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First Posted: 4/5/2013

WILKES-BARRE — Jaquan Ingram didn’t finish his high school career Friday night as a winner, but he did get some hardware.

The Wyoming Valley West center was named Player of the Game despite his team losing as the East defeated the West 86-79 in the Dr. George Moses Boys Basketball All-Star Classic at Holy Redeemer High School.

“I didn’t expect it,” Ingram said. “This is my last game as a senior so I just wanted to play my hardest. I didn’t think I was going to get this.”

Nor did the game appear it would be very competitive after the first half. The East — led by Coughlin’s Nate Oliver, Crestwood’s Steve Roberts, GAR’s Willie Winstead and Meyers’ Rasheed Moore — built a lead as high as 30 points in the first half. The team settled for a 54-25 advantage at the break.

The second half was a reversal, thanks in part to Ingram scoring 14 of his team-high 18 points in the final 20 minutes. (Two 20-minute halves were played).

The 6-foot-6 Ingram, who is planning on play at Johnson College in Scranton next season, including a staple of his game as a senior — two powerful, rim-swinging dunks.

Wyoming Seminary’s E.J. Flippen opened the second half with a pair of baskets, sparking the West’s rally attempt. A three-pointer by Tunkhannock’s Brian Stephenson cut the deficit to 79-71 with five minutes left. Ingram’s first dunk moved the West withing 81-75 with 2:45 remaining, but that’s where the comeback ended.

A comeback like that would normally shake up a coach. But since this was an all-star game, East coach Pat Toole of Meyers was able to joke about nearly blowing a 30-point advantage.

“What’s fun about this is the camaraderie with the kids after they competed against each other all year,” Toole said. “How they get along and kid each other and root for each other during the game.”

The game gave Toole the opportunity to put his three Meyers players on the court with two GAR players, grouping the archrivals into a lineup. Of course, it wasn’t the most cohesive unit to take the court. The style of play throughout was loose and defense was an afterthought for the most part. The game was officiated about as tightly as a Globetrotters’ exhibition.

Three East players scored in double figures. Moore had 18, Roberts added 13 and Meyers’ Ryan Krawczniuk netted 12.

Moore was also awarded the Sportsmanship Award. Oliver edged Krawczeniuk 10-9 in the three-point shootout at halftime.

“It was just a fun game,” said Moore, who was selected all-state second team in Class 2A earlier in the week. “Everybody was out here to have fun. It’s their last game of their high school careers. To be out here and having fun is all that matters.”

EAST (86)

Nate Oliver 3 0-0 7, Kurtis Wright 3 0-0 6, James Tobisch 1 0-0 3, Christian Skrepenak 1 0-0 2, Ryan Krawczeniuk 5 0-0 12, Cairee Walker 1 0-0 3, Rasheed Moore 8 0-0 18, Ethan Hoolick 0 0-0 0, Connor Flaherty 2 0-0 4, Aaron Kollar 1 0-0 3, Nick Valenti 2 0-0 4, C.J. Szafran 1 0-0 3, Willie Winstead 4 0-0 9, Steve Roberts 5 0-0 13. Totals 37 0-0 86.

WEST (79)

Devon Mazonkey 1 0-0 2, E.J. Flippen 5 1-2 11, Jaquan Ingram 9 0-2 18, Eric May 2 0-0 6, Brian Stephenson 4 0-0 9, Jared James 2 0-0 4, Jason Ellis 0 0-0 0, Kyle Cragle 2 0-0 5, Brett Good 1 0-0 2, Zach Ladonis 1 0-0 2, Alex Sirak 2 0-0 4, Tyler Meininger 0 0-0 0, Mike Carey 2 0-0 5, Bart Chupka 2 0-2 4, Lucky Williams 4 0-0 8. Totals 36 1-6 79.

East5432 — 86

West2554 — 79

Three-point goals: East 13 (Oliver, Tobisch, Krawczeniuk, Walker, Moore 2, Kollar, Winstead, Roberts 3). West 5 (May 2, Stephenson, Cragle, Carey).