Rivera hosts all-star game

The Valley's most prolific basketball players will get a chance to lace up their sneakers one last time.

The best of the best take to the hardfloor again as the girls and boys all-star teams lock up at Rivera High School tonight.

"It's a showcase of the best in the Valley," West all-star coach Joe Filoteo said. "I see a good fast pace game with the team's mov-ing up and down the floor, It should be a high-scoring game."

The girls leadoff the event at 6:30 while the boys are scheduled to take the floor at 8:00 p.m. The games will consist of two 20-minute halves with a 10-minute halftime.

Full substitutions will be mandatory every five minutes and the final five of the halves will be at the coach's discression.

Filoteo took his Edinburg High squad to the Sweet 16 in the Texas playoffs and finished with a 32-4 record earning him his first all-star coaching selection.

The Bobcat coach said he has enjoyed his practice sessions with his elite players and that the game should be very entertaining.

‘It's going to be one of those fun games," he said. "It's going to be really enjoyable to coach them, there is no pressure or playoffs and some of these kids have been playing against each other for four years so they know one another pretty well."

Coaching the East squad is Hanna's Don Denson who will have a trio (Edward Casarez, Joe Elizondo, and Fernie Herrera) from his 32-5A District champion roster on his team to toggle with the rest of the superb athletes selected.

Other local player are Alex Guerra from Los Fresnos, St. Joe's Jacob Hipster, Rivera's Richard Samano, Carlos Cano and San Be-nito's Michael Preciado and Michael Garcia.

"Three of the Hanna kids are there and its nice having them work with the All-Stars and other ball will. They work well with them and it's very fun to watch in practice."

With other sports still in season its been hard for Denson to get the full squad practicing but when they do show he said the team has been working well as a unit.

"Kids are in baseball, track and it conflicts with practice but when they get together and scrimmage, they flow with their team-mates making it very enjoyable."

The girls West coach is McAllen High's Teresa Casso and at the helm of the East team is Harlingen South's Dawn Engleman with Pace's Arnold Torres.

Local girl all-star selections are San Benito's Jill Briones, Pace's Vanessa Beltran and Samantha Saldivar with Hanna's Cassandra Hinojosa and Gaby Maraboto.

Doors to the event will open at 5:00 with ticket prices for adults at $3 and $2 for students.

Presentations for all-star and All-Valley players will be before each game.