McAdams junior Cameren Fleming helped the South to a 72-70 victory at the Mississippi Association of Coaches 1A/2A/3A All Star basketball game. The game for the state’s top juniors was played at Mississippi College last Saturday.
Fleming had five points, four rebounds, and one assist in 19 minutes of court time. He was two of three from the floor and one of two from the line.
“It’s a great feeling, the opportunity to be here, playing against good competition,” he said.
After four ties and five lead changes, the South went ahead to stay early in the second quarter. A 10-0 third quarter run opened up the largest lead at 53-42.
The South led 57-47 early in the fourth quarter, but the North began to chip away. A three-point shot by Michael James of H.W. Byers with 16 seconds left pulled the North within a point at 71-70.
The ball was inbounded to Fleming, who was tripped as he crossed midcourt, sending him to the line with 11.5 second left. With the South in the double bonus, it meant two shots. He missed the first off the front rim, but swished the second.
“It’s a big moment. You have to think about what you need to do to get the win,” Fleming said. “It feels go to get a win like this.”
A final shot by the North at the buzzer came up empty.
Fleming had a big play a few minutes earlier when he rebounded a missed shot and put it in for a 67-61 lead.
Patrick Kince of Thomas E. Edwards was South MVP with 19 points, including three 3-pointers, and two free throws with 26.8 second left that stretched the lead to 71-67.
North/South All Star games have been played since 1955, but this is only the fourth year for two games for 1A//2A/3A and 4A/5A/6A. The North won in 2019, but the South has won the last three.
In the girls 1A/2A/3A game, Madilynn Kate Vuncannon of Walnut made six 3-pointers and scored 21 points, leading the North to a 59-57victory. The last 3-pointer put the North ahead for good at 53-51 in the fourth quarter. She made two free throws with 21 seconds left for the margin of victory.
Vuncannon also runs track and cross country and plays volleyball and tennis for Walnut.
