By TERRY COOKSTON
CNHI
ARLINGTON —
The South All-Stars, featuring 6-5 post Karla Gilbert of A&M Consolidated, knocked off Rockwall’s Peyton Adamson and the North All-Stars 61-59 at the Texas Girls Coaches Association all-star basketball game at Arlington Lamar High School last Thursday.
The South swept the annual all-star competition, also winning the 1A-2A-3A game 82-68. Brittney Jefferson of Leggett High School was named MVP in the lower classification game and Gilbert earned the honor in the 4A-5A matchup.
Rockwall’s all-time scoring leader Adamson drained 10 first-half points, including two 3-point buckets, to lead the North to a 30-27 halftime advantage.
South actually held an 18-12 lead at the 9:52 mark and a 25-20 lead with 4:07 on the clock, but North closed to 25-27 on a 2-pointer and a 3-pointer by Stephenville’s Brianna Bledsoe and took the 30-27 lead on two free throws and a 3-pointer by Adamson.
North carried a 48-40 lead with 9:02 left in the game and a 53-48 lead with 4:27 remaining, but South then put up 10 unanswered points when North stopped pressing to take a 58-53 lead with 1:19 on the clock and never faltered en route to the 61-59 final victory.
North had one last opportunity with 8.1 seconds and the inbounds, but a bad pass sealed the win for the South.
Adamson led North scorers with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, Palo Duro’s Jasmine Patterson posted 12 points, Keena Mays of Mansfield Timberview put up 11, Cleburne’s Jacqueline Chandler dropped in six, Brianna Bledsoe of Stephenville fired up five and Jordan Vessels of Canyon added four to pace the North All-stars.
MVP Gilbert of A&M Consolidated led the South with 16 points, Reagan’s Jessica Kuster and Bryan’s Gia Ayers gunned in nine points each and Brandi Huff of Rockport Fulton, Jaleesa Allen of LaMarque and Dalia Camargo of Mission put up five points apiece in the win.
