Product:STAR Date:03-23-2010Desk: SPT-0007-CMYK/22-03-10/19:58:51

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SPORTS

Read more at thestar.com

High school At 6-foot-11, Stefan Nastic is Canada’s tall-

basketball est graduating high school cager. The

Thornhill Secondary student will attend Stanford University and has
spent the past four summers with junior national teams in his native

all-stars Serbia. He brought winning seasons to Thornhill and now he’s a mem-
ber of the Star’s all-star boys’ basketball team. Read David Grossman’s
story at www.thestar.com/sports.

Leon Alexander Stefan Nastic Julian Clarke

2010
THE STAR’S CLASS OF

Manvinder Sahota

This season’s starting five for boys basketball is an

international affair with players from India,
Serbia, the Cayman Islands and, of course, Toronto
By David Grossman | Photos by Vince Talotta
Matthew Wright

Leon Alexander
Richardson Storm (Ajax)
Small Forward || 6-foot-3, 190 lbs.
Team record: 49-5
Age: 17 Grade: 12
Academic avg.: 73 per cent
Born: Cayman Islands
Best game: To qualify for the
provincial playoffs, scored 30
points, grabbed seven rebounds
and went 16 for 20 from the free
throw line in a Durham Region
win over Notre Dame of Ajax.
Next year: Returning for a fifth
year to Richardson.
Skinny: Won the MVP award at
three tournaments: Preston
Memorial (Pickering), Guy
Vetrie Invitational (Sault Ste
Marie) and Notre Dame (Ajax).
. . . Made the Durham Region
all-star team last year. . . .
All-star at the Mother Teresa
Invitational. . . . School
basketball MVP in grades 10 and
11. . . . Top scorer for his team in
three of four games to win the
Mother Teresa tournament
(Toronto).
NBA role model: Carmelo
Anthony, Denver Nuggets
2009-10 averages
Pts Reb Ast
18 6 4
“Tremendously athletic
and a huge contribution
to our team success”
Coach Mike McFetters
Stefan Nastic
Thornhill Tigers (Thornhill)
Post/Centre || 6-foot-11, 225 lbs.
Team record: 12-10
Age: 17 Grade: 12
Academic avg.: 87 per cent
Born: Serbia
Best game: Scored a team-high
30 points, grabbed 19 rebounds
and had six blocked shots in a
nine-point loss to Loyola
(Oakville) at a Richmond Hill
tournament.
Next year: Attending Stanford
University in Palo Alto, Calif.
Skinny: One of Canada’s premier
big players. . . . Member of the
Serbian national under-16 team
in 2008 and invited to Serbian
under-18 team training camp last
year. . . . Also recruited by Duke
and Maryland. . . . Thornhill
basketball MVP. . . . All-star at
George Harvey, Seneca and
Richmond Hill tournaments.
NBA role model: Pau Gasol, Los
Angeles Lakers
2009-10 averages
Pts Reb Ast Blk
26 11 3 4
“Incredibly dominant
Blk
player and never coached
2 anyone of his ability and
work ethic.”
Coach Doug Hawkins
Manvinder Sahota
St. Marguerite d’Youville
Panthers (Brampton)
Small Forward || 6-foot-6, 193 lbs.
Team record: 34-7
Age: 18 Grade: 12
Academic avg.: 88 per cent
Born: India
Best game: Scored 30 points and
added 15 rebounds in a Peel
Region league game, winning by
26 points, over rival St. Edmund
Campion.
Next year: Attending Cornell
University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Skinny: MVP at the Sheridan
Cup (Brampton) and Dunning
Invitational (Ottawa). . . .
Selected an all-star at the
Ontario Catholic Classic (St.
Catharines) and Southern
Ontario Shootout (Hamilton).
. . . Former school athlete of the
year. . . . Member of his school
leadership council that raised
$10,000 for victims of the Haiti
earthquake. . . . Top scorer in the
league championship win over
Campion.
NBA role model: LeBron James,
Cleveland Cavaliers
2009-10 averages
Pts Reb Ast Blk
20 10 4 3
“Unselfish, great leader
with best combination of
basketball skills and
grades.”
Coach Carlo Zoffranieri
Matthew Wright
Martingrove Bears (Toronto)
Point Guard || 6-foot-3, 180 lbs.
Team record: 34-9
Age: 19 Grade: 12
Academic avg.: 74 per cent
Born: Toronto
Best game: Scored 37 points in
three quarters in his final high
school league game — a 63-61
come-from-behind win over
Jarvis for the Toronto District
School Board Triple-A title.
Next year: Likely going to the
NCAA and being recruited by
Maine, St. Bonaventure,
Duquesne and Santa Clara.
Skinny: His mother is Filipino, so
he played for the Philippines in
the FIBA Asia under-18
tournament in Iran in 2008. . . .
Started playing basketball at age
10. . . . Big factor in the Bears
winning an Ontario Triple-A gold
medal. . . . Former athlete of the
year at Bloorlea Middle School.
. . . Scored 25 or more points in
10 games this year. . . . All-star at
the Mark Walton (Hamilton)
and Vaughan Road (Toronto)
tournaments.
NBA role model: Kobe Bryant,
Los Angeles Lakers
2009-10 averages
Pts Reb Ast Blk
23 4 7 2 23
“The real deal and the
best perimeter shooter
I’ve ever coached.”
Coach Shawn Gray
Julian Clarke
Oakwood Barons (Toronto)
Shooting Guard || 6-foot-3, 195 lbs.
Team record: 39-4
Age: 17 Grade: 12
Academic avg.: 91 per cent
Born: Toronto
Best game: Season-high 45 points,
seven assists and nine rebounds
but still lost 67-66 to Eastern
Commerce in the Toronto District
School Board South region final.
Next year: Recruited by a number
of NCAA schools but leaning to
either Santa Clara, Duquesne,
Eastern Kentucky or Butler.
Skinny: Five consecutive
three-point baskets, late in the
fourth quarter, in a 47-34 Ontario
Quad-A gold medal win over St.
Thomas More of Hamilton;
member of the Ontario under-17
basketball team last year. . . .
Trying out this summer for the
national under-18 team. . . . Chosen
MVP at the Heinbuch Classic in
Waterloo, Silver Fox and Southern
Ontario Shootout Invitational, both
in Hamilton. . . . All-star at the Guy
Vetrie (Sault Ste. Marie) and St.
Michael’s (Toronto) tournaments.
NBA role model: Kobe Bryant, Los
Angeles Lakers
2009-10 averages
Pts Reb Ast Blk
11 9 3
“A true leader who inspires
those around him to be
better.”
Coach Anthony Miller

