North evens girls all-star series

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
July 16, 2004
CLINTON North forward Shalonda Rogers, who attends West Lowndes, knocked down the first two points of the game with a pair of free throws, and the North never trailed the rest of the game.
The North won the 40th playing of the Mississippi Sports Medicine All-Star game 95-84 on Thursday to even the all-time series at 20 victories each.
The North outrebounded the South 52-29, and the North held a 12-4 advantage on made free throws in the opening half.
Along with the statistical disadvantages, the South was playing without two girls on its roster. LaToya Branch of Gulfport and Ashley Boehnel of Hancock, both of whom play in the post, did not make the game.
Coldwater's Lomoeshia McAdory paced the North's offense with 18 points, and Ridgeland's Myeshia Johnson added 16. Dominic Cranford of Callaway tallied 15 for the North, and CaSaundra Anderson of Yazoo County and Jessica Houston of Provine scored 13 and 10, respectively.
Bay Springs' Kristi Martin led all scorers pouring in 26 points for the South, and Warren Central's Cookie Johnson tallied 18. Frazier posted 14 points, and Northeast Lauderdale's Shaquita Bell tallied six points and five rebounds.
The South, which opened the second half trailing 44-35, cut the North's lead to 54-51 with 13:53 on the strength of Martin's play.
The 5-foot-7 swing player scored 11 of the South's first 16 points to start the second half.
The North didn't allow the South to stay around long going on a 9-3 run for a 63-54 lead with 12:08 to play.
The South again cut its deficit to three with 10:45 left, leaving the North with a 63-60 lead, but the North went on a 13-5 run over the next three minutes for a 76-65 lead.
The South never got closer than six points of the lead the rest of the game.
The North did a lot of its first-half damage at the line converting 12-of-15 free-throw attempts. The South made 4-of-14 from the line.
The North also held a 21-11 rebounding edge, and the South committed nine turnovers to its opponents two.
Shena Brown of Cleveland paced the North's offense in the game's opening 20 minutes knocking down 10 first-half points, and CaSaundra Anderson of Yazoo County, who came in off the bench, scored seven and grabbed seven rebounds in the first.
Frazier led the South's offense in the first half with nine points, and Warren Central's Johnson tallied six and three rebounds in the first.
Johnson was named the game's Most Valuable Defensive player, and Martin earned the Most Valuable Offensive player award.
The South's Britta Stephens of North Pike won the three-points shooting contest, knocking down 10 in 60 seconds. The North's Jessica Houston of Provine hit eight treys in the contest.