ALL-STAR SPORTS WEEK: North sweeps South in basketball to continue dominance

Stanhope Elmore’s Heaven Bailey (red) guards Sawyer Kate Hulgan in Tuesday’s North-South All-Star game at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

For a quarter, the North and South all-star girls basketball teams played to an 11-11 stalemate.

Then, with a 21-9 swing, the North all stars surged to a 32-20 halftime lead on the way to a 71-63 victory over the South on Tuesday night at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.

“We had a two- or three-minute drought there (in the second quarter),” said South coach Katie Barton of St. James. “That kind of hurt us a little bit. We gave up an open 3 in transition, had a miscommunication on defense and gave up another 3. But I was really proud of the way they competed.”

Stanhope Elmore guard Heaven Bailey had taken just two shots at the half, but turned in a strong second half to keep the South all stars within striking distance.

“I really wanted to beat the North and I really wanted to do it for my teammates,” Bailey said. “I love these girls I was playing with and I was like, I’ve got to put on my best show for my school, for my family, for my fans and for my teammates I was playing with, so I knew I had to step it up a lot.”

Bailey finished with a game-high 17 points, leading both teams in field goals (seven), 3-pointers (three) and assists (three) to earn MVP honors.

“I’m just really happy,” Bailey said. “I think I represented my school really well, too. Stanhope (Elmore), I love this school to death and I really feel like I’ve put them on the map with this performance. We have so many great players and I’m just really excited I got to put Stanhope on the map so maybe more girls will get the opportunity from that area to come and play out here.”

Auburn High’s Kayden Carr followed Bailey in scoring with 12 points, hitting a 3-pointer with a little more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter to pull the South within 40-36. Bailey would do the same with about three minutes left to pull within four points again at 59-55 but the South all stars could get no closer in losing for the 25th time in 29 meetings.

“I wanted to beat them so bad,” Bailey said. “I’m upset that we lost because you always want to beat them, but I’m just really proud of how we played. We didn’t give up. We kept fighting. Our shots weren’t falling but we were playing great defense, we were hustling. I think we represented the South very well in my opinion.”

Sawyer Kate Hulgan led the North with 14 points to earn MVP honors as the North shot 47.1 percent from the field (8 of 17) from beyond the 3-point arc to offset a poor performance (15 of 28) at the free-throw line.

Outside of Carr, Bailey and Nylah Loukides, the South struggled with its shooting. Bailey played almost 18 minutes in the contest, sparking the South all stars whenever she took the floor, particularly on offense.

“She shot the ball well from the 3,” Barton said. “She handled pace really well, getting to the rim. I think we did a good job of spacing the floor and giving some girls some driving lanes to attack. So I thought she had a really great game.”

For Bailey, the all-star appearance was memorable even if the end result wasn’t achieved.

“It was really fun,” she said. “Some of the people I’m Instagram friends with, some I’ve played with, and it felt so fun to finally connect with all of them. We went to the Boys and Girls Club and it was so fun interacting with them outside of the court. They’re really great people. I’m so excited to keep in touch with them and follow their journeys as well.”

The basketball game wasn’t the only sport played on Tuesday. The North-South cross country race was held in the morning. The North swept the South, with the girls winning 17-44 and the boys winning 24-32, winning both races for the seventh time in nine years.

St. James senior Elly Goff was the South’s top finisher among the girls, earning MVP honors with a time of 20:39.6.

The North also swept the South in tennis, with the girls winning 8-1 by sweeping the singles and the boys winning 7-2 by sweeping the doubles.

North boys 74, South 67

The North took advantage of a slow start by the South to earn a 74-67 win in the second game Tuesday at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. The win increased the North’s lead in the series to 52-31.

The South was outscored 29-19 by the North in the opening quarter.

Montgomery Academy’s Jarrett Friendly made his presence known in the third period, scoring all six of his points in the period. He recorded a block, a rebound and steal before he was finished night. He totaled six points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“This is a very big opportunity for me,” he said. “Not many people get to do this. Like my teammate Braden (Gordon), who was (3A Player of the Year), he didn’t even get picked for this. So me being here is just great.”

The North was led by MVP Tommy Morrison of Spain Park with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists with four made 3-pointers. 

Santez Pendleton, a guard for the state champion Wenonah Dragons, had 10 points and three rebounds. 

Luverne’s Jadin Harris finished with seven points and three rebounds and was named South MVP.  Three players added eight points including Tyler Cross (Charles Henderson), Ryion Austin (LeFlore) and John “Jake” Pilger (UMS-Wright). 

The South hit more 3-pointers (11-7) than the North but was outrebounded, (50-42.

30th ALABAMA ALL-STARS SPORTS WEEK

Monday’s results

Girls’ Golf:  North 44.5, South 45.5 (North girls lead series 5-2)

Boys’ Golf:  North 41.5, South 48.5 (North boys lead series 6-1)

Baseball:  North 5-3, South 1-7, (North boys lead series 26-19-5)

Tuesday’s results

Girls’ Cross Country: North 17, South 44 (North girls lead series 7-2)

Boys’ Cross Country: North 24, South 32 (North boys lead series 7-2)

Girls’ Tennis: North 8, South 1 (North girls lead series 5-1)

Boys’ Tennis: North 7, South 2 (North boys lead series 5-1)

Girls’ Basketball: North 71, South 63 (North leads series 25-4)

Boys’ Basketball: North 74, South 67 (North leads series 52-31)

Wednesday

Softball, Lagoon Park Softball Complex, 4 p.m.

Girls’ Soccer, Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex, 5 p.m.

Boys’ Soccer, Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Volleyball, Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, 2 p.m.