First Freedom All-Star picks led by size, scoring prowess
Early selections to the Freedom All-Star Classic East team show the boys being strong in the post and the girls deep at guard and forward.
Arnold’s Nate Hicks, Rutherford’s Stefon Barfield and Covenant Christian’s Kristo Kleimeyer have been tabbed for the East boys. Arnold’s Candice Edmundson, Bay’s Tanesha Middleton and Mosley’s Octavia Langston have been selected for the East girls.
Hicks stands the tallest of the trio at 6-foot-10. Barfield is 6-5, while Kleimeyer is 6-3.
Hicks averaged 23 points per game for the Marlins this season, including a season-high and school-record 51 against Walton in the District 1-3A tournament. He finished his career with an Arnold record of more than 1,200 points. Hicks averaged 12 rebounds per game as a senior and signed with Tulane.
Kleimeyer also ascended the 1,000-point career mark this season for the Lions. He provided a presence inside at forward and center for Covenant, which advanced to the Panhandle Christian Conference Final Four.
Barfield led the Rams to the regional championship game. He averages 13 ppg and 12 rpg for Rutherford.
The three girls chosen also proved they can rebound as well as score points from the perimeter. Edmundson is the tallest at 6-0 and closer to a true forward, while Middleton and Langston are each 5-9 and starred at primarily guard for their respective teams.
Langston averaged 20.1 ppg for the Dolphins this season, including a career-high of 46 against Niceville. She is the Dolphins’ all-time leading scorer with more than 1,500 points. She also averaged 6.6 rpg and nearly 4 steals.
Middleton matched Langston with a 20 ppg average and trailed slightly with 5 rpg. She also dished out 4 assists per game and had 3 spg.
Edmundson was a find for Arnold after she moved in from Virginia to help the Marlins to their first winning season in program history. She averaged 18.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg and 3.2 apg.
The sixth annual Freedom All-Star Classic takes place April 3 at the Billy Harrison Field House on the campus of Gulf Coast Community College. The girls game is at 11 a.m., followed by the boys at 1 p.m.
