Kirscher stands out at Blair All-Star Classic
POST FALLS — Something you don’t see very often in an all-star game — passing — helped the Region to a not-quite-so-rare-anymore victory in the 24th Jack Blair Memorial Girls All-Star Basketball Classic on Thursday night.
Sandpoint junior 6-0 guard Grace Kirscher scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Region team. Post Falls junior Melody Kempton scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half, and also finished with 11 rebounds and earned Most Valuable Player honors as the Region, made up of players from North Idaho and smaller schools in eastern Washington, beat the Metro, comprised of all-Greater Spokane League players, 84-73 at The Arena at Post Falls.
“That’s what won the game for us; we shared the ball,” said Kempton, who has verbally committed to Gonzaga. “I wasn’t really doing much (in the first half). My team just took off (in the second half); I was just trying to assist them. They were doing so amazing. We hadn’t won this in a while, and to say you won this is a very big deal.”
It was the Region’s third win over the Metro in the last five years, and the first since 2014. In the last nine games, the Region has won four times. Before that, the Metro (and before that, the Washington team when it was Washington vs. Idaho) won the first 15 all-star games.
Kirscher, who averaged 16 points and five rebounds per game last year to help lead the Bulldogs to a third place finish at state, scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half. She hit three 3-pointers in the first 8 1/2 minutes of the game, helping her team to a quick start.
That she was the second leading scorer in a game full of future college players shows the talent of Kirscher, who can hurt teams from beyond the arc when given space.
“They were moving the ball and got me open,” Kirscher said. “The ball movement, for an all-star game, was amazing.”
Keelie Lawler of Timberlake, who’s headed to NCAA Division II Western State Colorado, chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.
Lexie Hull of Central Valley, a junior who has verbally committed to Stanford, scored seven of her game-high 22 points as the Metro finished the half on an 11-0 run. She was named Most Inspirational Player.
Kirscher, who was chosen to the first-team All-State-Tournament team by the Idaho Statesman, will now turn her attention to the 21st annual Washington/North Idaho All-State Girls Basketball Game, which takes place on June 17 in Spokane.
Metro 38 35 — 73
Region 43 41 — 84
METRO — Ellie Boni (University) 2, Lexi Hull (Central Valley) 22, Aspyn Adams (Mt. Spokane) 14, Jaidyn Lyman (Mt. Spokane) 1, Quincy McDeid (North Central) 2, Mady Simmerlink (Central Valley) 0, Camryn Skaife (Central Valley) 8, Lacie Hull (Central Valley) 6, Hailey Christopher (Central Valley) 8, Jacinta Buckley (Lewis and Clark) 2, Aaliyah Pauling (Mead) 3, Molly McDermitt (Gonzaga Prep) 0, Olivia Mayer (Gonzaga Prep) 5.
REGION — Jamie Loera (Moses Lake) 9, Elle Burland (East Valley) 2, Christine Denny (Liberty) 11, Bayley Brennan (Post Falls) 6, Allison Kirby (Timberlake) 8, Hailey Higashi (St. George’s) DNP, injury, Keelie Lawler (Timberlake) 11, Sienna Swannack (Lakeside) 8, Nina Carlson (Lake City) 2, Melody Kempton (Post Falls) 12, Grace Kirscher (Sandpoint) 14, Maryssa Hogamier (Wallace) 1.