When the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association All-Star games tip off Saturday, basketball fans will see a lot of family on the Bossier Parish Community College gym floor.

In the girls’ game, which tips at 2 p.m., North Caddo’s Ledetriha Sheppard and Green Oaks’ Princess Davis are cousins and will be on the same side for the first time in a long while.

“When I found out DeDe was on the team with me, I was like, ‘oh, yeah,'” said Davis, who will sign with UL-Monroe on April 16 at 3:30 p.m. “We’ve played against each other a lot, so it will be a lot of fun to play together.”

Sheppard didn’t realize she was Davis’ cousin until recently but she’s OK with the knowledge and plans to use the All-Star contest to her benefit.

“I guess it’s in the genes,” she said chuckling. “I want to continue to work hard so I can play basketball at the Division I level. I’ll be working on the position they’ll have me at McNeese (shooting guard).”

The All-Star contest was secured locally by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission and will feature the top 30 girls and boys senior basketball players from across the state. The $10 entry fee allows fans to view both games.

Ledetriha Sheppard, who led the Lady Rebels to the Class 2A state title, is also a cousin of Huntington boys standout Branden Sheppard, a Louisiana Tech-signee, who will suit up with Bossier’s Devonte Hall and Parkway’s Brodrick Jefferson, a Tech football-signee, on the west squad.

“I’m looking for a lot of dunks to go down in this game and I expect to have a lot of fun,” said Sheppard. “I’ve played NIKE ball with a lot of guys in the game, like Trey Touchet (St. Thomas More, UTEP-signee), Johnathan Stove (Christian Life, UL-Lafayette) and Jordan Cornish (Brother Martin, Tennessee-signee). I know most of the guys but it’ll be interesting to play with some of them.”

Hall, who led the Bearkats to the 3A state semifinals, apparently isn’t related to anyone on either side of the prestigious game, but he plans on having fun as one of the few unsigned area players in the game.

“I feel honored that my coaches recommended me for this and that I was selected,” said Hall, who is considering Northwestern, Texas State and ULM among others. “I still need to get my ACT up a little bit for NSU, but I’m good at the (NCAA) Clearinghouse.

“I don’t know a lot of the guys in the game, but I’m glad Touchet is on our team.”

Also on the boys team are Hunter Bagley of Logansport, JaQuez Coleman of Summerfield, Antwine Baker of Arcadia and Da’Vauhnte’ Turner of Grambling. Natchitoches Central standout Gabriella Cortez will play with Davis and Sheppard on the west squad.

Among the top girls players is Lady Techsters-signee Daja Chase from Ouachita Parish High School.