Two Tigers, two Eagles taking part in boys all-star game

Four Lodi area prep boys basketball players will lace up their sneakers one more time on Friday.

Tokay’s Austin Dongon and Jorge Hernandez, along with Elliot Christian’s Jalen Valverde and Onkar Sidhu, will be part of Team Gold playing in the High School Basketball Game, presented by B.E.S.T. and The Kiwanis Club of Stockton. The game, consisting of players who were seniors last winter, will be played at Delta College’s Joseph Blanchard Gym.

Hernandez was a starting forward for Tokay last winter. He led the team in scoring by averaging 15.2 points per game in 26 games, made 129-of264 shots from the field for 72 percent. He averaged 3.1 rebounds per game, and sank 67-of-90 free throws for 72 percent.

Dongon, a starting point guard for the Tigers, averaged 14 points per game in 27 games for Tokay, connected on 121-of-304 shots from the field for a 54 percent. He also made 129-of265 field goals for 49 percent, and sank 99-of-138 free throws for 72 percent. On defense, Dongon had 40 steals and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Valverde was part of the Elliot Christian High boys basketball team that posted a 29-5 record and won the Central California Athletic Alliance and Sac-Joaquin Section Division V titles, and played for the CIF Nor-Cal D-V title. He averaged 14.8 points per game for the Eagles over the winter, making 180-of-392 shots for a 46 percent shooting percentage. Valverde made 122-of-194 free throws for 63 percent, averaged 7 rebounds per game and had 133 steals.

Sidhu, who joined Valverde in the Eagles’ flight toward one of the best

seasons the school has experienced in boys basketball, played in all games for the Eagles. He averaged 10.9 points per game, making 154-of-308 shots for 50 percent. He grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game, and 16 blocked shots.

The quartet are part of the 10-player roster. Five of the six Tri-City Athletic League schools have at least one representative on the team; Lodi does not have any players on the roster. Lincoln’s Gary Greeno is coaching Team Gold, and Stagg’s Ryan Berg is handling Team Black.

The boys’ game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. The inaugural girls’ all-star basketball game, also presented by B.E.S.T. and The Kiwanis Club of Stockton, is scheduled to tipoff at 5:30 p.m.

Admission for Friday’s games is $6 for all ages.

MIKE BUSH/NEWS-SENTINEL Former Tokay boys basketball player Jorge Hernandez, shown here in a Feb. 15 game against Lodi, will lace up for the High School Basketball Game on Friday.

DAVID WITTE/NEWS-SENTINEL Elliot guard Onkar Sidhu prepares to initiate a play during Elliot's victory in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V Championship on March 4, at UOP.