In a practice leading up to Monday’s SFABC Senior Basketball All-Star Game, the North squad put in a few plays to try during the contest. Those that were unable to make practice, like Cape High senior Cameron Hall, had an easy time fitting in.

The North squad built a convincing lead midway through the second half and cruised to a 104-73 win over the South.

Once they established command, the North’s challenge became the rim. Several players ignited the crowd with dunks. Hall, a 5-foot-7 guard, joined in on the action, delivering two alley-oops.

“I missed practice thinking it was on a different day,” Hall said. “It was real fun. I got a chance to play with some taller people that can dunk.”

The second-half dunkfest was led by Ida Baker’s John Skinner, Port Charlotte’s Steven Xavier and Dunbar’s John Florveous.

The 6-10 Florveous finished on a breakaway in the first, after a steal by Baker’s Gabe Rodrigues, and added three more two-handed slams in the second half. Xavier, who is nearly 7-0, had three dunks in the second half.

Skinner scored three times off alley-oop passes, including two assists by Bishop Verot’s Brennen Melvin.

Skinner said he played with several of his all-star teammates in the past during AAU, it helped the chemistry during Monday’s senior showcase. As the game progressed, it was clear the North squad had more firepower.

Verot’s tandem of Melvin and Etienne Effenberg each connected on three three-pointers for the North. Melvin finished with 13 points and Effenberg added 10.

Lehigh’s Sharod Morse led the North squad with 14 points. Barron Collier’s Jason Humphrey paced the South with 17.

Baker, which reached the regional playoffs for the first time this season, had three players participating – Skinner, Zach Campbell and Gabe Rodriguez.

Rodriguez knocked down a pair of three-pointers, finished with 13. North’s Michael Malaise and Cape’s Hall ended with seven points apiece.

Prior to the start of the boys’ game, Verot’s Melvin received Mr. Basketball honors by the Southwest Florida Association of Basketball Coaches. He helped lead the Vikings to their first state final four appearance.

Cape High coach Mark Rinehart was named Coach of the Year, after leading the Seahawks to a 17-8 record.

Rinehart concluded his third season with the Seahawks. They struggled to a 6-19 mark his first season, but have made strides ever since.

Rinehart said the players deserve the credit for working hard and grasping his style of play. The Seahawks play an uptempo brand of basketball, which relies on pressure and quick-decision making.

“Any time you have a coaching change it takes time for the kids to understand what you’re trying to get done,” Rinehart said. “This (award) reflects the amount of effort our kids put fourth. They deserve all the credit.”

South 32 41 – 73

North 46 58 – 104

South 73 – Parker Ayers (Lely) 11, Joel VanderPol (Evangelical Christian) 13, Tyler Terrell (Palmetto Ridge) 11, Chamon Thomas (Riverdale) 7, Jason Humphrey (Barron Collier) 17, Mike McGahey (Gulf Coast) 4, Max McGabe (Community School of Naples) 5, Mike Holleran (Lemon Bay) 4, Joey Earle (South Fort Myers) 1. Totals: 28 11-16 73. 3-point goals: Ayers 3, VanderPol 1, Thomas 1, McGabe 1.

North 104 – Zach Campbell (Ida Baker) 3, Brennen Melvin (Bishop Verot) 13, Etienne Effenberg (Bishop Verot) 10, Sharod Morse (Lehigh) 14, Gabe Rodriguez (Ida Baker) 13, John Florveous (Dunbar) 12, John Skinner (Ida Baker) 11, Michael Malaise (North Fort Myers) 7, Zack Cramer (Canterbury) 2, Steven Xavier (Port Charlotte) 8, Cameron Hall (Cape Coral) 7, John Michael Hodge (Fort Myers) 4. Totals: 41 11-17 104. 3-point goals: Melvin 3, Effenberg 3, Morse 2, Rodriguez 2, Hall 1.

South Girls 77, North Girls 64: The North squad, coached by Ida Baker’s Craig Witte, substituted a fresh group of five players almost every four minutes during Monday’s All-Star Game.

