Annual basketball all-star game gets a new name and location
From left, John Bardelli, Brady Miller, Layne Risdon, Trey Sluiter and Ben Heagle in the Ring of Fire Basketball All-Star Game at Davenport University on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The annual high school basketball all-star game will again take place this summer, but with a new look, new name and new organizers.
Steve Project, who had run the Ring of Fire All-Star Game for 17 years, has handed over the reigns to a new group.
The boys and girls games all-star game for area basketball seniors will move to Cornerstone University on June 5, 2025. They were previously held at Davenport University. There will only be one game for each the boys and girls. In the past, there were two.
The new event will be called The Homegrown Classic.
The new group consists of former Grand Rapids Catholic Central coach T.J. Meerman, former area basketball stars Tanya Powell-May (Michigan), Christian Rodriguez (Godwin Heights/Cornerstone), James Beck (Grand Rapids Christian/Miami Ohio) and Mimi Hai (Godwin Heights).
“Steve was looking to pass the torch,” Meerman said. “He asked if I would be interested in taking the game over. I told him I was kind of busy with my charitable organization (The Village 99) but It would be nice to get some younger guys to help with game-day operations (for the all-star game).”
Rodriguez and Beck help run the Xavier Tillman basketball camps. Tillman was a star at Grand Rapids Christian and Michigan State University before heading to the NBA. He currently plays for the Boston Celtics.
“I have a great appreciation of being apart of this all-star event,” Rodriguez said. “As it provides another great opportunity of giving back to my community. It also allows the opportunity to exhibit the richness of Grand Rapids.”
The plan is to hand out invitations to the all-star game to area seniors in person at the schools.
There will be a dunk contest, 3-point contest and food trucks at the Homegrown Classic.
Ky VanderWoude of Caledonia won team MVP after the Ring of Fire Basketball All-Star Game at Davenport University on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Steve Project hands out the award. He ran the all-star game for the past 17 years. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
