Connecticut signee Katie Lou Samuelson, did not play in the Jordan Brand Classic because of a sore elbow. Photo by Photo by Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports

The slogan for the Jordan Brand Classic, emblazoned on a zillion T-shirts, is Next Vs. Next, but this year’s games were missing both of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Players of the Year.

Ben Simmons, as it has been noted earlier, didn’t make the trip here to give himself a breather after criss-crossing the country in recent weeks for the McDonalds All American Game in Chicago, the DICK’S Sporting Goods High School Nationals in New York, and the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore.

When the girls game started Wednesday, Katie Lou Samuelson of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) was in sweats. The Connecticut signee said she was told to rest a sore elbow to give herself time to heal for the USA Basketball U19 Trials next month.

MORE: American Family Insurance ALL-USA Girls Basketball Player of the Year Katie Lou Samuelson

“The doctor said no contact,” Samuelson said. “I knew I could play and maybe risk injury. I know I have bigger things ahead of me, so I just sat this one out. I definitely wanted to get out there. I was having a lot of fun on the bench, though.”

Ironically, the West Team coach was Mater Dei’s Kevin Kiernan.

“It would have been nice to have her out there, but that’s how it goes,” Kiernan said. “It’s been a while since I coached a game and she wasn’t in it. It would have been nice to coach her one more time, but you don’t want her to hurt her health.”

RELATED: Two treys in final 30 seconds left East past West