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Almost everyone loses their last high school basketball game, but there were no losers in these season-ending games.

The 12th Region Sports All Star Games gave seniors from across the region the chance to walk off the court with smiles on their faces last Friday.

That meant a great deal to many of the seniors who played in the girls and boys games Friday at Danville Christian, all of whom had seen their high school careers – and in many cases their time playing organized basketball – end abruptly in a district or regional tournament.

“Just getting to walk out with a smile instead of with tears was really special,” Lincoln County senior Maecey Carrier said.

Carrier was on the losing side once more in the girls game, but that didn’t matter as much to her as the opportunity to take the court once more in a game that had a relaxed atmosphere and just enough competition to make things interesting.

“It really meant a lot, especially when you don’t know when your last game is going to be and you get a chance to come back and put your jersey on one more time and just play for fun,” Carrier said.

Demontrae Trumbo of Danville drew the same meaning from his all-star experience in the boys game.

“I get to wear the Danville jersey again for the last time,” Trumbo said. “I thought it was going to be fun, (and) it was a good experience.”

This was the second year that seniors from across the 12th Region have gotten the opportunity to have that experience in the games organized by Kenny Goodin of 12th Region Sports.

This year the games were part of a two-night event that included 3-point shooting and slam dunk contests and a Friends of 12th Region Sports game on Thursday.

The all-star games featured seniors from 12 of the 19 schools in the 12th Region, and other schools were represented in the Thursday contests.

Jake Taylor, a senior at Burgin, said getting the chance to play alongside players from other schools was the part of the all-star experience he enjoyed most.

“You’re used to playing with your own teammates for the entire season, and you come out here and play with completely different people, and everybody’s just nice and having fun,” Taylor said.

Isabella Mayes, another Burgin senior, agreed with her classmate.

“I think the most fun thing was everybody playing together on either team that you were on, and everybody was just laughing and having fun together,” Mayes said.

Mayes and Taylor plan to continue their basketball careers at Asbury University, but this was the last game for many of those on the floor.

That includes Carrier, who plans to become an elementary school teacher and who will take with her one very specific memory from her final game.

“Probably them drawing up a half-court shot for me,” she said.

Carrier’s team opened the second half with that play, which was unsuccessful as a scoring attempt but successful in putting a smile on her face.

Trumbo didn’t get to fire from midcourt, but he said he enjoyed his experience as well.

“(I liked) just coming out here having fun with the other players, really getting to know them a little bit,” he said.

Area seniors who participated in the games:

Boys – Avery Bodner, Boyle County; Emmanuel Dut, Danville Christian; Noah Imfeld, Danville Christian; Blade Nuckols, Lincoln County; Jake Taylor, Burgin; Demontrae Trumbo, Danville.

Girls – Maecey Carrier, Lincoln County; Braxtyn Heck, Danville Christian; Lauren Edwards, Burgin; MaKayla Greer, Lincoln County; Isabella Mayes, Burgin; Emily Musasi, Danville Christian; Hannah Simpson, Burgin.

Winners of the Thursday contests:

Boys 3-point shooting – Indred Whitaker, Somerset

Girls 3-point shooting – Grace Meyer, Danville Christian

Slam dunk – Emmanuel Dut, Danville Christian

Friends of 12th Region Sports game MVP – William “J.R.” Reed, 12th Region official.