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Heading into the season, Matt Fletcher was considered one of the best seniors in the state. He did not disappoint during the season, averaging more than 20 points per game. Now, Fletcher, who is considered one of the best, gets to play with the best this weekend as a member of the All-Star boys basketball series.

The All-Star team consists of 40 players from around the state, separated into four teams. Fletcher, a member of the gold team, will take to the court for the first time at 8:45 on Friday night in St. Cloud. The teams will then move to Concordia College (St. Paul) on Saturday afternoon.

“The team is selected by sort of like a coaches’ draft. They take the top eight points guards, centers, forwards, posts, and off-guards and they balance them out. For example, the best point guard and the eighth best point guard are put on the same team. They divide it up that way,” explained Bill Baumann, North Branch head boys basketball coach. “It’s really a tribute to Matt and the program. To see how he stacks up against some of the those guys, that’s going to help him prepare for that next level.”

That next level is college basketball, where most of the players selected will be playing next season. For example, Spencer Tollackson, a University of Minnesota recruit, will be playing on the same team as Fletcher. Other players participating include Miles Webb (University of Minnesota), Ryan Amoroso (Marquette), Mitch Henke (UC Santa Clara), Jadee Jones (Furman), Patrick O’Bryant (Bradley), and Eric Coleman (Northern Iowa).

“With guys like Tollackson and Webb out there, he knows he’s not going to see the ball a whole lot,” said Baumann. “Matt already told me that his goal is to guard a Division One guard to see how he stacks up.”

Fletcher is only the second Viking ever to be named to the All-Star team. Previously, Brad Baumann was selected to the squad in 2001.

All-Star boys

basketball series-

Games Friday, Halenbeck Hall-

Green vs. Blue, 7 p.m.

Maroon vs. Gold, 8:45 p.m.

Saturday-

Concordia-St.Paul Campus

Games will be played at 2:15 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Rosters:

Gold- Mark DeYounge- Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin, DeAnte Ferguson- Robbinsdale Armstrong, Matt Fletcher- North Branch, Ryan Gargaro- Hill-Murray, Tyler Kaus- St. James, Matt Lien- Duluth Denfeld, Steve Neal- Minneapolis Patrick Henry, Blake Strouth- Alexandria, Spencer Tollackson- Chaska, Ben Woodside- Albert Lea.

Coaches: Steve Walker- St. James, Brian Walker- Red Rock Central.

Maroon- Ben Bradley- Cambridge-Isanti, Bret Brielmaier- Mankato Loyola, Pat Herzog- Red Wing, Jadee Jones- Hopkins, Tom Lunde- Ulen-Hitterdal, Matt Mathiowetz- Sleepy Eye-St. Mary's, Joe Merritt- Mounds View, Everette Pedescleaux- Robbinsdale Armstrong, P.J. Stoe- Elk River, Brett Winkelman- Morris.

Coaches: Bob Torgimson and Steve Molstre- Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton.

Blue- Ryan Amoroso- Burnsville, Robert Bruesewitz- Litchfield, Tom Conboy- Minnetonka, Dan DeWitt- Centennial, Kirby Jacobson- Ulen-Hitterdal, Greg Johnson- Minneapolis Roosevelt, Jesse Olberding- Roseville, Curt Schilling- Ellsworth, Matt Standal- Fridley, Miles Webb- Park Center, Matt Storie- Byron.

Coaches: Dick Ghizoni and Larry Miller- Minneapolis Southwest.

Green- Jesse Becker- Osseo, Andrew Boldt- Stillwater, Matt Cadwell- Cretin-Derham Hall, Eric Coleman- Tartan, Mitch Henke- Hopkins, Truc Ho- Mankato Loyola, Mitch Leifert- Fergus Falls, Joe Mews- Faribault, Pat O'Bryant- Blaine, John Vaudreuil- Bloomington Jefferson.

Coaches: Mark Kieffer and Dan Dan Eickhoff- Rochester Mayo.

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