Prep Basketball: One Last Hurrah
Harrisburg seniors Anfernee Houston and Patrick Bittle were named to the Lion's Club All-Star team and will join Eldorado senior Clay Boulds as part of a 50-man split squad that will play Friday night at Rend Lake College.
Houston and Bittle will be part of the Gold Team, coached by Christopher's Eric Stallman, while Boulds will be on the Purple team, coached by Kevin Cox of Dongola.
On the girls' side, Eldorado's Abby Steed will be on the Gold Team that will be coached by Marialice Jenkins from Carbondale and Galatia's Becky Gregory will suit up for the Purple Team coached Wayne City's Deirdre Dagg.
Houston missed the first half of the season for a Harrisburg team that went 19-11 before falling in the Class 3A Regional semifinals to Murphysboro. Houston averaged 11.1 points per game, while Bittle was second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game and was also named to the Southern Illinois River-to-River All-Conference Team.
Joining Bittle on the list was Bulldog sophomore Isaiah Saulsberry, who picked up his fair share of postseason hardware after leading Harrisburg in scoring at 19.3 points per game.
Saulsberry, who scored 559 points this season and now has 758 over two seasons, was named to the All-South Team and earned Honorable Mention honors by both the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and Associated Press All-State in 3A.
Bittle was also named to Honorable Mention for the IHSA All-State Academic Team for the 2015-16 school year. Bittle currently holds a 4.32 GPA and plans to attend the University of Illinois.
Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.
Boys Gold Team
No. Name School
4 Braden Fitzgerrells Mt. Vernon
5 Malcom Ruff Mt. Vernon
23 Noah Baird Murphysboro
33 Staci LaBranche Murphysboro
31 Brendan Ritchason Benton
25 Brady Baltman Nashville
35 Clayton Highland Pinckneyville
42 Sam Simpson Pinckneyville
5 Maverick Taylor Carlyle
20 Micah Peebles Carlyle
32 Tucker Gray Carmi
15 Zach Vaught Carmi
3 D'Aaron Owens Centralia
4 Jason Schwartz Chester
23 Josh Calleni Christopher
5 Hunter Wheeler Christopher
44 Tucker Kuhnert Du Quoin
24 Jacob Wright Du Quoin
2 Nick Downen Wayne City
1 Keegan Easley West Frankfort
42 Clay Humerickhouse Zeigler-Royalton
44 Tanner Stoltz Olney
11 Patrick Bittle Harrisburg
33 Anfernee Houston Harrisburg
4 Jared Vaughn Goreville
15 Dylan Lynn Century
Head Coach: Eric Stallman Christopher
Boys Purple Team
No. Name School
34 Kyle Cox Dongola
12 Savion Yarbrough Herrin
3 Adam Newman Marion
14 Daniel Valentine Meridian
24 Jarrett Sims Meridian
00 Roi'yell Nesbitt Mt Vernon
25 Braden Miller Murphysboro
15 Jackson Brand Pinckneyville
30 Adam Burnell Salem
24 Nic Hagel Steeleville
21 Will Keller Agape Christian
12 Uree Westley Carbondale
22 Austin Swalls Carterville
33 Justin Nalley Carterville
22 Lane Hutson Crab Orchard
12 Clay Boulds Eldorado
33 Trenton Koch Trico
35 Zach Moore Vienna
24 Ryan Majewski Waltonville
10 Dylan Miller Waltonville
33 Corey Hammer Webber Township
22 Ross Owens Woodlawn
24 Austin Ballard Woodlawn
21 Brett Harris Woodlawn
33 Alex Zeschke Dongola
32 Jake Styve Sesser-Valier
Head Coach: Kevin Cox Dongola
Girls Gold Team
No. Name School
32 Alexxus Thompson Massac County
4 Danielle Loventz Carbondale
24 Skylar Miller Carbondale
2 Karson Severs Sesser-Valier
11 Davia Boyd Centralia
12 Niayr Maines Centralia
3 Sophie Keith Pinckneyville
4 Haley Ing Benton
00 Jazmine Hawkins Mt Vernon
11 Breanna George Mt Vernon
11 Avery English Carterville
21 Taylor Tomazzoli Cobden
23 Jordyn Bullar DuQuoin
12 Abby Steed Eldorado
51 Brianna Bowlin Zeigler-Royalton
10 Branique'Ka Engelkins Centralia
Head Coach: Marialice Jenkins Carbondale
Girls Purple Team
No. Name School
30 Achsah Greer Carbondale
35 Kandanee Jones Carbondale
33 Cortini Lockhart Centralia
12 Autumn Gunter Christopher
1 Alaina Caldwell DuQuoin
3 Becky Gregory Galatia
10 Bailey Mings Johnston City
13 Bailee Pulley Johnston City
11 Paige Rich Johnston City
4 Nicole Johnson Johnston City
24 Mackenzie Cowgill Massac Co.
50 Jessica Coakley Massac Co.
5 Paetyn Hayes Mt Vernon
5 Chloe Gerlach Steeleville
2 America Dagg Wayne City
23 Kaylea Potter Webber
11 Kerstie Harlow Woodlawn
Head Coach: DeAirdra Dagg Wayne City