At the start of the second half, the rotation fell into place for Cape High seniors Alexiss Griffin, Jardin McCarthy and Christine Gaywood.

The four-minute stretch was the last time the threesome will play together in high school and they made the most of it.

Griffin connected on two three-pointers early in the second half and Gaywood scored six points, including a three-point play, as the North trimmed a six-point halftime deficit down to one.

“We kind of asked them to do that,” Griffin admitted. “We’ve played together for four years and wanted to play together for the last time as seniors.”

The South managed to pull away over the final 13 minutes. Gulf Coast’s Katie Lyon had 15 points to lead the South and South Fort Myers’ Emily Cattanach was the catalyst, playing point guard for much of the game. She added 13 points.

Bishop Verot’s Cici Ward nailed five three-pointers, accounting for 15 points for the North. North Fort Myers’ Cassidy Davis tallied nine and Baker’s Brooke Bursiek added three.

“It was really fun and all about sportsmanship,” McCarthy said.

Both McCarthy and Griffin were finalists for Miss Basketball. The award went to South Fort Myers’ Madison Wagner.

Griffin, who will play at Kennesaw State next year, scored 11 points. McCarthy, who will try to walk-on at FGCU, had several sharp passes and made one three-pointer.

South 31 46 – 77

North 24 40 – 64

South 77 – Carly Jacob (Barron Collier) 2, Katie Lyon (Gulf Coast) 15, Paige Driapsa (St. John Neumann) 7, Amanda Leonard (Gulf Coast ) 7, Stephanie Neill (Lely) 4, Naomi Andre (Golden Gate) 4, Chelsea Dangler (Lely) 3, Ernisha Freeman (Immokalee) 8, Madison Wagner (South Fort Myers) 9, Emily Cattanach (South Fort Myers) 13, Victoria Howard (Lely) 5. Totals: 25 22-34 77. 3-point goals: Lyon 3, Cattanach 2, Dangler 1.

North 64 – Cici Ward (Bishop Verot) 15, Cassidy Davis (North Fort Myers) 9, Brittany Idlette (Fort Myers) 3, Brooke Bursiek (Ida Baker) 4, Alexiss Griffin (Cape Coral) 11, Kailyn Mitchell (Cypress Lake) 4, Cathleen Alleyne (Estero) 4, Amanda Ferrell (Southwest Florida Christian) 2, Christine Gaywood (Cape Coral) 8, Jardin McCarthy 3, Quanitra Reid 1. Totals: 19 15-26 64. 3-point goals: Ward 5, Griffin 2, Davis 1, McCarthy 1, Mitchell 1, Idlette 1.

Softball

Bishop Verot 3, Clewiston 0: A bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly by Betsy Doragh produced all the runs Bishop Verot would need in a victory at Clewiston Monday.

Kelsey McCurdy had two hits, scored two runs and added a stolen base to lead Verot. Taylor Kramer contributed two RBI and a stolen base.

Hailey Baracco (6-2) pitched the shutout, allowing five hits and striking out five with no walks.

The Vikings (8-3) play at Frostproof Friday night.

Bishop Verot 000 201 0 – 3 4 0

Clewiston 000 000 0 – 0 5 2

W – Hailey Baracco (6-2). L – Whidden.

3B – Moore (C).

Track & Field

Junior Harrison Kuchman led a dominant performance by the Mariner boys’ track team in their season-opening meet Saturday against Lehigh and Riverdale.

The Tritons tallied 91 points. Lehigh had 45 and Riverdale 38.

Kuchman earned four first-place finishes and set personal records in the triple jump (41-10), 100 hurdles (16.0) and 300 hurdles (42.5). He also teamed up with Josh Lagrace, Julien Jerren and Andrew Dukas to win the 4×400 relay.

Dukas, Lagrace, Kevin Payen and Troy Gordon took first in the 4×100 relay.

The Tritons compete in the Edison Relays Friday at Fort Myers.