CLINTON — Most of the capacity crowd of 3,000 fans atMississippi College’s A.E. Wood Coliseum thought the North boyswould have an easy victory on their hands Thursday night.

Even though the North All-Stars won the game 93-87 over theSouth All-Stars, the South gave their counterparts all they couldhandle in the 40th addition of the All-Star Classic sponsored byMississippi Sports Medicine. The game featured rising seniors forthe first time in its history.

With the win, the North cut their deficit in the series to32-18.

In the girls game, Myeshia Johnson fired in 18 points to sparkthe North girls to a 95-84 victory over the South. Johnson wasnamed the game’s defensive MVP.

The North’s win evened the series to 20 games apiece.

North 93, South 87

Lanier’s 6-foot-4 guard Monta Ellis, an early Mississippi Statesignee, provided the crowd with 19 first-half points. His teammatesheld a 56-43 lead at the intermission. The North led by as many as18 points, 84-66, before the South rose to the occasion.

The South trimmed their deficit to 3 points, 90-87 with 1:15left in the game, on a pair of free throws by Craigory Craft ofRaleigh. That would be as close as the South would get.

The North was led by Ellis’ game-high 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3steals and 8 assists. He was also named the game’s Most ValuableOffensive Player. Murrah’s Jeremy Caldwell chipped in 11 points andSam Walton of Lanier added 10.

The South, coached by Tony Woody of Columbia and Gene “Moochie”Britt of Loyd Star, got 18 points apiece from Reggie Shelwood ofBay Springs and Craigory Craft of Raleigh. Jim Hill’s Tony Hobsonadded 16 points.

“We gave them all that they could handle,” said Britt followingthe game. “We shot the ball well.”

Hobson won the Slam Dunk contest over Northwest Rankin’s JeremyBibbs. Donaires Hair of Picayune, who scored 10, was named thegame’s Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Justin Lewis of Lawrence County scored 8 points and led theSouth in rebounding with 7 karems. David Clark of Lawrence Countyscored 2 points and had 4 rebounds, before fouling out with 6:06left in the game. Lewis received the game ball following the gamefor selling the most ads in the game program.

Lewis played despite a sore left shoulder and Clark was ailed bya slightly sprained left ankle.

North 95, South 84

Powering the South girls with a game-high 27 points wasOffensive MVP Kristi Martin of Bay Springs. Adding support wereCookie Johnson of Warren Central with 17 points followed by ChantayFrazier of Choctaw Central with 14.

North Pike’s Britta Stephens won the 3-point field goalcontest.

The North got an additional 15 points each from Dominic Cranfordof Callaway and CaSaundra Anderson of Yazoo County. LamaeshaMcAdory of Coldwater added 12.

John Stephens of North Pike and Tony Woody of Columbia coachedthe South squad.