Cousins Kelcy and Ethan Altmire of Apollo-Ridge grew up playing basketball together. If they weren't shooting together at The Grove playground in Apollo, they were playing one-on-one at the hoop in Kelcy's driveway.
"We've been playing together since we're like 5 or something," Kelcy said.
"We were always playing. Me, her and her brother (Caleb)," Ethan said. "It's something we've always done."
Fittingly, Kelcy and Ethan will end their high school basketball careers together when they participate in the 11th annual Cager Classic Friday and Saturday at Highlands High School.
The cousins were hoping to be paired together in the skills competition's co-ed hot-shot contest Friday night, but as is customary with organizers, names were drawn for the teams, and it was not to be.
In the co-ed hot-shot contest, a boy and girl from different schools team up and shoot from different targets on the court with varying point totals.
Kelcy is teamed with Steve Yarussi of Kiski Area, while Ethan will shoot with Kate Sheerer of Shady Side Academy.
"If I could pick anyone to be teamed with, I'd choose Ethan," Kelcy said. "But whatever happens, happens. It should be a fun time for us."
The Altmires will also compete in the individual hot shot and 3-point contests.
The Altmires agree they have similar games, which can be seen Saturday when they try to help their East teams beat the West in the all-senior all-star games.
"I know this," said Kelcy, a 5-foot-8 guard-forward who led Apollo-Ridge in scoring at 12.6 points per game, "we have the same drive to win."
The Lady Vikings finished 11-12 after advancing to the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.
Ethan averaged 11 points per game for the boys team at Apollo-Ridge (6-17).
"I think we have real similar games," Ethan said. "We both play guard, and we like to penetrate to the hoop rather than shoot from the outside. She is real quick and fast. We have the same type of athletic skills."
Kelcy said aside from pulling practical jokes on one another, the pair enjoy keeping up with each other's exploits on the court.
"We call each other before games and talk about who's going to score more points," she said. "We kind of go back and forth."
Ethan said, "We kind of compare stats. It's a friendly competition."
Ethan said there is a chance he could end up at the same college as Kelcy. Both are considering attending Washington & Jefferson College.
Kelcy may go to college for track and field. She made the PIAA meet in the triple jump last spring.
Ethan said he'd like to play basketball in college.
Co-ed hot-shot pairings
Teams for Friday's shooting skills competition at Highlands:
East
• Ashley Klingensmith (Leechburg) and Steve Holeczy (Cheswick Christian)
• Nicole Shannon (Valley) and Jared Bowser (Kittanning)
• Amanda Kumar (Riverview) and Ryan Orr (Valley)
• Jill Emberg (Kittanning) and Zack Ziemianski (Burrell)
• Kelcy Altmire (Apollo-Ridge) and Steve Yarussi (Kiski Area)
• Rebecca Lendyak (Ford City) and Steve Predebon (Leechburg)
• Katie Sheerer (Shady Side Academy) and Ethan Altmire (Apollo-Ridge)
• Emily Maust (Cheswick Christian) and Ryan Hand (Ford City)
• Alyssa Young (Ford City) and Jarrad Barbarino (Plum)
• Katelyn Novak (Burrell) and Brad Lookabaugh (Kiski Area)
• Kara Marshall (Plum) and Mick Matviko (Leechburg)
• Tasha Reid (Kiski Area) and Matt Bickert (Riverview)
West
• Lizz King (Knoch) and Joe Cangilla (Hampton)
• Stephanie Clowes (Freeport) and Dane Porter (Highlands)
• Shimesha Cowell (Highlands) and Nate Vertosick (St. Joseph)
• Erin Szurszewski (Hampton) and Brady Sherrieb (Freeport)
• Vanessa Pappas (Mars) and Cory Ballard (Highlands)
• Lindsay Carter (Highlands) and Chris Cassidy (Mars)
• Abby Marshall (Knoch) and Asa Braxton (Hampton)
• Erin Rapsinski (St. Joseph) and John Bastian (Deer Lakes)
• Gina Palermo (Springdale) and John Hastings (Fox Chapel)
• Catlyn Kriston (Fox Chapel) and Brian Zimmerman (Freeport)
• Tricia Adamczyk (Pine-Richland) and Ray Arch (Springdale)
• Haley Geyer (Mars) and Ahmed Abu-Elmagd (Fox Chapel)
Additional Information:
Cager Classic
When: Friday and Saturday.
Where: Highlands High School, Harrison Township.
Schedule: Friday -- Skills competition, 7 p.m.; Saturday -- Girls all-star game, 6 p.m., boys all-star game, 8 p.m.
Tickets: Can be purchased at B&J Sports, Natrona Heights. Contact: 724-226-2762.
