THE FRONT ROW with Mark Nelke May 26, 2013

The Jack Blair Memorial Region vs. Metro Girls All-Star Basketball Classic has showcased the top high school girls basketball players in the area for the past 19 years.

And there have been plenty of standout girls to showcase over those years.

Ron Adams, Director of the Spokane Stars, has seen every Jack Blair all-star game, as he is the promoter of the game. He has also coached nearly every elite player in the area over the past three decades.

So, with the 20th edition of the all-star game scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Post Falls High, I asked Adams to choose his top five who have played in the game for the Metro team (Greater Spokane League players) and top five from the Region squad (players from North Idaho and elsewhere in eastern Washington).

Adams based his selections not necessarily on how they played in the all-star game, but more on their entire career - high school, club, the all-star game, college and professionally.

Here's Adams' picks, in no particular order on either side, along with his comment on each player:

Stacy Clinesmith (Mead High, UC Santa Barbara, WNBA): "Probably one of the best point guards to ever play in the state of Washington."

Briann January (Lewis and Clark, Arizona State, WNBA): "Fastest guard that's ever played in our state - and the most famous."

Angie Bjorklund (University High, Tennessee): "The best all-around skilled player that's ever played in the GSL - period."

Emily Westerberg (Central Valley, Arizona State): "The most fierce competitor that I've ever coached."

Heather Bowman (Lewis and Clark, Gonzaga, WNBA): "One of the best rebounding 4s our state (Washington) has ever seen."

REGION

Jamie Weisner (Clarkston, Oregon State): "Probably the best one-on-one scoring machine that our area has seen in 20 years."

Katie Baker (Lake City, Montana): "One of the most intense post players that could play outside. She played every game like it was the national championship."

Aubree Johnson (Post Falls, Arizona State): "Aubree is the total package - offense, defense, rebounding, everything."

Alli Nieman (Sandpoint, University of Idaho): "The most coachable player I've ever had, and one of the most talented."

Carli Rosenthal (Coeur d'Alene, Saint Mary's): "Probably the best all-around post player that this area has seen. She has the best outlet pass from a rebound that I've ever coached in my 34 years."

AN IMPRESSIVE list, to be sure, and likely open to some friendly debate.

Some others that came to mind, at least from the Region team, included Jen Kerns (mid-1990s) and Lindsay Herbert (late 1990s), both of Lake City, and Janelle Ruen (Post Falls) and Shaylia Davis (Coeur d'Alene) a few years after that.

If you were making a list just on performances in the Jack Blair game, Camille Reynolds of Lakeland would have to be considered. In 2009, the 5-foot-5 Reynolds totaled 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals as the Region won for the only time in the game's history, 92-74 at Lake City High.

Maybe that's a list to be considered for 20 years from now.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.