PITSBURG – Middle school basketball players from across Darke County and the Dayton region will be a part of something very special in early March at Franklin Monroe High School.
The first-ever Miami Valley Middle School All-Star Classic will be held March 2, 5, and 9 at the Hanger, the former Franklin Monroe High School gymnasium now used for the middle school team.
Franklin Monroe girls varsity basketball coach Carrie Wood and longtime girls basketball promoter and media member Jim Dabbelt have come together to host this to help build the game for those in seventh and eighth grade.
“Franklin Monroe is honored to host this event,” Wood said. “This is a rewarding step in the right direction for middle school athletes. It allows the top players to showcase their skills while representing their schools and playing with and against other great players.”
“I am really excited to do this for the future players who hope to continue their journey right into high school and possibly beyond,” Dabbelt said.
He has hosted several high school all-star events, but this is the first time for the junior high players.
“I think it is just about giving them an opportunity to see what a bigger stage is like, and to play alongside many of their peers who all have the same goals,” he added. “We have many players from Darke County and the surrounding area who will get to experience this event.”
The event will take place on March 2, with the lone seventh-grade game and one of the eighth-grade games. On March 5, there will be two more eighth-grade games, and then on March 9, all six of the eighth-grade teams will compete in “championship” games. In all, the eighth grade will get two games to spotlight their game.
“This will give me a great look at what is coming up in the high school game next season,” Dabbelt said, who is finishing up his record 41st season in girls basketball across Ohio. “For the girls, it will be a great chance to compete in something special, but it will also give me a look at who will be among the best freshmen when things tip-off next November.”
“I think for the incoming freshmen to know eyes are on them and people are watching is a huge motivator for them to continue to work hard and work towards their goals,” Wood added. “It’s a motivator. Everyone wants to see their name on a list like these and it’ll push others who are not listed to continue to push for the next time. These kids have worked hard all season, and this is their reward. It’s great for them!”
Dabbelt approached Wood in December about hosting this event at the Hanger, a gym where the Jets used to play their high school games when he lived in Pitsburg back in the mid 1990s.
“This gym is historic, and I was here often when Jeff Cassell was coaching a very successful Franklin Monroe girls basketball program,” Dabbelt said. “I wanted to have it here, and Carrie is doing great things here, trying to get the program back to where it used to be. Numbers are low everywhere, but she is putting in the time to bring success back. It just takes time.”
“Here at FM we take a lot of pride in what we have,” Wood said. “This gym holds a lot of great memories for the community and will hold many more memories to come. We are adding this one to the list of great opportunities for the Jets and the community.”
“We live in a community full of support. I am proud our gym was chosen and our program is able to host and make this special for so many. This event will shed light on the positives we are building at FM and hoping this engagement will showcase to our future Jets how bright our future will be so they want to stay involved. Having multiple FM athletes playing in this event and representing our program is something to be proud of.”
Dabbelt is also bringing in several area upperclassmen and Darke County alumni to coach these players with commitments from upperclassmen from Franklin Monroe, Tri Village, Arcanum, Ansonia and Mississinawa Valley, along with Arcanum grad Stevie (Johnting) Zumbrun, Greenville alum Haleigh Behnken and making a return to the gym she called home during her playing days, 2010 FM grad Tiffany (Kossler) Inman.
“It is great to have not only the upperclassmen help at the event, but also very talented alumni from the county schools,” Dabbelt said. “These younger players will be able to learn and lean on these older players and former college players to help their game grow.”
The event is open to the public with admission charged at the gate. Wood is also working on a 50/50 each night, possible raffle baskets, and t-shirts for all of the championship teams on March 9.
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“We are not charging the kids anything to play; this is not a camp,” Dabbelt said. “I wanted to do this so they can experience such a big event and know that people are recognizing their hard work.”
