ANNUAL ALL-STAR GAME WILL BE PLAYED FRIDAY

The top high school basketball players in Southeast Missouri will take the floor Friday night at Bess Activity Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo., for the Three Rivers College All-Star Festival.

The event will be similar to the Area's Best games organized by former Richland High School coach Micoe Cotton the last two years, but a few changes have been made.

This year's festivities are hosted by HoopStars Midwest, a regional basketball recruiting service based in Maryland Heights, Mo.

"It should be a lot of fun for the kids," said Dennis Griffin, director of information services for HoopStars Midwest. "We should have a bunch of recruiters and scouts there. We took this over to help the community and Southeast Missouri basketball."

Instead of a coaches game, there will be a girls game prior to the boys event. And instead of pitting North against South, teams have been divided up into East and West squads, based on both location and conference.

To select players, HoopStars contacted area coaches and college recruiters.

"We basically took the best seniors that were available," explained Griffin.

Admission will be $5 for adults and $4 for students. Children will be admitted free of charge.

The girls all-star game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., with the boys game to follow. A slam-dunk contest will follow the girls game. There will also be boys and girls 3-point contests at halftime of each game.

Following are the rosters for the games:

East Boys

Mark Rubel, Jonathan Ressel, Notre Dame; Michael Cox, Cape Central; Brad Hilbert, Jackson; Nick Steimle, Scott City; Todd Blissett, Scott County Central; Adam Rainey, Advance; Gabe Scherer, Bell City; Erick Hubbard, Norman Prather, Caruthersville; Byron Minner, New Madrid County Central; Ronnie Lashley, Farmington; Robert Farmer, South Pemiscot; Ryan Poyner, East Prairie.

Coaches: Darrin Scott (Notre Dame), Kevin Williams (Caruthersville).

West Boys

Brett Hale, Shannon Wright, Dexter; Adam Crader, W.D. Kennon, Doniphan; Roy Booker, Portageville; Tony Jones, Sikeston; Ronnie Webb, Jamie Waddell, Poplar Bluff; Noll Billings, Kennett; Sean Gibson, Richland; Steven Lawson, Neelyville; Jason Jenkins, Twin Rivers; Doug Rehkop, Marquand; Seth Martin, Eminence.

Coaches: John David Pattillo (Poplar Bluff), Scott Kruse (Twin Rivers).

East Girls

Andrea Koeper, Jackson; Katie Dougherty, Cape Central; Frances Pratt, Angie Jenkins, Heather Moss, Ellington; Monisha Murray, Charleston; Nicole Wylie, Kennett; Jennifer James, Hayti; Althea Brown, Senath-Hornersville; Rebecca Rone, Portageville; Karletta Moncrief, Malden; Ashley Barnes, New Madrid County Central.

Coach: Jeff Walk (Twin Rivers).

West Girls

Amanda Wittenberg, Mary Keeling, Poplar Bluff; Sandy Samuel, Jessica Mobley, Amy Shepard, Doniphan; Emily Bracklin, South Pemiscot; Brandi Moore, Naylor; Natalie Smith, East Carter County; Krystal Bennett, Couch; Bliss Roberson, Van Buren; Rachael Horne, Clearwater; Heather Tipton, Neelyville.

Coach: Jimbo Blackwell (Doniphan).