INA — More than 90 area senior basketball players from around the region had a chance to put on their school uniforms one final time to play in the 43rd Lions Club All-Star Games played at Rend Lake College.

The teams wore home and away uniforms, but were called the Gold and Purple teams, the colors of the Lions Club.

The Purple Team won the girls game 78-67. The Gold Team led 32-30 at the half, but Purple used 10-0 and 15-4 runs in the second half to take control. Chester’s Alyssa Seymour led a very balanced attack with 10 points and was named game MVP. Carterville’s Alecia Doyle led all scorers with 17 for the Gold Team. Doyle’s Lady Lions’ teammate Kristin Edmonds also reached double figures with 10.

Mt. Vernon’s Kennady Hayes won the girls three-point shootout.

With 50 players, the boys game played 25 minute halves, with full team line changes every five minutes. The Gold Team won 136-131 in a defense optional affair.

Gold jumped out to a 19-7 lead early, thanks in large part to the play of seniors from the 2A State Champion Nashville Hornets. Saxton Hoepker had three dunks in the opening minutes to get things going.

The Purple squad rallied, then used a strong finish in the final segment, led by Cairo’s DaQuavion Mackins. Mackins knocked down a three, set up Mt. Vernon’s NJ Benson for an alley oop slam, hit a circus shot in the lane, and then beat the buzzer from just inside half line to give Purple a 65-62 lead at the half.

Gold used a strong push in the second half to turn a four-point deficit into a 10-point lead. Cairo’s William Wilkerson scored 11 of his game high 13 after intermission. Wayne City’s Taj McKinney added 12, with Du Quoin’s Traijon Smith, Meridian’s JaQuavion Mackins, and Cobden’s Elliot Lowndes all tallying 10.

Harrisburg’s Michael Godsey led Purple with 11. Hamilton County’s Brady Thrane and Crab Orchard’s Nate Dawes added 10 apiece.

Cairo’s DaQuavion Mackins won the slam dunk contest, and Pinckneyville’s Trey Moll won the three-point contest.

The Lions Club uses all proceeds from the event to buy glasses for those who cannot afford them as well as scholarships to Rend Lake College.