South all-stars win twice
The third annual Idaho High School All-Star Games had a little bit of everything Saturday: a blowout, a game with both teams scoring in triple digits and an unlikely hero.
When all was said and done, the South girls shredded the North 103-46 and the high-flying South boys outlasted the North 109-101 in a game that saw Skyview guard Andrew Swartz, an alternate, named the unlikely MVP.
Swartz, who stands about 5-foot-7, scored a team-high 21 points for the South – but it was his second basket of the game that none of the 500 or so on hand will soon forget.
With his team down 29-24 midway through the first half, Swartz got the ball on a fast break down the right side of the court, headed into defensive pressure from two men near the basket, soared high and threw down a massive left-handed dunk that seemed to leave players, coaches and fans temporarily mesmerized.
Swartz, looking understandably awestruck as he carried around his MVP trophy after the game, said it was the first time he’s slammed one in competition.
“It was amazing!” said Swartz, a lefty guard and first-team all-stater from the State 4A champions. “The shots were going in, I got my dunk – I was really happy about that. It was just an honor to come up here and play with all these guys.”
The South took the lead late in the first half, 52-50 on Twin Falls’ Brady Jardine’s transition basket, and would never relinquish it despite a run late in the game that brought the North as close as 97-93.
North boys coach Tim Mitchell of Post Falls Christian Academy said it was an experience he hopes to be able to repeat some day – on the winning side, if possible.
“It was a joy – I enjoyed every minute of it,” Mitchell said. “Even though we lost, the kids had a great time.
“We thought we had the game won, but a few turnovers down the stretch hurt us.”
Lewiston’s Bo Gregg led all scorers with 23.
In the girls game – a lopsided affair from the get-go, Skyview’s Cammie Dranginis matched teammate Kolay Mickelson of Highland with a game-high 17 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to earn MVP honors.
“It was a lot of fun to play with the best girls in the state,” said Dranginis, who will attend Northwest Nazarene this fall on a volleyball scholarship. “It was great to go out scoring a hundred points – I’ve never been on a team that’s done that before, so that was awesome.”
Between games, Sandpoint’s Ashleigh Mire knocked down eight 3-pointers to Coeur d’Alene’s Matt Palmer’s six to earn the 3-point shooting crown. In the slam-dunk contest, Skyview’s Louie Beech scored a perfect 50 on a bounced-ball, between-the-legs, right-handed hammer to take top honors over finalist Kyle Turpin of Post Falls.