Three of Del Oro’s top seniors were named to the Kern County All-Star basketball game, which will be held Wednesday evening at North High. Ke’Mani Welch was selected for the girls team while Gabriel Bocardo and Jorge Castillo were chosen for the boys team.
“I’m excited that I get to showcase my skills one more time in high school,” Bocardo said.
The All-Star game announcement came the same day Bocardo was honored as one of the South Yosemite Horizon League’s two Most Valuable Players. Bocardo shares the honor with Arvin High’s Xzavier Pierson-Brooks.
“It means a lot,” Bocardo said of the honors. “It doesn’t matter how you started, it’s about how you finish. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s how bad you want to change.
“This is a reflection on my basketball journey; no matter where I ended up I didn’t quit.”
Welch described her selection to the All-Star game as humbling because her first three years of high school basketball were spent on the JV team. This was Del Oro’s first year with a varsity girls’ basketball team because not enough players participated the previous two seasons.
“I’m excited because I get to play with girls who are a lot like me,” Welch said. “They’re very good and very talented. I’m also playing with girls who are from different schools. I was practicing with them today and they’re all pretty cool and nice, humble and talented.”
Welch said she’s excited for a chance to shoot and pass the ball to her All-Star teammates.
“I know the other team has a lot of talent, too,” she said.
Last season, Castillo and Josue Perez Lopez were Del Oro’s representatives in the All-Star game. This year, the game is focused on seniors.
“I think Gee (Bocardo) and Jorge will do great in the All-Star game,” Perez Lopez said.
Additionally, Suns head varsity coach Mike Cardenas was named as one of the two coaches for the boys game.
In addition to Bocardo’s co-MVP honors, several Suns were named to the all-league teams. Mark Villa was selected for the first team and Castillo and Keenan Starling made the second team. Perez Lopez, Adrian Lascano and Terrell Williams Jones were honorable mentions.
On the girls side, Kera Hayden was named to the second team while Maria Venegas and Reynna Arizmendi Hernandez were honorable mentions.
