“Mountain Tops”, by Ira Combs
Adidas showcases Eastern Kentucky’s top H.S. Basketball players
The 4th annual Adidas Appalachian All Star Classic will take on a new setting this year with a boys’ tripleheader format featuring the best of the best boys’ high school basketball players from KHSAA regions 12 thru 16. This new scheme was derived by co-game directors Ira D. Combs & Harold A. Combs (retired high school coaches themselves) to showcase the area’s many talented younger players in the sophomore & junior classes, as well as the graduating seniors for the college coaches, recruiters, and many basketball fans of the Tri State area.
Tri State Sports Services scouts have been evaluating players across these 5 KHSAA regions the past 4 months and have settled on the rosters listed below. Doors will open to this event at 4:00 p.m. on April 5th at the Morton Combs Athletic Complex, located adjacent to Knott Central High School in Hindman.
Senior all-stars will be presented an Adidas Appalachian All-Star uniform for their past four years of showcasing their talents across Eastern KY, while the underclassmen all-stars will be wearing their respective high school uniforms in each of their games.
The annual Adidas Appalachian Player of the Year award and Adidas Appalachian Coach of the Year award will be presented in pre-game ceremonies before the senior gold medal game by Tri State Sports Services Inc. Co-Directors - Ira D. Combs & Harold A. Combs.
4th Annual Adidas Appalachian All Star Classic
(Sat.) April 5th
5:30 - Future Stars Bronze Medal Game - Elite Sophomores
7:00 - Junior All-Stars Silver Medal Game - Elite Juniors
8:30 - Senior All-Stars Gold Medal Game - Elite Seniors
Host - Tri State Sports Recruiting & Promotions Service, Inc.
Co-Game Directors - Ira D. Combs & Harold A. Combs
Site - Morton Combs Athletic Complex - Knott Central H.S.
Hindman, KY
Adidas Senior Gold Medal Game
Elite Senior All Stars
(8:30 p.m.)
South Senior All Stars Team - Coach J.D. Strange - Pineville
Coach Brandon Elam - Knox Central
Brock Leisge - 6′ 1″ - Cumberland
Justin Hobbs - 6′ 3″ - Clay Co.
Desmond Johnson - 6′ 5″ - Cumberland
Dustin Day - 6′ 6″ Pineville
Ryan Young - 6′ 1″ - Lincoln Co.
Chris Puckett - 6′ 1″ - Jenkins
Justin Hollon - 6′ 0″ - Breathitt Co.
Cody Decker - 6′ 7″ - Wayne Co.
Josh Taylor - 6′ 5″ - Cordia
Clark Stepp - June Buchanan and Nick Brumback - Jackson Co. were selected as Adidas Appalachian Senior All-Stars for the South All-Stars but declined to play because of a conflict with a cruise. Adam Rhymer - Cawood also declined to play.
North Senior All Stars Team - Coach Raymond Justice - Letcher Central
Coach Johnny Martin - Allen Central
Landon Slone - 6′ 3″ - Paintsville
Zach Hurt - 6′ 2″ - Cordia
Zach Gay - 6′ 7″ - Buckhorn
Travis Smith - 6′ 7″ - Breathitt Co.
Aaron Crum - 5′ 10″ - Allen Central
Blake Christopher - 6′ 1″ - Estill Co.
Trey Short - 6′ 5″ - June Buchanan
Justin Selby - 6′ 6″ - Boyd Co.
Blake Pettit - 6′ 7″ - Rowan Co.
Jerrod Newman - 6′ 7″ - Betsy Layne
Jacob Bryant - Shelby Valley; Shane Grimm - Paintsville; J.D. Vanhoose - Paintsville; Jason Kelly - Perry Central were selected to play for the Adidas North All Stars but had to decline, due to various reasons.
Adidas Junior Silver Medal Game
Elite Juniors
(7:00 p.m.)
South Junior All Stars
(These players should bring their white or home H.S. uniform)
James David Strange - 6′ 2″ - Pineville
Andy Blank - 6′ 0″ - Buckhorn (Injured, will not play)
Josh Crawford - 6′ 4″ - Corbin
Michael Campbell - 6′ 3″ - Hazard
Justin Jones - 6′ 5″ - Hazard
Josh Seidel - 6′ 1″ - North Laurel
Deron Scott Amis - 6′ 3″ - Perry Central
Aaron Charles - 6′ 4″ - Lee Co.
Nick Smith - 6′ 4″ - Middlesboro
Klay Maggard - 6′ 4″ - Perry Central
North Junior All Stars
(These players should bring their dark or away H.S. uniform)
Devin Blair - 5′ 8″ - Letcher Central
Dillion Stiltner - 5′ 11″ - Phelps
Charlie Banks - 6′ 3″ - Letcher Central
Robert Warren - 6′ 4″ - Hazard
Garrison Collins - 6′ 9″ - June Buchanan
Tristan Cackling - 6′ 1″ - Estill Co.
Josh Proffitt - 5′ 7″ - Letcher Central
Matt Clevenger - 6′ 1″ - Pikeville
Deven Adams - 6′ 10″ - Pikeville
Eric Ison - 6′ 8″ - Letcher Central
(Jonathan Ferguson - Elliott Co.; Jacob Sparks - Raceland; Ethan & Evan Faulkner - Elliott Co. were selected to play on the Adidas North Junior All Star team, but had to decline due to various reasons)
Adidas Future Stars Bronze Medal Game
(Elite Sophomores & Freshmen)
(5:30 p.m.)
South Sophomores & Future Stars
(These players should bring their white or home H.S. uniform)
Josh Whitaker - 6″ 0″ - Hazard - Soph.
Tate Cox - 6′ 0″ - JBS - Soph.
Madison Johnson - 6′ 3″ - Corbin - Soph.
Cody Miller - 6′ 5″ - Knox Central - Soph.
Matt St. John - 6′ 8″ - South Laurel - Soph.
Aaron Watts - 6′ 0″ - McCreary Central - Soph.
Gavin Dunigan - 6′ 3″ - Wayne Co. - Fr.
Cory Martin - 6′ 3″ - Hazard - Soph.
Hobart Asher - 6′ 4″ - Leslie Co. 8th Gr.
Blaine Green - 6′ 4″ - Middlesboro - Soph.
(Clint Stepp - June Buchanan was selected to play as an Adidas South Future Star but had to decline due to a conflict)
North Sophomores & Future Stars
(These players should bring their dark or away H.S. uniform)
Cameron Hall - 6′ 1″ - Fairview (Injured will not play)
Elisha Justice - 6′ 0″ - Shelby Valley - Soph.
Stuart Stamper - 6′ 2″ - Knott Central - Soph.
Chris Noble - 6′ 3″ - Perry Central - Soph.
Tyler Newsome - 6′ 4″ - Shelby Valley - Soph.
Ashley Hatfield - 6′ 5″ - Shelby Valley - Soph.
D.J. Wilson - 6′ 2″ - Clay Co. - Soph.
Braxton Ratliff - 6′ 4″ - Knott Central - Soph.
Timmy Knipp - 6′ 7″ - Elliott Co. - Fr.
Adam Gay - 6′ 4″ - Buckhorn - Soph.
(Dakotah Euton & Chad Jackson - Rose Hill Academy were selected to play for the North Future Stars, but at this writing had not responded)



