Linn-Mar's Marcus Paige (15) celebrates with teammates heading into a timeout after he dunked the ball in the first half of the Lions' game against Cedar Rapids Xavier at Linn-Mar on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Marion. (Liz Martin/SourceMedia Group News)

Linn-Mar superstar guard Marcus Paige and incoming Iowa point guard Mike Gesell were among 40 players selected to the Parade All-American team, which was released on Saturday.

Paige, a 6-foot point guard who will attend North Carolina in the fall, was the 2012 Iowa Mr. Basketball and led the state in points per game at 28.4. He scored 49 points against Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a Class 4A substate final and was one of 20 members of the 2011-12 ESPNHS All-American Elite Team. He was The Gazette/KCRG boys’ basketball player of the year.

Gesell, who’s from South Sioux City (Neb.) High School, was listed among the top 100 players by Rivals, Scout and ESPN in the class of 2012. Gesell averaged 24.8 points, 7.4 assists, five rebounds and 2.9 steals this year. He was named the Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year for the second straight season. The 6-foot-1 guard became the all-time leading scorer in metro Sioux City history with 2,112, points and finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in Nebraska Class A or B history.

South Sioux City's Mike Gesell (10, center) passes the ball around Corona del Sol's Casey Benson (15) in their game at the VisitMesa.com Basketball Challenge at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Ariz., on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. Gesell will play for Iowa in the upcoming season. (Liz Martin/SourceMedia Group News)

Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery told The Gazette this spring that Gesell likely will start for Iowa next year at point guard.

“I really like Mike’s ability to run an offense, to score the ball, his toughness, his quickness, his ability to play fast, the way we want to play, and make decisions playing fast,” McCaffery said. “With all that, he’s an incredible shot maker.”

Gesell and Paige were AAU teammates the last few years with the All-Iowa Attack.