REGIONAL ALL-STARS
Players were chosen based on performances this season for their school teams. Selections were done following consultations with high school, college and university coaches as well as game officials and fans.

CISAA DURHAM HALTON PEEL REGION TDCAA TORONTO TORONTO TORONTO TORONTO YORK REGION
George Daniel, REGION REGION Chris Anderson, Hassan Abdullahi, (EAST) (WEST) (NORTH) (SOUTH) Brandon Bos,
Villanova Justin Edwards, Jordan Catterall, Mount Carmel Pope John Paul Anthony Justin Bakuteka, Yusuf Ali, Aaron Best, Markham
George Mason, Anderson Holy Trinity Tychon Carter, Seth Evershed, Lyle-Wade, Borden Martingrove Fleming Eastern Commerce James Choi,
St. Michael’s MiKyle Michel Clark, Campion Michael Power/ Jason Helwig, Fidel Benjamin, Brandon Chase, Kevin Blake, Vaughan
Duane Notice, McIntosh, Nelson Jordan Clennon, St. Joseph Thomson George Harvey Georges Vanier Oakwood Jude Gouveia,
St. Michael’s Pickering Mike L’Africain, Campion Raheem Isaac, Jahlove Lynch, Theilus Andi Hasaj, Cameron Williams
Cooper Rigg, Natiel McKenzie, Loyola Jamal Jones, Father Henry Carr Woburn Chambers, Newtonbrook Robertson, Kevin Pangos,
Ridley Pickering Adam Presutti, Mississauga Ritchie Kanza, Daniel Mullings, Vaughan Road Anthony Ottley, Eastern Commerce Denison
Chris Tugman, Adam Plumber, Loyola Joseph Ojelade, Mother Teresa Laurier Steve Manjlovic, Emery Erico Sassa, Cy Richard
Upper Canada Pine Ridge Mike Wright, Central Peel Shane Reader, Kevon Parchment, Martingrove Tylor Wilson, College Francais Samuels,
Aaron Redpath, Assumption Father Henry Carr West Hill Scott Morrison, Westview Aaron Shadrach, Vaughan
Richardson Richview Jarvis