ST. IGNACE– For 37 years picking a most valuable player was relatively simple. One player always stood out.

On Saturday, Ella Mason of Negaunee and Keira Maki of Escanaba both stood out. The two seniors therefore shared most valuable player honors as they pooled their talents to help the East girls overcome a double-digit second-half deficit to claim an 87-83 overtime victory in the opener of the 38th annual U.P. All-Star Classic at LaSalle High School.

Maki, who will play at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the fall, had 24 points and a dozen rebounds and Mason had 26 points. Maki had 17 points in the second half to help spark the rally.

In the nightcap, Jon Ingalls, playing his final game in St. Ignace, scored a career-best 46 points as the East boys won 110-103. Ingalls, named Mr. Basketball in the Upper Peninsula in April, also had 11 rebounds, eight assists and four steals, with 25 points coming after the intermission.

He was also an all-state selection.

Jenna Maki of Class C state champion Ishpeming, also received strong consideration after scoring 26 points for the West girls.

“We didn’t have anything to lose,” Mason said after the game. “We’ve been battling each other for years. It is cool to share (MVP).”

Maki said it was nice to have some one share the load. “Me and Ellen knew we had to be leaders. It felt good to play with her and not to have one leader.”

Ingalls, who will play basketball at Northern Michigan University –where his dad (Doug) also played — had a late basket and a 3-point field goal, said the East “struggled a little bit” to start the game. He said landing MVP honors in his final game at home was “pretty special. We all just won together.”

Prior to the two games, a skills contest was conducted. Andrew Niemi of Westwood, the only entrant in the slam dunk contest, won that event. Grace Kleikamp of Powers North Central won the 3-point girls division and Mason and Perry LeBlanc of Brimley claimed the free-throw contest.

The 2025 and 2026 games are tentatively scheduled to be held in Escanaba at Bay de Noc Community College.

Selected Rosters:

East girls: Autumn Trombley and Ceara LeBlanc, Brimley; Chloe May, Maplewood Baptist; Allison CeCe, St. Ignace; Lucia Rabachova, Newberry; Danielle Lund, Manistique; Keira Maki, Escanaba; Emersyn Crisp, Munising; Kyley Elmblad, Marquette; Ella Mason and Callie Rajala, Negaunee. Coach Mike O’Donnell, Negaunee.

West girls: Brooke Stanislawski, Bessemer; Adelyn Swain, Dollar Bay; Danica Shamion, West Iron County; MaKenna Hendrickson and Jaycee Larson, Baraga; Megan Marta, Westwood; Jenna Maki and Kadie Kaukola, Ishpeming; Gracie Kleikamp, North Central, Anna Axtell, Menominee; McKenzie Hoffmeyer, Bark River-Harris. Coach Ryan Reichel, Ishpeming.

East boys: Nate Koepp, Sault Ste. Marie; Perry LeBlanc, Brimley; Cam Petterson, Rudyard; Jon Ingalls, Ethan McLean and Nick Halberg, St. Ignace; Wyatt Demers, Manistique; Drake Johnson, Gladstone; Brad VanDamme, Mid Peninsula; Trent Rutter, Superior Central; Coach: Doug Ingalls.

West boys: Gabe Popko and Dan Marcotte, Lake Linden-Hubbell; Gaven Rintala and Felix Quevedo, Forest Park; Jeffers: Levi Frahm and Matt Schultz; Menominee: Connor Coduti, Alex Ortman, Norway, Andrew Niemi, Westwood; Gavin Sanders, Negaunee; Shane Wallin, Escanaba; coach Dan Olkonnen, Kingsford.