ON THE SIDE

Published 12:37 pm Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Stuckey earns NBA All-Rookie honors

Rodney Stuckey, a 2004 Kentwood High graduate and first-round NBA draft selection — 15th overall — by the Detroit Pistons last June, recently was named to the 2007-08 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie team.

Stuckey appeared in 57 games as for the Pistons, averaging 7.6 points, 2.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. He came off the bench in all but two of those games.

Stuckey started the season on the injured reserve after breaking his left hand during Detroit’s final exhibition game. He didn’t make his professional debut until Dec. 22 and went on to help the Pistons win the Eastern Conference’s Central Division.

Detroit was eliminated by newly crowned NBA champion Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position.

Not done yet

Kentwood volleyball player Alison Fairchild may have missed the fall season with an injury, but her days of playing aren’t done just yet.

Fairchild, a middle blocker who missed this past season with a major knee injury, will play for the Class 4A team on July 19 at Fife High School in the 23rd annual All-State series.

The series includes six teams comprised of players from all six state classifications (1B, 2B, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A).

Fairchild was the only Kentwood player selected to compete. But she won’t be alone among local representatives, as Tahoma’s Kaytlyn Aust, a junior, also was chosen.