scott, Folsom Leland Estacio, Franklin Khalil Stewart, Burbank Andre Crump, Monterey Trail Bryce Fitzgerald, Monterey Trail Drake Middleton, Oak Ridge Seve Noncon, Pleasant Grove Izayah Talmadge, Sacramento Bryce Johnson, St. Mary's Josh Morgan, Sheldon Justin Nguyen, Sheldon Kaito Williams, Sheldon Head Coach Robert Fields, Monterey Trail Assistant Coaches Rollend Fields, Jr., Monterey Trail Christopher Cantino, Monterey Trail LaMarr Ross, Monterey Trail Kyle Providence, Monterey Trail BOYS SMALL SCHOOLS NORTH TEAM Elias Bonds, Center Jalen McGlothen, Encina William Goebel, Foothill Skyler Tuttle, Foresthill Philip Polezhako, Futures Gerald Davis, Highlands Blake Clavelle, Marysville Illyaas Rafiq, Marysville Daniel Radu, Mesa Verde Maxim Iurco, Mesa Verde Cameron Anthony, Mira Loma Jan Guardamano, Mira Loma Tyson Duncan, Sacramento Waldorf Christopher Olson, Sacramento Waldorf Eric Chayka, San Juan Dupree Taylor, San Juan Head Coach Dean Stark, Sacramento Waldorf Assistant Coaches Clifton Baker, Sacramento Waldorf Freddie Bryant, San Juan James Kuykendall, Foresthill BOYS SMALL SCHOOLS SOUTH TEAM Johnele Sanders, Cordova Christopher Folk, Delta Nate Gotgotao, Elliot Christian Jayden Baroni, Liberty Ranch Jaime Gonzalez, Liberty Ranch James Eagan, Pioneer Joseph Wood, Rosemont Maurice Simms, West Campus Jair Lang, West Campus Demetrius Marshall, West Campus David Corona, Woodland Christian Head Coach Michael Lawrence, West Campus Assistant Coaches Anthony Bell, West Campus Percy Johnson, West Campus Demario Belk, West Campus GIRLS LARGE SCHOOLS NORTH TEAM Arianna Spann, Antelope Jenna Duley, Del Oro Devry Millett, Folsom Peyton Mitcheom, Granite Bay Nailah Dillard, Inderkum Keegan Linke, Lincoln Meadow Aragon, Nevada Union Delaney Keddie, Placer Tyra Al Mujadidi, Placer Jessie Ruffner, Rocklin Madi Law, Roseville Emily Brustman, Whitney Jada Lewis, Whitney Makenzie Macfarlane, Whitney Head Coach Sydney Gatson, Whitney Assistant Coaches Doug Brustman, Whitney Kylee Keroher, Whitney GIRLS LARGE SCHOOLS SOUTH TEAM Deyliana Lewis, Bear Creek Sarah Ruiz, Bear Creek Chance Sims, Christian Brothers Jasmine Hess, Cosumnes Oaks Jordyn Rosette, Cosumnes Oaks Cristina Oliva, Davis Michelle Ogunsuyi, Franklin Tayla Thompson, Monterey Trail Andriana Avent, Sacramento RyAnne Walters, Sacramento Muirae Gomez, Sacramento Jenessa Souza, Vanden Lindsey Moody, Vista del Lago Devon Lewis, Will C. Wood Head Coach Patrick Roth, Cosumnes Oaks Assistant Coaches John DePonte, Cosumnes Oaks Josh Green, Cosumnes Oaks Trisha Campbell, Elk Grove GIRLS SMALL SCHOOLS NORTH TEAM Maylene Hughes, Center Selah Kitchiner, Center Hannah Boone, Center Lily Sween, Forest Lake Christian Taiyion Davis, Highlands Ateca Williams, Mira Loma Akeeya Powell, Natomas Heidi Johnson, Sacramento Country Day Lizzie Whitehead, Sacramento Waldorf Sydne Long, Sacramento Waldorf Bernada Rreshpja, Valley Christian Academy Brenna Mellish, Western Sierra Collegiate Academy Head Coach Jeff Wise, Center Assistant Coaches Kei Quinley, Center Terry Howell, Center Dave Oil, Center Don Moser, Natomas GIRLS SMALL SCHOOLS SOUTH TEAM Nevaeh Galindo, Aspire Langston Hughes Jasalyn Brown, Bradshaw Christian Cookie Marques, Bradshaw Christian (Honorary) Sarah Hinton, Delta Maisy McCollister, Dixon Taylor Sexton, El Dorado Rachel Loya, Golden Sierra Pati Hernandez, Pioneer Lilliana Hammons, Pioneer Carley Zaragoza, Union Mine Rachel Everett, Vacaville Christian Nokia Penn, Valley Rashida Myers, West Campus Alissa Pascoe, Woodland Christian Head Coach Mike Ruble, Bradshaw Christian Assistant Coaches Alex Williams, Bradshaw Christian Marissa Wimbley, Bradshaw Christian