Four coaches with 1,494 high school varsity basketball coaching wins between them have been selected to coach the Alabama All-Star Boys’ and Girls’ All-Star Teams in the 34th Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic next March.

Patrick Harding, who coached Buckhorn to the 2023 Class 6A state championship, will serve as the Alabama Boys’ All-Star head coach. Marshon Harper, who directed Valley High School to a 33-0 record and the Class 5A boys’ state title in 2023, will be the assistant coach.

Hewitt-Trussville’s Tonya Hunter has been chosen the Alabama Girls’ All-Star head coach, and Natasha Smallwood of Susan Moore will be the assistant. Hunter led Hewitt-Trussville to a 26-7 record reaching the Class 7A Northeast Regional tourney. Smallwood guided Susan Moore the Class 3A state finals in 2022 and to the state semifinals in 2023 – finishing her ninth season with a 29-4 record last March.

Brandon Dean, the Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA), made the announcement Thursday.

“We are grateful to have these coaches leading these All-Star teams,” Dean said. “Each of them is well-respected by their peers and have done an outstanding with their own programs. We are confident they will provide the same leadership and energy with this year’s group of student-athletes.”

Alabama holds a commanding lead in each series with the Alabama girls winning their sixth straight game last year 88-74 at the Mitchell Center on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile. The Alabama girls now hold a 19-14 edge in the series. The Alabama boys also won 91-72 and now hold an 18-15 lead in the series, which dates back to 1991.

The AHSAA and AHSADCA, in conjunction with the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC), administer the all-star games each year.

The games rotate annually between each state.

Alabama will be the visitor for the 34th annual Alabama-Mississippi Classic. The games will be played Saturday March 9, 2024, at Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., with the girls tipping off at noon and the boys’ following at 2 p.m.