All-Star Game Stirs Up Old Rivalries

Of course, it had to end this way.

Bryson Atkins and Devin Montgomery, the impressive backcourt duo at Alemany High that left San Fernando in a highly publicized transfer before the school year, get to run one last time against their old rivals from the City Section.

Atkins and Montgomery will play for the Southern Section team in the third annual Battle of the Valley All-Star Basketball Game on Saturday night at Cal State Northridge.

Atkins, who was at San Fernando for three years, and Montgomery, who was there for one year, are familiar with a City roster that includes Kent Dennis of Cleveland, Nana Gbewonyo of Kennedy and the Sylmar trio of George Wrighster, T.K. Reed and Jeremiah Turner.

“It’ll be fun,” Atkins said. “I played against them the past few years and I pretty much know what kind of players they are.”

Are the Southern Section all-stars, including Eskias McDaniels of Valencia, Chris Williams of Notre Dame and Cayce Cook of Chaminade, good enough to beat their City counterparts?

“There’s been a little talking back and forth about who’s got the better team,” Atkins said. “We’ll have to see. They’ve got some pretty good players, but we’ll be able to take them. We’ve got some good shooters over here.”

Dennis said Atkins and Montgomery shouldn’t get overconfident.

“I hope they don’t think they’re going to win,” said Dennis, who played a significant part in the Cleveland-San Fernando rivalry that existed before Atkins and Montgomery transferred.

“I’ll always have in the back of my mind the Cleveland-San Fernando rivalry, but, to tell you the truth, I’m just going to have fun [Saturday].”

The City Section team, which also includes James Word of Poly and Richard Harrison of Chatsworth, is coached by Adam Levitt and James Morris of Cleveland.

The Southern Section team, which also includes Marcin Jagoda of Crespi, J.J. Todd of Chaminade and Michael Goldman of Calabasas, is coached by Dick Dornan of Crespi.

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In the girls’ game, it appears the Southern Section will have most of the fun.

For the first time in the Battle of the Valley game, The Times’ Valley and Ventura County players of the year will be on the same team.

Omelogo Udeze of Harvard-Westlake and Damaris Hinojosa of Moorpark will be teammates, which could be bad news for the City Section.

“They’re probably a little bigger--we don’t have much size,” said City Coach Lori Chandler of El Camino Real. “[Hinojosa] is a great passer. She just runs the show.”

But if tradition holds up, it will be a close game. The Southern Section, despite having bigger-name players the previous two years, has never blown out the City Section.

City all-stars include Tashean Thomas and Markia Derby of North Hollywood and Cara Blumfield of El Camino Real.

Other Southern Section all-stars include Mary Myllykoski of Royal, Vonetta Lanier of Palmdale and Briana Kentfield of Hart. The coach is Dave Munroe of Hart.

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* What: Battle of the Valley Senior All-Star Basketball Games

* When: Saturday, girls’ game at 5:30 p.m., boys’ game at 7:30 p.m.

* Where: Cal State Northridge

* Admission (both games): $8 for stadium seats, $7 for bleachers, $4 for children

BOYS

CITY SECTION

* T.K. Reed, Sylmar; Kenny Mason, Cleveland; Mark Cannon, Chatsworth; James Word, Poly; Richard Harrison, Chatsworth; Jeremiah Turner, Sylmar; George Wrighster, Sylmar, Eric Bush, Cleveland; Nana Gbewonyo, Kennedy; Kent Dennis, Cleveland; Brian Smith, Cleveland.

* Coaches--Adam Levitt and James Morris, Cleveland.

SOUTHERN SECTION

* Cayce Cook, Chaminade; J.J. Todd, Chaminade; Devin Montgomery, Alemany; Bryson Atkins, Alemany; Chris Williams, Notre Dame; Dante Ward, Notre Dame; Marcin Jagoda, Crespi; Derek LaVelle, St. Francis; Eskias McDaniels, Valencia; Kevin Krose, Burroughs; Michael Goldman, Calabasas; Glenn Jones, Paraclete.

* Coach--Dick Dornan, Crespi.

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

* Cara Blumfield, El Camino Real; Leslie Lara, El Camino Rea; Tashean Thomas, North Hollywood; Angelle Hill, North Hollywood; Markia Derby, North Hollywood; Michelle Jimenez, Sylmar; Veronica Ramos, Sylmar; Natalie Gabor, Grant; Siosi Tuli, Birmingham; Ava Mozafari, Taft; Ig Herrera, Reseda; Neysa Guerrero, Reseda; Juana Gatson, Birmingham.

* Coach--Lori Chandler, El Camino Real.

SOUTHERN SECTION

* Omelogo Udeze, Harvard-Westlake; Christine Lambert, Paraclete; Kelly Paige, Crescenta Valley; Mari Myllykoski, Royal; Natalie Avanecy, Burbank; Mania Houspian, Glendale; Vonetta Lanier, Palmdale; Jennie Lee Greslie, Village Christian; Briana Kentfield, Hart; Anna Karas, Alemany; Summer Hoban, Palmdale; Damaris Hinojosa, Moorpark.

* Coach--Dave Munroe, Hart.