Greater Spokane Showcase: All-star games allow league rivals opportunity to play as teammates

The 2025 version of the Spokane-area high school basketball all-star games took on a new lead sponsor and format – but still featured the best of the area’s players, honoring two longtime coaches who were instrumental to high school basketball in the region.

The games themselves were a little ragged at times, as is the nature of all-star games. But the important part was celebrating the successes of some of the area’s best players.

“That was a blast,” Mead senior Nash Dunham said. “Getting to see all the guys out here who put in a lot of work and just instead of playing against each other, getting to go with each other – it’s a blessing, man. It’s a lot of fun. It’s just a really joyful event.”

The Denny Humphrey memorial boys all-star game and the Jack Blair memorial girls all-star game are now part of the rebranded Greater Spokane Basketball Showcase, sponsored by the Greater Spokane League in conjunction with NBC Basketball Camps.

In previous seasons, the teams were divided by Metro (GSL all-stars) and Region (area players). With the league taking over as primary sponsor, this season the games featured the best of the league facing off against each other – pitting teammates against each other and coaches against their own players in some cases.

“I feel like it flowed a lot better than I was expecting,” Gonzaga Prep senior Olivia McIntyre said. “I feel like everyone moved well, and I think we did a good job of not making it individual. There were a ton of great assists and people seeing the court. The IQ is really high, so I think it went really well.”

Another change is that the games featured active GSL coaches instead of retired coaches. According to Washington Interscholastic Actives Association rules, active coaches may participate during in-season all-star games – but not coach their school’s underclassmen.

The boys coaches of the year were Matty McIntyre from Gonzaga Prep and Mike Hamilton from West Valley. Hamilton was out of town, so Mt. Spokane’s David Wagenblast stepped in. The girls coaches of the year were Jason Wilson of Central Valley and KC Ahrens from Deer Park.

All five of the coaches led teams that were seeded fourth or higher in their respective state tournaments last week – including State 4A boys champions Gonzaga Prep and State 3A girls champions Central Valley.

“It was so much fun. I’m so glad I got to put on this uniform again,” CV senior Keana Gosney said. “I was so sad to put it away after the championship, and then I realized we get to wear it again. I’m just so blessed to be here.”

“I’ve played against Keana since I was 8 or 9, since we were really little,” Ridgeline senior Emma Myers said. “It was nice being able to be on the same team for once.”

Girls

Team Wilson 93, Team Ahrens 80: Myers led four in double figures with 12 points and Team Wilson beat Team Ahrens.

The teams were tied at 43 at halftime, but Team Wilson put up 23 points in the third quarter and 28 in the fourth to pull away.

Deer Park sophomore Ashlan Bryant scored 11 points, and Mt. Spokane senior Karis Santucci and Ferris junior Mateia Eschenbacher added 10 points apiece for Team Wilson.

“We play these girls all the time, and it was really nice to get together and play with people that you go against and get to know them as people,” Clarkston senior Reese de Groot said.

Mead junior Addison Wells Morrison led Team Ahrens with 14 points. Ferris senior Kayla Jones had 12 points and McIntyre scored 11 points. Clarkston junior Jaelyn McCormack-Marks and Mt. Spokane senior Sloane Gardner added 10 apiece.

“(Ahrens) just said in the huddle that it was the most talented team he’s ever played,” McIntyre said. “It’s just really good to have an opportunity to talk to the girls. You know, you compete with them for the last four years and we’ve been going against each other, and then to get the chance to talk with one another and be teammates is really cool.”

Wells Morrison and Gosney were selected as game MVPs.

Boys

Team McIntyre 120, Team Wagenblast 112: Mt. Spokane junior and GSL 4A/3A MVP Jaden Ghoreishi led six in double figures with 20 points and Team McIntyre came from behind to top Team Wagenblast.

Team McIntyre trailed 60-49 at halftime but scored 38 points in the third quarter.

“It was a little rough in the first half,” University senior Jack Del Mese said. “But once the second half got going, I think this skill kind of came out. We just played more smoothly together, and we kind of ran up the score a little bit.”

Cheney junior Juleon Horyst and North Central junior Trevelle Jones scored 19 points apiece, and Pullman senior Daniel Kwon added 17.

Eight players scored in double figures for Team Wagenblast, led by Ferris senior Luke Roland with 18 points. Mt. Spokane senior Nalu Vargas had 16, including four 3-pointers, Central Valley senior Branson Olson scored 13 points, and G-Prep senior Hudson Floyd and Pullman sophomore Gavyn Dealy added 12 apiece.

“The best defensive possessions were usually when two guys from same team are going against each other,” Dunham said. “Being able to go up and clobber my teammate – that was fun.”

Ghoreishi and Roland were named MVPs.