Freedom West rosters announced

The boys and girls teams from the West for the fourth annual Freedom All-Star Classic have been chosen.

The West players are selected from schools in the Northwest Florida Daily News' coverage area, which includes Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. The East teams comprise The News Herald's coverage are of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties.

The 2008 Freedom Classic takes place April 5 at the Billy Harrison Field House on the campus of Gulf Coast Community College. The girls game is at 11 a.m. and the boys game is at 1 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students ages 6-17 and children under 6 are free.

The West girls team will be coached by Baker's Kathy Combest and Paxton's Herb Haddock. Each coach will have some of their players on the squad. Chelsea Combest will represent the Gators, while Paxton will have Maryllyn Gilbert and Vikki Pepper.

Four players from a powerful Fort Walton Beach squad were selected: Tandria Milton, Kiara Parker, LeEra Lewis and Brittani Stephenson. Niceville's Donielle Campbell, Navarre's Demetra Giblin, Freeport's Nicole Dykes, Choctawhatchee's Christen Cardreon and Walton's Chelsea Robinson round out the roster.

The West boys team will be coached by Fort Walton Beach's John Lavin and Choctawhatchee's Marc Tisza.

Niceville, which reached the Class 5A regional finals, will have four players on the squad: guards Tory Kirkwood, Ty Friedlund and Ramoane Jordan and forward Robert Brooks. Choctaw, which advanced to the regional semifinals, has a trio of players in the game in forward Curtis Sims, center Steven Kraus and guard Nathan Carrizales.

Fort Walton Beach will be represented by guard John Barnes and center Nathan Robinson. Laurel Hill's Jeffrey Reese, Paxton's Blake Zessin and Freeport's Jamey Goddin round out the team.

Teams gain free admission: Boys and girls basketball teams on all levels will be admitted free to the event along with an accompanying coach. Only teams on a pre-approved list will receive this benefit, and each team is encouraged to wear schools colors or jerseys.

Any teams interested in being admitted free are asked to contact Gulf Coast Athletic Director Gregg Wolfe. Coaches must fax in a list of team members to Wolfe's attention at (850) 873-3530. Teams on the list are asked to enter through the pass gate doors.