High School All-Star Basketball Doubleheader Tonight

John Colborne, headed for Southern Methodist University, has one final stop to make before ending a San Diego prep career that saw him lead Poway High School to two San Diego Section 3-A basketball championships.

Colborne was among 18 boys and 20 girls chosen to play in the county all-star basketball doubleheader tonight at Grossmont College.

The girls’ game, featuring Times Player of the Year Sharon Turner of El Camino, starts at 6 p.m. and the boys’ contest follows at 8.

The all-star squads were selected through a draft, rather than being divided geographically. Each game will feature the Red team against the Blue team. Only graduating seniors are eligible.

Colborne, a 6-foot 8-inch center, will lead the Red team, coached by Poway’s Neville Saner.

The Blue team, coached by Fritz Ziegenfuss of Patrick Henry, is led by Demetrius Laffitte of Monte Vista.

Colborne said he is looking forward to playing one last time against his high school friends and adversaries.

“I think it will be fun,” he said. “They didn’t really have it planned until the last minute (the boys’ teams were divided Monday night), but I’ll get to play against a lot of guys I know. And this will help me get in shape.”

Saner gave his players a basic offense, but the game should actually feature plenty of fast breaks, Colborne said.

“I don’t want to go in and set up on offense,” he said. “I’d rather get out there running on the fast break, if we can handle it. Some of us may need oxygen if we run too much. I’ve been shooting some, but I haven’t been playing any games recently.”

Colborne leaves Aug. 15 for Dallas, home of SMU. Colborne said Mustang Coach Dave Bliss told him he will probably play small forward.

“They haven’t really told me if I’d play much this year or not,” Colborne said. “But they lost three starters, so I think I have as good a chance as anyone.”

Colborne said he will be happy to make the switch from center to small forward.

“I hated playing center, with my back to the basket,” he said. “I can move pretty good, but I never got a chance to run in high school.”

In tonight’s all-star game, Colborne will no doubt be back at center, since he is the tallest player by three inches on either team.

Joining Colborne on the Red team are Tim Prim (Oceanside), David Burgess (Monte Vista), Keith Williams (Hoover), Darryl Gaines (Patrick Henry), Robert Jones (El Cajon), Mitch Burton (El Capitan), Rick White (Carlsbad) and Doug Renert (Helix).

Picked for the Blue team along with Laffitte were Ron Howard (Vista), Robert Hardin (Morse), Brad Milhoan (Kearny), Darin Sommer (Escondido), Kirk Kinney (Torrey Pines), Devin Johnson (Monte Vista) and Darin Kurtis and Brad Burton (El Capitan).

Among those missing from the game is Times Player of the Year Howard Wright. The Patrick Henry graduate, headed for Stanford, is on the East Coast.

The girls’ game features Turner and two other players from El Camino, which won the 2-A championship before losing in the State Division 2 title contest. Turner and teammates Vicky Evans and Sherry Williamson are on the Red team. Ray Johnson of the Wildcats is the Red coach.

Also on the Red roster are Shannon Anderson (Crawford), Gine Druley (Torrey Pines), Kelley Hall (Morse), Kathy Trujillo (Fallbrook), Renee Tillmond (Grossmont) and Sonia Waterford (Helix).

The Blue team, coached by Bonita Vista’s Ralph Carrier, features Karen Chariker (Clairemont), Carma Bertam (Poway), Julie Evans (Hilltop), Sherry Johnson and Chris Sherman, (Santana), Theresa Mergens (El Capitan), Pam Smith (Madison), Terri Turner (Bonita Vista), Vicky Williams (Southwest), Ruth Herrera (Chula Vista) and Teresa Rodriguez (Montgomery).