Girls All-Stars find a groove

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11-14-10/Midlothian Jasmine Collins, from Rich South High School poses for a headshot at Bremen High School in Midlothian, IL on Sunday November 14, 2010. TIN_jcollins_P1/sports Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media

Updated: November 24, 2011 3:34AM

Good attendance. High intensity. Funny moments.

Bobby Matz has seen it all during the two practices he’s conducted for the 2011 High School Girls All-Stars in preparation for Saturday’s battle vs. the Beggars Pizza Lady McLegends at Thornton.

“It’s been interesting,” Matz said. “It was kind of quiet at first. They kind of gravitated toward the kids they might have played club with or knew from games in conference.

“As the practices wore on, they got a little more competitive. Then nature took over and they just started talking and communicating.”

To listen to Rich South’s Jasmine Collins, it might not be bad to bet on the kids to win for the second straight year.

“We’re a really talented team. This is a really talented group of girls,” Collins said. “We’ve got a really good coach and we’re mixing that talent together into one big team.”

Collins is part of a starting lineup for the High School All-Stars that features 2010-11 SouthtownStar Player of the Year Simone Law; two-time Class 3A state runner-up Yolanda De La Torre, of Hillcrest; area-leading 3-point artist Gintare Surdokaite, of Lockport; and three-time Class 4A supersectional competitor Jasmine Matthews, of Marian Catholic.

The Lady McLegends will take the floor for the opening tip with some familiar faces, including charter team members Rachel Gromala-Binole (1997 Marian Catholic/Millikin), Kim Harris-Fudge (2000 Bloom/Lewis) and Roslyn Turner (1996 Bloom/Calumet).

Nadia Bibbs (2003 Hillcrest/Northwestern) will be making her third McLegends appearance, while Sonya Harris (2007 Thornton/Bradley), who played for the high schoolers as a senior, will make her Lady McLegends debut.

Comparing rosters would indicate the Lady McLegends have the height advantage inside. That’s OK by Collins.

“I definitely feel we’re quicker,” Collins said. “Some of them probably haven’t played in a while, probably haven’t practiced in a while, probably haven’t scrimmaged in a while. I think we can run on them.”

For Law, it will be one final chance to don the uniform she’s worn during a four-year period in which Marian Catholic won four regional and three sectional titles.

“I’m really happy to have been picked for this game,” Law said. “It’s just an honor to be picked. So many people from Marian have gotten it in the past. Jasmine and I are really excited to play.

“I’m just going to see what happens when I get out there. When the game is on I get more intense. That should make it a fun experience.”

Matz said attendance for the practices has been strong, with 13 of the 15 players showing up Sunday at Andrew for their first encounter. The 15-girl roster represents 14 Southland schools.

“There is a lot of talent with not a lot of time to build structure,” Matz said. “What we’re trying to do is give an opportunity for them to let their individual skills just take over.

“All of their instincts are good. You know you can trust their instincts. The timing thing will be interesting to work on. Some of the kids were throwing passes to cutters who pulled up on a cut or didn’t cut to the same spot.”

It made for some humorous moments, especially with ballhandling wizard De La Torre trying to find new teammates unfamiliar — or at least not used to being on the receiving end — of her jaw-dropping no-look passes.

“Yeah,” Collins said, laughing. “It takes time to get used to those kind of passes. You’re not used to anybody having that kind of vision to pass it to you like that. It’ll be different, but a lot of fun.”