Haines High School senior Abby Jones will get another shot to impress college recruiters next weekend at an Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches (AABC) all-star game.
The daughter of Mark and Frankie Jones averaged nearly 20 points per game as Haines’ top scorer this season. She is one of 24 female athletes across the state selected for the Saturday, April 9, showcase at Colony High School.
“If there’s a senior that wants to go on and play basketball but hasn’t had that exposure, they can get it there, for the next step in basketball,” said Jeannie Hebert-Truax, AABC treasurer and coach of 4A state champion Wasilla High School.
AABC is a new organization hosting its first all-star game.
Players from all four of Alaska’s enrollment classes were eligible for the game. A committee went over the nominations and made invitations.
The girls are set to play at 5 p.m. on April 9. The event also features skills competitions.
Jones will play alongside athletes from Anchorage, Barrow, Craig, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kotzebue, Skagway, Wasilla, Yakutat and a few other towns.
She will travel to Anchorage for a Friday, April 8, banquet at Dimond High School, followed by a practice session.
Jones is undecided on a college and said the all-star game likely will attract several coaches.
“I might play at a small community college,” she said. “That’s what a lot of people suggest.”
Her weekend in Anchorage also will include a basketball camp that is expected to draw college coaches from Oregon and Washington.
Haines coach Brian Elliott said he doesn’t know who nominated Jones for the all-star game. He said Jones’ work in the off-season was a key to her success at Haines.
“She put a lot of time in over the summer,” Elliott said. “She was just a very polished, balanced basketball player.”
He said Jones has improved her perimeter game in preparation for college.
Jones recently was named second-team All-State for her efforts this season in Class 3A. Teammate Hannah Wing, a junior, was honorable mention. Junior Tyler Swinton made third-team honors in boys’ basketball.
Jones also participates in volleyball and track. “I just like being a part of the team and having to push myself each day and rely on God through it all,” she said.