Fountain Hills High School junior Natalie Stilwell played in the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Underclassmen Game on Saturday, May 18, going on to score 10 points for the Underclassmen East.

Stilwell found out she was named as an alternate to the team just a week before the actual game.

This was shortly followed by an upgrade to official player and, after impressing her coaches during the team’s single practice session, she ended up starting the game.

For the game, Arizona coaches select the top players in the state at the freshmen through junior level.

Those athletes are divided into East and West teams and given just a couple of opportunities to practice with one another before taking part in the official game. In this year’s competition, the West narrowly outpaced the East, winning 74-72.

Playing for the Falcons during the regular season and club ball the rest of the year, however, Stilwell said that adjusting to a completely new team wasn’t much of a challenge.

“The team was made up of a lot of girls I’ve actually played against, some of which are kind of rivals,” Stilwell said.

“But getting together and meeting each other, not being rivals for once, was cool. Everyone’s pretty friendly.”

Stilwell said her coaching staff took an interesting approach to the practice sessions, training the players to become more familiar with one another in a short time with exercises to learn each other’s names.

“I thought that was interesting and it really helped us,” she added.

“We felt closer when we played. But I think we are all used to adjusting pretty quickly, so we all bonded pretty fast.”

Stillwell said that practice was capped off with short scrimmages and alternating teams so everyone had the opportunity to play together before the big game.

“The actual game itself started out pretty evenly matched,” Stillwell said.

“I think they were leading most of the first half. In the second half, I think they thought that they had it and broke down a little, so we ended up taking the lead.”

The East’s lead wouldn’t last, however, as the West battled back to come neck-and-neck within the final minutes of play.

“In the end we were tied, which was pretty intense, but then they ended up winning,” Stilwell said.

“Still, I had a really good time. It was really cool because first I was an alternate, and then I got to start the game. When I was at practice, I guess I showed (the coaches) something that made them want to start me.”

When the game drew to a close in the late afternoon, Stilwell had to keep on hustling, however, as FHHS was holding its prom the very same night.

“My game was at 2, so I had like an hour to get ready for prom,” Stilwell said.

“They had a shootout after the game that I really wanted to do, but I had to go and get ready for the dance. Two events like that in one night is almost too much. I was out of energy, but it was a good time.”

When Stilwell isn’t playing for the Falcons through the winter, she’s usually involved with a club basketball team.

“We usually get a couple of breaks for school and stuff, and then we just go right into club play,” she added.

“So I was still playing when I found out I would be in the all-star game, which worked out nice.”

As for the game itself, she said it was a great experience she was glad to be a part of.

“It was great. Nobody was selfish, everyone was passing, getting each other open, and kind of making it fair so everyone got to play,” Stilwell said.

“It was just a fun game. It wasn’t too competitive, but you obviously still want to win. But I think the big thing was that we all made friends.

“When I see Tempe Prep next season, I’ll know Camille, one of my teammates, and it won’t be so much of a rivalry because we kind of know each other now.”

Stilwell still has a year left to finish high school and play basketball. After that, she said she’ll have to see what happens.

“I really want to play in college, but I’m not sure at what level yet,” she said.

“Nothing is set in stone until you’ve signed, so I’m waiting for August and the period after to see what starts coming in.”