Ceres High’s Elijah Hughes and Central Valley’s Max Sanchez suited up for rival teams during the Turlock Journal’s Fifth Annual Central Valley Senior Showcase Boys Basketball Game.

Hughes and the American squad edged Sanchez and the National squad 85-78 in overtime on March 21 at Turlock High School.

“I had fun,” Hughes said. “I never thought I’d get an opportunity to play in an all-star game. I never thought I was good enough.”

“It was super cool getting to know people I played with and against,” Sanchez said. “I made some new friends. We’re going to hang out soon.”

Hughes tallied 10 points

Sanchez scored 12 points.

The National team battled back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

“I assumed it wasn’t going to be competitive because it was an all-star game,” Sanchez said. “But it got serious in the second half. It felt like a playoff game. It was fun.”

“It was a normal basketball game at the end,” Hughes said. “Everyone was trying to win.”

Sanchez suited up for Central Valley’s varsity basketball team for three seasons.

He was selected to the Central California Conference First Team this past winter.

Sanchez averaged 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

He made 78 3-pointers.

Hughes played two seasons of varsity hoops at Ceres High.

He earned first-team all-conference honors both years.

He managed to average 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during his final season with the Bulldogs despite being slowed by a foot injury.

Hughes shot 57 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free-throw line.

He scored a career-high 34 points in a 69-51 win over Pacheco on Jan. 4. 

Silva represents Bulldogs

Ceres High’s Camryn Silva played in the Central Valley Senior Showcase Girls Basketball Game. 

“I enjoyed getting to see so many different players with different playing styles,” she said. 

Silva collected eight points for the American team, which suffered an 80-60 loss while competing against the National team. “Everyone was so talented,” Silva said. “My team lost but it was a good group of girls.”