Area pair get feel for future homecourt at Classic

By RANDY DICKSON

Florida Freedom Newspapers

PANAMA CITY - A pair of local basketball players got their first feel of their future college court on Saturday during the fourth annual Freedom All-Star Classic.

Baker's Chelsea Combest and Laurel Hill's Jeffery Reese will call the friendly confines of Gulf Coast Community College's Billy Harrison Field House home, and both players got off to wining start on the Commodore floor.

Combest scored two points and did a little bit of everything in helping the West girls to a 74-59 win.

"I would have liked to play better, but it was nice to come out with the win," Combest said. "It feels good out there.

"I have to get used to the length of the floor. It's a little bit longer than our's (at Baker). I'm going to have a lot of fun here."

Reese was a force as the West boys won 96-74. The Hoboes' star had 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

"There wasn't a big difference," Reese said between Laurel Hill's home floor and that of Gulf Coast. "It wasn't too bad. I just want to go out and try to play the best I can everywhere. We came out playing good and playing together."

With the game well in hand, Reese provided a lighter moment in the game, when with a gimme slam dunk in hand, he whiffed.

"I don't know what to do," he said with a grin on his face. "It was just too open for me I guess. It's a good thing we were up by 20.

"It feels good winning (his last high school game). It's a lot better than losing."

Combest will use the all-star game as a measuring stick.

"This game let's me know what I need to improve on," Combest said. "Everything is the same, only it's going to be a lot faster."