Smith scores 12 at All-Star Classic

CARTERVILLE -- Of the two end-of-season all-star games, the Lions Club All-Star Game and the John A. Logan All-Star Classic, it's the latter that's generally viewed as more exclusive.

Chester's Savion Smith scored 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting in his final game in a Yellow Jacket basketball uniform, helping Team Miller defeat Team Beatty, 110-100, on April 9 at John A. Logan College.

"We had plays, but I don't think we really ran any of them," Smith said. "We just went with the flow."

While he didn't win the Team MVP plaque - that went to Waltonville's Isaac McPhail - he also contributed four rebounds and an assist in the win.

"I think I did pretty good," Smith said. "It's an all-star game, everybody's out here to have fun, nobody's trying to take over like a regular game.

"I was just having fun."

Smith also competed in the dunk contest prior to the game, but not even a 360-degree one-hander on his last attempt was enough to impress the judges for the award - which went to 6-foot-7 Patoka senior Garret Belcher.

"I was trying to do a 360 and I got it," he said. "I thought I should have won, but you know."

Smith, who recently signed to Blackburn College in Carlinville for basketball, was asked to reflect on his time as a Yellow Jacket.

"Probably the greatest time of life," he said. "The community, when I came here, brought me in like I've been here my whole entire life.

"Everybody took me in, as a player, as a student, the teachers and as a friend. A shoutout to my beautiful girlfriend, Alyssa Keith, she helped me through all this; my family and I just want to thank coach (Brad) Norman for allowing me to play for him."

Also scheduled to participate was Steeleville's Reid Frederking, but Warriors boys basketball coach Bryce Bainter told the Herald Tribune that Frederking suffered a knee injury and was unable to play.