CROSWELL — On March 16, when Lance Campbell decided it was time to restore a local tradition, he knew just who to contact.
That day, the Croswell-Lexington boys basketball coach texted Brady Beedon, the assistant manager of Get Stuck On Sports, LLC, to gauge his interest. Recognizing the potential, Beedon, along with Get Stuck On Sports manager Dennis Stuckey, agreed to try and help make the possibility a reality.
Their goal will come to fruition Wednesday, when the inaugural Get Stuck On Sports Senior Basketball All-Star Game is held at Croswell-Lexington High School.
Five events are scheduled, beginning with the girls game at 6 p.m. That’ll be followed by two 3-point shooting contests (one for boys, one for girls), a dunk contest and the boys game. Admission is $5 per person.
BOYS HOOPS:The Times Herald’s 2024 All-Blue Water Area boys basketball teams
“It’s one last time to see a great group of seniors,” Beedon said. “For both the boys and girls, there are going to be some really talented players. I think (high school) basketball in our area has gotten better overall — and this senior class is as much a part of it as anything else.”
Rosters are still being finalized as of Sunday. Once complete, Get Stuck On Sports will release them on Facebook and X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
All-Star games for various sports were played annually in the Blue Water Area until the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. They were created by longtime Times Herald sports editor Jim Whymer, who died that same year.
“Jim Whymer did a great job of (organizing) an All-Star game,” Campbell said. “It was always something that, I think, the best seniors in the Blue Water Area looked forward to — putting the jersey on one more time, playing for their school, playing against some of their rivals and playing with some of their rivals.”
While Campbell was selected for the 1994 game, he wasn’t able to play due to a scheduling conflict. Still, he was one of the coaches in the 2019 event.
GIRLS HOOPS:The Times Herald’s 2024 All-Blue Water Area girls basketball teams
Beedon, who played basketball and football at Marysville, was on the court for the 2015 edition.
“That was actually the last time I ever, officially, put on a Marysville uniform,” Beedon said. “So it was cool to have that (opportunity). It’s almost the closing of a chapter … after you’ve graduated, after you’ve had everything settled for college, you get one last go in the uniform. It’s nice to get rewarded for your efforts over the season and over your career.”
For this new All-Star game, Campbell, Beedon and Stuckey asked area coaches to nominate seniors from their respective teams.
“From there, we filled out the roster of players,” Beedon said. “Then, for the two games, Dennis and I picked the teams. So, we went back-and-forth and selected (players) that way.”
Each game will consist of two 20-minute halves, with Beedon and Stuckey serving as the coaches.
In addition to Get Stuck On Sports, two other businesses are involved in some capacity. Tropical Smoothie will provide meals for the athletes and sell refreshments. Plaques for the Most Valuable Player award winners have been donated by 4Sports, a screen printing and engraving company located in Fort Gratiot.
The event is expected to last three hours. Attendees are encouraged to park in the school’s northwest parking lot.
“It’s for the kids,” Campbell said. “I hope the kids enjoy it. I hope they come out, play hard and play to win. But I also hope they enjoy themselves — as well as the fans. It’s going to be a fun night.”
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.