Valley’s Allen wins MVP, East boys win Cager Classic in overtime

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 10:16 PM

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Mikael Allen hammered in the slam dunk he was in search of with 48 seconds remaining in the 28th annual Alle-Kiski Cager Classic Saturday at Highlands High School.

But the East team’s night was far from over. Allen’s dunk had stretched the East’s lead to three points, but it disappeared nearly by the time Allen landed on the ground.

Mars’ Drew Navetta made a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to force overtime.

Allen was shocked. He didn’t expect to see the lead evaporate so quickly.

“I’m not going to lie, no,” said Allen, a Valley senior who scored 20 points and was named the East’s MVP. “That 3-point shot was crazy.”

But in a night of dramatic twists and turns, it was Allen’s offensive rebounding that allowed the East to score a 117-109 win.

Allen scored eight of his points in overtime, with six of them coming on second-chance opportunities.

East coach Brice Flenory saw a familiar confidence emerge in the second half.

“He played the way he played all year when I coached him at Valley,” Flenory said. “He needed to come out of his shell. Once he came out, he got comfortable and got going and we went from there.”

Plum’s William Beckner opened overtime with a 3-pointer to put the East team ahead for good. Allen stretched the lead to five points on the next possession with a layup.

“We had to keep up that tempo,” Allen said.

West coach Albie Fletcher, who coached at the Roundball Classic last year and was an assistant at the Cager Classic previously, enjoyed the contest.

“That’s one of the better all-star games I’ve ever been a part of,” Fletcher said. “They really played hard. That was basketball. That was fun. Guys were playing defense on both sides, and it was physical. I enjoyed that.”

The East team led throughout much of the game. Several times the East pushed the lead beyond double digits and had an eight-point lead at halftime.

Kiski Area’s Colin Keller (14 points), Jacob Musselman (14) and Carson Heinle (12) scored in double figures for the East. Beckner (12), Burrell’s Tucker Bitar (11) and Armstrong’s Jacob Szep (10) also finished in double figures.

“They stayed with the mission,” Flenory said. “They knew what the mission was. They were in-tune, they were in-sync and they knew they had to play team ball to get this done.”

Mars’ Naevetta led the West team with 25 points and was named the team’s MVP. Mars’ Austin Campbell (18 points), Deer Lakes’ Nathaniel Moore (18), Lucas (14) and Hampton’s Griff Jarrell (12) finished in double figures.

Fletcher was thrilled with how his team played. When Lucas made the 3-pointer, he felt the intensity go up.

“That felt like a playoff game for a little bit,” Fletcher said.