Sports

'Best group of kids'

Local players help North team win coaches' association All-Star game

By Candace Begody
Navajo Times

MESA, Ariz., May 27, 2011

Every dribble, every shot and every game got Troyal Turquoise closer to his goal.

"I always looked in the newspapers for the all-star selection and it became one of my goals," said the Round Valley senior. "I told my mom that one day I want to be on that list."

Turquoise, who helped the Round Valley Elks to a 21-11 record and a state-tournament appearance as the starting point guard, was one of four players selected from the area to play in the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Senior Boys' 1A-3A game over the weekend at Mesa Community College.

For the North team, Turquoise teamed up with the best from the 1A to 3A conferences including St. Micheal's Kurtis Silversmith and Ganado's Marcus Begay. Their team pulled off a 111-96 victory over the South team.

"This was the best group of kids I've seen in awhile," said North coach and Holbrook head coach Raul Mendoza. "We were a very balanced team. They were all good players, we had size, we had shooters, ball handlers, and a combination of athleticism."

The North team included Holbrook's Kory Koerperich, Fountain Hills' Tyler Bode, Round Valley's Michael Ciminski and others.

The South team included players from Valley schools such as Gilbert Christian, Scottsdale Christian and St. Gregory.

Turquoise transferred to Round Valley from Page High after his freshman year. He joined the Elks' basketball team his sophomore year and earned a spot on the junior varsity team.

Turquoise decided that in order to make any all-star team, he would have to work on his overall game and started out by perfecting his free-throw shot.

"My goal was to make more free throws so I would always work on that," he said.

His junior year, his first year on the varsity squad and the year he won the three-point shootout for the 3A conference, Turquoise became an occasional starter and dedicated most of his free time to three-pointers.

This year as a senior, he decided to lay off the threes and get back to free-throw line, and work to make the all-star team.

"My coach told me that good players go to the line and get half their points like that," he said. "So I'd drive to the basket and try to get to the free-throw line. This was all to make all-star team.

"It was something I worked hard for and it is a big accomplishment for me," said Turquoise.

He averaged 18 points per game throughout the regular season and scored 16 points in the all-star game.

"I played with a lot of good athletes," he said. "I think we were all good, we showed what we had and what we could do, and all of our skill level was the same."

Though this game didn't compare to the stress he felt during the 2009 state championship game against Estrella Foothills, the all-star game is one to remember, Turquoise said.

"I thought it was a lot easier to play with these guys," he said. "Everyone has talent, everyone is good, and we're all friends now. We weren't against each other."

Though the team did not practice at all, Mendoza said he couldn't have selected a better team.

"They were very mature and even though they played against each other in the past, they were glad to play with each other," Mendoza said. "All I did was make some small adjustments if something wasn't working. They were able to pick up on that and it was fun to see them execute and come together.

"They knew how to play the game," he added. "All they have to do was play together. I'm just glad they were on my side and we weren't playing against them."

Ganado's Marcus Begay, the 3A North player of the year, was the first Hornet to be selected in a long while, according to Ganado head coach Nathan Brady.

"It's such a hard process to get them selected," he said. "He worked very hard over the years and is very deserving for the recognition that was placed upon him. I hope others look to him and see that hard work does pay off."

When asked about representing Ganado, Begay said, "It was an honor and a privilege to have been selected to play and represent my school and family in the all-star game. It meant a lot to me."

Begay scored 18 points in the game - a disappointment to him considering his average is 26 per game.

"I felt like I was playing with my own team," said Begay. "But my performance wasn't as great as it should have been. These guys were consistent with their shots and quicker than most of the guys on the rez."

However, Mendoza said Begay "...defended one of the top players of the South. He scored a lot and was able to contribute a lot to the success of the team."

Mendoza said he was surprised by the play of St. Michael's Kurtis Silversmith and Northwest Christian's Dakota Anderson.

"He was the biggest surprise for me," Mendoza said of Silversmith. "I hadn't seen him play much but he made a lot of things happen. He was a very good rebounder, a good passer, he started some fast breaks and got some fast breaks for himself."

Silversmith, who led the St. Michael Cardinals to two state appearances during his junior and senior years, was the only 1A player from the area.

"I think there were a lot of people that didn't expect a lot from me because I was coming out of a 1A school," Silversmith said. "But I think I impressed a lot of people. People told me I could do everything out there - not just score but be able to pass the ball, push the ball up the floor and rebound."

Silversmith was the second-highest scorer of the game with 22 points.

"Being selected just lets me know that I can play with the top players in the state at this competitive level and that you shouldn't be scared," he said. "I heard comments here and there, that because I come from 1A I can't play.

"I just wanted to go out there and show people what I had," he added. "I was able to compete at this higher level and it was good to play against the top players in Arizona."

Silversmith credited the Cardinals basketball team for preparing him for one of the biggest games of his high school career.

"We were always challenging each other at practice and a lot of it was because of my teammates," he said. "They always challenged me at practice and that helped me get better."

Though the all-star game wasn't a goal from the get-go, Silversmith said he was happy for the chance to be recognized by college recruiters.

"I just want to play at the college level right now but I need to prove that I can play to the coaches," he said. "It doesn't matter what school you go to - if you can play, you can play. A lot of people realized that after seeing St. Michaels play."

If he gets no junior college offers, Silversmith said he plans to attend Northern Arizona University and try out as a walk-on.

Turquoise, Begay and Silversmith combined to help the North team with nearly 50 percent of their points.

"They all did a good job and were able to blend really well together," Mendoza said. "We had a lot of weapons, our guys could score, and there was nice teamwork. There was no concern about what they had to do by themselves but they were more concerned with what they needed to do in order to be a team."

Winslow's Kraig Shirley was the only player selected who didn't show up.

"We'll never know how much better we could have been," Mendoza said. "But I'm happy with the results. The goal was to have fun and be able to display their talents against the top players and this was one of the better teams from the north from top to bottom. We didn't have Kraig but we were still able to accomplish."

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