Six locals make All-Star showcase

Six Newport-Mesa area basketball players and Costa Mesa High girls’ coach Jim Weeks have been chosen to participate in the Kiwanis/PlyoCity High School All-Star festivities, scheduled Saturday at El Toro High.

Costa Mesa senior forward Jennifer Courtney, who shared Newport-Mesa Player of the Year honors, will represent the South in the girls’ big schools game at 6:30 p.m. She will be coached by Weeks.

Costa Mesa High senior Larry Puente will represent the South in the boys’ big schools game at 8 p.m. The Dream Team honoree is the lone boys’ participant from Newport-Mesa schools.

Corona del Mar High senior Allie Duernberger will play for the North in the girls’ big schools game.

In addition to the featured games, there will be small schools games for boys and girls, as well as an elite underclassmen game for boys and girls.

Costa Mesa junior point guard Michelle Figueroa, the other Newport-Mesa Co-Player of the Year, will play for the South girls in the underclassmen game, scheduled for 9 a.m.

CdM junior forward Ashley Kirby will play for the North in the elite underclassmen game.

Sage Hill School senior guard Kaitlin Tyre, an All-Newport-Mesa performer, will represent the South in the senior girls’ small schools game, set for 10:30 a.m.

Puente averaged 19.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.3 blocks and 2.4 steals for the Mustangs on his way to first-team All-Orange Coast League recognition.

Courtney, a 5-foot-6 post, was the Orange Coast League MVP. She averaged nine points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals to help lead the Mustangs to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA championship game. She was named second-team All-CIF in Division IV-AA.

Figueroa, a first-team All-CIF Division IV-AA honoree, helped Costa Mesa post a 20-12 record, including the Orange Coast League championship. She averaged 9.8 points and 4.2 assists and was a first-team all-league performer.

Duernberger was first-team All-Pacific Coast League after averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals in her fourth varsity season for the Sea Kings.

Tyre averaged 9.7 points and 2.9 assists for the Lightning on her way to first-team All-Academy League recognition.

Kirby chipped in a team-leading 13.5 points for CdM and was a second-team All-PCL selection.

The showcase, in its 42nd year, will pit the stars from North Orange County against those from the South in eight different games.

Proceeds will go to charitable and youth organizations in Orange County.

Admission will be $10 for adults and $8 for students and children.

For information, contact Mike Rangel at (949) 689-0807, (949) 206-2441, [email protected], or visit www.plyocity.com.