<p>Two local girls basketball players plan to make the most of the short time they get to be teammates.</p>
<p>Indiana All-Stars Mackenzie Blazek and Cassidy Hardin begin the process tonight at New Albany High School when the team scrimmages against the Junior All-Stars.</p>
<p>Tip-off is 6 p.m., with the boys All-Star scrimmage scheduled for 8.</p>
<p>Romeo Langford, the Indiana Mr. Basketball who recently committed to play at Indiana University, promises to be the main attraction as he plays in front of his hometown crowd for the final time.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>However, the girls game has storylines of its own.</p>
<p>Blazek, the 6-foot-3 Whiteland center, spent two summers teaming with Center Grove product Hardin as members of the Indiana Flight Thunder travel team. More recently, they shared the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year honors this past season.</p>
<p>Despite being on opposing high school teams, Blazek and the 5-10 Hardin are good friends.</p>
<p>“We’re really close, and work out together all the time,” Blazek said. “It’s always fun playing with (Hardin). Her shooting really opens up the floor, and Cassidy is a good passer, too, so I’m looking forward to that.</p>
<p>“It’s going to be a fun team to play with and a big honor representing our state. It’s been a goal of mine since I was a freshman.”</p>
<p>Members of the Indiana girls and boys teams reported to Marian University on Tuesday morning for what promises to be a busy five days.</p>
<p>After this evening’s exhibitions, the teams return south on Friday to play the Kentucky All-Stars at Bellarmine University in Louisville. On Saturday, that rivalry continues with games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.</p>
<p>Both Blazek and Hardin were impact talents from the beginning of their freshman seasons.</p>
<p>Blazek, who’ll play at Illinois, finished her time in a Warriors uniform with 1,536 points and an eyebrow-raising 1,165 rebounds. The latter total is fifth all-time in Indiana girls basketball history.</p>
<p>The 260 3-pointers made by the Purdue-bound Hardin place her eighth on the state’s girls career list. Hardin, who drained 96 triples this season alone, is second on Center Grove’s career scoring list with 1,306 points.</p>
<p>Hardin said the All-Star experience will be a reunion of sorts.</p>
<p>Indiana Miss Basketball Amy Dilk of Carmel was also a member of their travel team, as were All-Star teammates Kayana Traylor (Martinsville) and Emily Kiser (Noblesville).</p>
<p>“I’m definitely looking forward to (tonight) because it’s going to be a practice round for the games against the Kentucky All-Stars,” said the Purdue-bound Hardin, who led Center Grove to the title game of the Class 4A Columbus North Regional this past season.</p>
<p>“It’s a real game playing with players I normally play against.”</p>
<p>Playing in the unforgiving Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, Hardin counts five of her All-Star teammates as former rivals. Altogether, she faced seven of her current teammates last season, as the Trojans also played Whiteland and Martinsville during the 2017-18 season.</p>
<p>Center Grove’s Trayce Jackson-Davis was named a member of the core boys team for the Junior All-Stars but has not played with the team at all this week and won’t be at New Albany tonight due to commitments with USA Basketball’s U18 squad.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Junior-Senior All-Star scrimmages</strong></p>
<p>When: Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 8 p.m.</p>
<p>Where: New Albany High School</p>
<p>Admission: $6</p>
<p>Local girls All-Stars: Mackenzie Blazek (Whiteland), Cassidy Hardin (Center Grove)</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
