ESCANABA — For the first time since 2009, the best basketball players in the Upper Peninsula will display their skills in Escanaba.

The 39th annual Upper Peninsula All-Star Classic will be held at Bay College at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time Thursday, the first time the game will not be held on a Saturday. The last three games were played in St. Ignace.

Gladstone hosted games in 2003-2004 and Escanaba was host in 2008-2009. The first game was held at NMU in 1986.

Proceeds benefit the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame and its scholarship fund. Each year, two female graduates and two male student athletes receive $1,000 for one year of college studies.

Among the scholars this spring was Cole Baij of Norway, who will be among the participants in Thursday’s boys game at about 8:30 Eastern time.

The players are split among the East and West girls and boys, using basically highway’s M-28 and M-95 as dividing roads

They will participate in several skill events, slam dunk, 3-point field goal and free throw shooting, The winners will receive trophies.

The players and coaches are:

East girls: Addison Cullen and Jillian Fraser, St. Ignace; Allie Whalen, Newberry; Bailey Corcoran, Munising, Brianna Anderson and Aubree Blackburn, Marquette; Adria Ruleau, Stephenson; Mayce Hanson, Gladstone. Coach, Andy Cretens, Gladstone.

West girls: Emily Jokela, Lake Linden-Hubbell; Eva Gerard, Houghton; Hanna Vaughn, Ironwood; Brooklyn Dompier and Mylee Londo, L’Anse; Macy Linsenbigler, Iron Mountain; Peyton Kakkuri, Ishpeming; Evelyn Moilanen, Dollar Bay; Kaitlyn Smith, West Iron County; Aubrey Johnson, Negaunee; Coach, Jacklyn Besonen, Ewen-Trout Creek.

East boys: Carson Keinitz and Trevor Nolan, Munising; Eli McDonald, Pickford; Trey Lynn. Brimley; Javon Stevenson, Escanaba; Jaxon Jurmu, Kyler Sager and Jacob MacPhee, Marquette; Jordan Guenette, Negaunee; Waylon Sales, Gwinn. Coach, Tracy Peterson, Pickford.

West boys: Cole Baij, Norway; Luke Hill, Houghton; Gavin Grondin and Morgan Sleik, Kingsford; Oskar Kangas and Gerald Sampoll-Torres, Iron Mountain; Elijah Oberlin, West Iron County; Jayden Sagataw, Hannahville; Austin Gordon, Ewen-Trout Creek; Tristan Miller, Westwood. Coach, Ben Olsen, Kingsford.