A Grand Finale

By Matt Maisel

CENTRAL DAUPHIN--- A bit of nostalgia was cast over the largecrowd at Central Dauphin High School as the North All Star team took thefloor for warm-ups Wednesday night. It was a sight many thought they wouldnever see in this season. Yep. Susquehanna Township's Adam Sinoway and Trinity'sSean Morris shaking hands, giving each other high fives, laughing with eachother! The same two people who, believe it or not, almost got into a fullblown fight over a jump ball in their 3rd meeting in mid-January. Fortunatelyfor the common basketball fan like myself, this star-studded game was morethan nostalgic memories as the North team of Mid Penn All Stars held onto a fast paced game, defeating the South squad 101-97.

Suprisingly enough, in a game of this talent, the first half resembledmore of an actual game. Until the five-minute mark of the 20 minute half,there were 4 ties and 8 lead changes. That is, until Bishop McDevitt starVince Pease came off the bench. As that happened. The whole complexion ofthe game changed as the North went on a 19-4 run that featured 10 consecutivepoints by Pease to give North a 48-38 lead at halftime. "Guys rewardedme for running the fast break," Peasesaid of his late first half run,"It was fun for the last game to play with all theMid Penn guys."

The second half didn't get any better for the South. After cutting thelead to 54-49, the North exploded on a 23-3 run the expandedclose to tenminutes. Sinoway scored 8 of his 12 points during the rally and Pease added5 more to his team high 17 points to give himself team MVP honors. However,the South did everything but give in. Down 91-65, Faith Christian's DanHargrove scored 6 straight. Aaron Ebling of Daniel Boone High scored another6 straight in the process of an improbable 18-2 run to cut the North leadto eleven. With 1:30 left, Hargrove, who had 20 of his game high 28 in thesecond half, hit a 3 to go down by 10. Eric Long of Bristol had an easylay-up and Kashan Lenair hit a 3 to cut the lead to 5. After Red Land'sKevin Brumbach had a quick bucket, South MVP Hargrove hit another tripleto cut the lead to 99-97 with 10 seconds to play. A Corey Ellison lay-upiced the game with 5 seconds to go.

Cedar Cliff's Marge Hessler led the North girls to a 92-74 demolitionof the South. The North jumped out to a 32-9 lead midway through the firsthalf and never looked back. Hessler, the North MVP, finished with 13 pointswhile Erin McIntyre of Blue Mountain had a game high 18 points to earn SouthMVP honors.