Today's high school basketball stars don't get many chances to play the game they love simply for fun. When those events come up on the calendar, like the A Shot For Life All-Star Games, some of the top talent in New England is happy to turn out.
The third annual ASFL All-Star Games took place at Rivers Tuesday night, part of a week that will also include the organization's flagship shooting challenge on Saturday. The boys and girls showcases celebrated both the talent in the gym and their efforts to raise money for cancer research.
"What's really cool is they get to be kids. They're not just basketball players out here; they're young people," founder Mike Slonina said. "I mean, recruitment is brutal, and the intensity of that pressure... I think they sleep on that, and you see them traveling the country all summer. Watching them kind of let their guard down and talk and laugh and hang out with kids — some they know and some they don't know — that's a really cool thing, and that's why this is special."
The stakes were low, and for most of the two games, there were more smiles than stops. But competition was bound to flare up.
