Early’s Vic Cooper (4), Brownwood’s Bryson Monroe (5), Bangs’ Bailey Blackwell (2) and Brownwood’s Luke Moss (25) helped sparked the South’s lopsided win. [Photos by Derrick Stuckly]The South All-Stars took control early and never looked back, coasting past the North, 89-73, in the Big Country FCA All-Star Festival Boys Basketball Game Saturday at Warren Gym.

The South, whose largest advantage of the game was 22 points with 15:32 left in the contest, led 45-35 at halftime and outscored the North, which never led, by a 44-38 count over the final 20 minutes.

San Angelo Central’s Raven Ortiz finished with a team-high 21 points for the South to earn MVP honors.

Contributing to the South’s victorious effort from Brown County were Early’s Vic Cooper with 12 points, one block, one rebound and one assist; Brownwood’s Bryson Monroe with 10 points, seven rebounds, three steals and one assist; Brownwood’s Luke Moss with four boards; and Bangs’ Bailey Blackwell pulled down a rebound.

Other players to score for the South included Abilene Wylie’s Avery Brekke with nine points; Wall’s Jacob Richardson with six; Jim Ned’s Ben Eshelman with four; and Water Valley’s Nathan Treadaway, Abilene Wylie’s Dylan Jennings, Abilene Cooper’s Jalen Cherry, San Saba’s Reagan Mejia, and Winters’ Chaney Bahlman with two points apiece.

The North received a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds from Tolar’s Grady McQuain; nine points and 15 boards from Snyder’s Eber Murillo; eight points from Abilene High’s Hayden Williams; six points each from Lipan’s Cody Harwell and Forsan’s Jace Richardson; five from Highland’s Kort Sargeant; three apiece from Lingleville’s Kyler Phillips and Eula’s Joseph Click; and two points each from Anson’s Mason Hagler, Lingleville’s Caden Howard and Huckabay’s Braydan Pike.