Tri-county athletes star at 75th annual North-South All-Star basketball games

Ghaleb Wilson couldn’t contain his excitement.

The senior guard from Andrew Jackson scored 19 points as the South All-Stars notched a 121-118 overtime victory over the North All-Stars at the 75th annual North-South All-Star Boys’ Basketball Game at Brookland-Cayce High School on Saturday afternoon.

Wilson showcased his leadership through his play and energy on both sides of the court, helping the South All-Stars overcome a double-digit deficit. It was a performance that rewarded the Francis Marion commit with team MVP honors.

But if you ask Wilson about it, the award would go to somebody else.

“I feel like I didn’t deserve this, (especially with) how my teammates played,” Wilson said. “But I played like a dog. When I play like a dog, (my teammates) will play like a dog. And if you got to be that leader on the court when stuff gets disorganized or shifty or shaky, I was the one today to be controlling things.”

Wilson was one of five athletes from the tri-county area to participate in the North-South All-Star games, featuring some of the best basketball seniors in South Carolina.

Catawba Ridge guard Zyan Hager (five points), Clover guard Jaylon Hoover (six points) and Nation Ford center Caden Giles (two points, three blocks) played for the North All-Stars.

The lone area player in the North-South girls’ game was Rock Hill senior De’Ashaj Crawford, who finished the game with seven points and four assists as the North All-Stars took a 72-67 victory.

Crawford said she was happy with how she played, showcasing her ability to play with the team and look for her own shot when need be. Being a North-South all-star was a big goal for Crawford, but there was still a little sting with it being her final game representing the Bearcats.

“It’s really bittersweet because it’s something that I’ve always wanted since I was little,” Crawford said. “Just knowing that I worked hard and everything that I was looking forward to came true, it just feels great.”

The Rock Hill area also had several head coaches participate.

South Pointe girls’ coach Stephanie Butler-Graham served as an assistant for the North Girls’ All-Star team. It was her first time being nominated to the position.

“That was fun,” Butler-Graham said after the game. “Our kids have fun. We had some great players, we had great coaches. I’m just glad I got selected to be able to coach with them.”

In the boys’ game, Clover head coach Darris Jackson served as an assistant coach with the North All-Stars, while Andrew Jackson head coach Danny Wright was an assistant with the South All-Stars.

It was the first time for both coaches as they also got the opportunity to coach their star players for one more game.

“It was really cool to see (Jaylon Hoover) out here with the best players in the state, watch him do what he does,” Jackson said. “I think he’s as talented as a bunch of kids around here, so for him to get the opportunity to get around, perform with some of the other better players in the state, it was a great experience to see it.”

Wilson is Andrew Jackson’s second North-South basketball team MVP in the last three seasons.

CaDarrius Sowell, who just completed his redshirt freshman season for North Greenville University, was team MVP back in 2022.

This story was originally published March 16, 2024 at 12:00 AM.