DCSD GIRLS ALL-STAR CHAMPS — WEST TEAM COACHED BY TUCKERS JJ OLIVER
The West All-Stars put together a 15-0 run in the third quarter to take control in the DCSD Senior Girls’ All-Star Game on the way to a 63-39 win over the East All-Stars at Miller Grove High School on Thursday night.
The run started after the East’s Ruona Uwusiaba (SW DeKalb) scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds in the first 3:04 of the second half to pull the East into a 29-29 tie with 4:56 left in the third quarter after trailing 24-15 at the half.
Redan’s Sydney Brown gave the West the lead on an old fashioned three-point play at 32-29 to get the West rolling.
Game MVP Jada Walton (SW DeKalb) scored the next seven points on a drive, a three-pointer and a steal on an inbounds pass to extend the lead to 39-29 with 2:50 to play in the quarter.
East post player Ruona Uwusiaba of SW DeKalb (with ball) drives against Columbia’s Diedre Harris (2). (Photo by Mark Brock)
Tucker’s Morgan Collins followed with a steal and drive of her own while Tucker teammate Bria Bass made it three steals in a row for the West and finished with an and-one to make it a 44-31 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Brown opened the final period of play with a basket and Walton added four more points in an 8-0 run to start the quarter to push the lead out to 52-31 with 3:01 to play.
After a free throw by Stephenson’s Naomi Holloway broke the run, Columbia’s Deidre Harris scored and Brown followed with a three-pointer from the left corner to make it 57-32.
Towers’ Nicowa Robinson had three points and Tucker’s Morgan Collins hit a three-pointer in the final eight seconds to round out the scoring at 63-39.
Girls’ MVP – Jada Walton, SW DeKalb
Jada Walton finished with 17 points to lead the West on the way to the MVP award while Columbia’s Ilia Mathis with 11 and Redan’s Sydney Brown with 10 joined her in double figures. The Tucker duo of Bria Bass (9 points, 8 rebounds) and Morgan Collins (9 points, 5 rebounds) also contributed in the win.
Girls’ Three-Point Contest Winner — Bria Bass, Tucker
Ruona Uwusiaba had a game-high in both points and rebounds with her double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the East. Stephenson’s Carolyn Hoard finished with eight points in the losing cause.
The girls’ three-point contest had some drama as Bria Bass hit for 18 threes in the first round and Ilia Mathis hit for 13, edging Redan’s Sydney Brown (12), to advance to the finals.
The pair were credited with eight three-pointers in the final round and went to a 30 second tiebreaker. Bass would hit six to Mathis’ four to cart home the contest trophy. Bass hit 32 threes total on the way to the title.