Blackmon & Versher Win MVP
PLAYA DEL REY, CA—The parents of Bishop Montgomery star Jordin Blackmon were torn about her participation in yet another all-star game, but after the South Bay star participated in the 25th Anniversary Collision All Star Games on Saturday April 19 they were most pleasantly surprised.
JORDIN RULES–Southern Section All Star Jordin Blackmon on the move towards capturing MVP honors following her 21 point performance in the 25 Anniversary Collision All Star Games at St Bernard High School on April 19. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
Blackmon’s decision to play for Southern Section team and join forces with Naismith National Coach of the Year Aundre Cummings (Ontario Christian) proved to justify her victory in the family debate, and also emphatically demonstrated she is one of the top players in the nation.
Blackmon was selected MVP, was the best player on the floor, no small task on Southern Section girls’ team featuring McDonalds All American and Jordan Brand Classic invitee Aliyahna “Puff”Morris of Etiwanda. The 5’11 Swiss army knife unleashed all gifts in her tool box, scoring 21 points while producing a performance not seen in the quarter century of the event.
While powering her team to a 112-78 shellacking, Blackmon put an exclamation mark on a brilliant four year varsity career at Torrance Bishop Montgomery, while joining boys Lamond Murray in 2013 and Justin Bibbins in 2015 as Knights to capture MVP honors at Collision.
PUFF PUFF SCORE–Aliyahna “Puff” Morris, the McDonalds All American and Jordan Brand Classic All American looks for an opening against the City Section at the 25th Anniversary Collision All Star Games on April 19 at Bishop Montgomery High School. Morris scored a game high 25 points. (NICK KOZA/ PHOTO)
Six players scored in double figures including Morris (25), Ontario Christian’s Alanna Neale (21), Riverside King’s Amanda Moody (12), Sierra Canyon’s Ashley Redd (11) and her high school teammate Leia Edwards (10) who also took home The Steve Lavin Family Scholar Athlete Award with a 4.41 GPA. She will be attending Lehigh University.
SCHOLAR & STAR–Leia Edwards earned The Steve Lavin Family Scholar Athlete Award with a 4.41 GPA. She will be attending Lehigh University. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
Garfield’s Jada Barnes turned heads with her 19 point performance in defeat, while Hamilton’s Jade Fort (14) and Westchester’s Reigne Waugh with 11 points were the only players on the City team in double figures. The Southern Section now leads the series 21-4.
HEAD TURNER- Garfield’s Jada Barnes led all City girls in scoring with 19 points and more than held her own against the loaded Southern Section girls team. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
Prior to the girls’ game CIF Los Angeles City Section Assistant Commissioner Alexa Berg joined Collision Founder Kenneth Miller in presenting Hamilton’s City Section Coach Sherland Chensam with the inaugural Barbara Fiege Humanitarian Award, named for former City Section Commission Barbara Fiege, to the female who has demonstrated the leadership, character and humanitarian efforts of Fiege.
AH SALUTE–From left, Chloe Wells, 2010 Collision MVP and Jim Harrick Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, presents the 25th anniversary MVP award to Bishop Montgomery’s Jordan Blackmon, while Collision Founder and Los Angeles City Section Assistant Commissioner Alexa Berg join in. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
St. Bernard’s Caleb Versher spent the morning hours prior to the 25th Anniversary Collision All Star Games working out in the St Bernard gymnasium and perfecting his jump shot.
AND THE MVP GOES TO—St Bernard’s Caleb Versher scored game high 28 points while leading the Southern Section to an easy 119-98 victory over the City Section at the 25th Anniversary Collision All Star Games held on April 19 at St Bernard High School. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
That extra work paid off for the gifted senior guard to poured in 28 points, including 16 in the second half of yet another lopsided affair, 119-98, completing a Southern Section Sweep.
Versher led 6 Southern Section players who scored in double figures, followed by his high school teammate Preston Ezewiro (15), Windward’s JJ Harris (13), Notre Dame’s Mark Lewis (13), St Paul’s Ton Mawein (12) and his high school teammate Dillon Chelsea (12).
The City Section produced just 3 double digit performances led by Los Angeles Jordan’s Devon Jones 20 points, Sun Poly D-1 Player of the Year JD Wyatt (13) and Westchester’s Patrick Ramos (11). With the victory the Southern section increased it series lead to 15-10.
Rolling Hills Prep senior Mateo Trujillo earned The Steve Lavin Family Scholar Athlete Award as the boy with the highest grade point average 4.62.
SCHOLAR WINNER–Rolling Hills Prep Mateo Trujillo won the boys Steve Lavin Scholar Athlete Award with a 4.6 grade point average. (NICK KOZA/PHOTO)
Before the boys game, former UCLA Coach and the only living and last Bruin to win a basketball National Championship presented the Collision Jim Harrick Lifetime Achievement Award to Chloe Wells, the 2010 Girls MVP and Duke graduate.
