Charles, Hightower join galaxy of stars

Connecticut Sun teammates Tina Charles and Allison Hightower were among six players named as reserves for the Eastern Conference squad for Saturday’s WNBA All- Star Game.

Charles, a former UConn star, is fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game and second in rebounding behind fellow Eastern Conference reserve Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky.

Charles had scored at least 20 points on six different occasions and had 10 double-doubles in 15 games this season.

The reigning WNBA MVP, Charles is one of three UConn graduates set to take part in the 3:30 p.m. game at Mohegan Sun Arena as Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury were voted as Western Conference starters.

Hightower, a fourthyear guard out of LSU, has emerged into one of the league’s top shooting guards. Hightower averaged just 2.3 points per game in her first two seasons before putting up 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game to help the Sun post the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2012. With guards Kara Lawson, Renee Montgomery and Tan White combining to miss 27 games due to injury, Hightower has been the lone reliable perimeter threat for the Sun as she is averaging 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. She has 10 double- digit scoring games this season highlighted by a 23-point effort in a July 14 win over San Antonio.

Joining Charles, Hightower and Fowles as Eastern Conference reserves are Crystal Langhorne and Ivory Latta of the Washington Mystics and the Indiana Fever’s Shavonte Zellous.