Hunter MVP of senior all-star game

Tiffany Hunter was named the Most Valuable Player for the North squad in the girls Senior All-Star Basketball Game played March 30 at Mira Mesa High School.

The Fallbrook High School senior had ten points, seven assists, four rebounds, and a steal against the South in the North’s 77-65 victory. Her ten points included a three-point shot and a five-for-six performance at the free throw line.

“I thought it was nice I got it. I didn’t even know they were going to have that award,” Hunter said.

Hunter noted that the award provided satisfaction for her performance. “I was playing with so many other great players,” she said.

Carly Lackey of La Costa Canyon was actually the North’s high scorer with 11 points. San Diego High School’s Paris Johnson, who played for the South squad, led all players with 20 points.

The selection panel felt that Hunter had the best performance for the North squad. “She just had a great basketball game,” said Fallbrook coach Len Whitacre, who coached the North in the all-star game.

“She handled herself very, very well,” Whitacre said. “She was very unselfish with the basketball and played great defense and handled the pressure.”

Hunter was the only Fallbrook High School player on the North team, and she indicated that it was difficult to play with teammates with whom she had no previous experience. “I didn’t know how they wanted the ball or what kind of player they were,” she said.

The discrepancy between her familiarity with Whitacre and the other North players’ knowledge of the coach also made matters complicated. “I knew the plays, but the other girls didn’t very well,” Hunter said.

Whitacre had spent two years as the La Costa Canyon High School coach before becoming Fallbrook’s coach in 2004, so he had coached Lackey when the La Costa Canyon senior was a freshman.

Whitacre had announced his retirement prior to the start of the 2006-07 season, so the all-star game was likely his final appearance as a high school head coach. “It was a pretty nostalgic experience,” he said.

“I was glad to have one last game he was able to coach,” Hunter said. “I liked being able to play one last time.”

Hunter’s high school career actually ended March 31 with an all-star game at San Diego State University’s Peterson Gym featuring players from the CIF San Diego Section against players from the CIF Southern Section. Hunter enjoyed playing with Johnson in that game but was disappointed that the San Diego Section lost.

Hunter intends to play basketball at MiraCosta College in 2007-08.

The Senior All-Star Basketball Games also included three-point shooting contests for both the boys and the girls. Fallbrook’s Marcus Bresnahan finished fourth in the boys’ three-point contest.

“It was all for fun, but I’d rather win,” Bresnahan said.

Bresnahan, who was successful on 83 treys during the season, made 12 shots in one minute during halftime of the boys’ all-star game. Greg Grimm of Rancho Buena Vista High School won the three-point contest with 16 buckets.

“I had a good time,” Bresnahan said.