MVP Dutoit sparks West over East

Monday, June 23, 2003

CAMBRIDGE -- The West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 109-80 in the 19th annual Cambridge C.S.O. All-Star basketball game.

The West trailed the East at half 45-43 and were down by double digits at some points in the ball game before lighting up and running away in the third quarter.

Krae Dutoit of McCook received Most Valuable Player honors for the victorious West squad.

Dutoit, who scored 15 points, thought the award could have been given to any player on the team.

"It was fun playing, there are a number of great players," Dutoit said. Anyone on the team could have gotten the MVP award. When you play with great players they make you better."

Dutoit unleashed his scoring prowess in the third quarter after going scoreless in the first half. Dutoit scored 10 points alone in the third quarter as he played an integral role in the West All-Stars captured the lead.

Dutoit said that the first half experience with the team allowed him to break through in the second half.

"In the third quarter, I felt more comfortable with the players I was playing with because I had played with them in the first half," Dutoit said.

Simon McKenzie of Alma was awarded MVP for the East All-Stars.

McKenzie, who scored just 4 points, said that he is happy to let his teammates handle the scoring.

"Anytime you come out and play with players like this, it's fun," McKenzie said. "I was glad to play with all these guys. Everyone wants to shoot, so sometimes you just have to let them go and watch them."

Nate Stroup of Dundy County led the West with 20 points. Kelly Cooksley of Elwood also scored 20 points.

Ed Kaiser of Chase County contributed 18 points to the West All-Stars' cause.

The C.S.O. game will be the last that Kaiser will get to play with former teammate John Strand and head coach of the West and Chase County Rick Titus.

"It was fun to play with John and it will be different not playing with coach Titus anymore," Kaiser said. "But, it was nice to go out with a win."

Steve Nicholson, West assistant coach, said that he really enjoyed his week of practice with the team.

"It was a great group of kids to associate with and you would expect that out of All-Star caliber kids," Nicholson said.

Five of the 20 players plan to extend their basketball careers into college.

Dutoit will playing at Hastings College for former McCook Community College coach Lance Creech.

Dutoit said he is excited with what the future holds.

"I'm ready to get going and started into a new system, making some new friends, and starting to play basketball," Dutoit said.

"It's going to be a big transition change, but rooming withBen Klug (fellow McCook graduate and teammate who signed to play football at Hastings) will help with that process."

Craig Newcomb of Bertrand was the head coach for the East squad and he was assisted by George Lytle of Cambridge.

The West now leads the East in the series 7-4.

All proceeds derived from the Cambridge C.S.O. All-Star basketball games will be used to fund the various Cambridge C.S.O. school-year activities.

West 20 23 33 33 -- 109

East 23 22 19 26 -- 80

West: Stroup 20, Rogers 2, Dutoit 15, Cole 14, Eisenhart 9, Kaiser 18, Strand 8, Wilson 7, Harms 10, West 6.

East: McKenzie 6, Haussler 1, Kugler 7, Randolph 12, Schrader 9, Houghtelling 9, Cooksley 20, Johnson 10, Webb 6.

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