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MISHAWAKA - It wasn't quite as high flying as last year's event, but nonetheless Thursday's 16th annual South Bend Tribune All-Star game was like many before it.
Played at Bethel College's Wiekamp Center in front of an estimated 2,500 fans, the 40-minute college-style game was filled with NBA range three-pointers and slam dunk attempts.
When the smoke finally lifted, the Metro All-Stars came away with a 122-101 win over their Area counterparts.
With defense all but gone from the gym, as is generally the case in all-star games, the Metro team finished the contest with a 19-5 run to close out the win.
"You gotta kind of expect that in all-star games," Warsaw's Jerad Shaw, a member of the Area team, said of the loose defense. "
Shaw, who played a major role in the Tigers' 21-3 season, scored the Area All-Stars' first six points on two long-range jumpers. The 6-foot-4 frontliner, who found a spot in the starting five, finished the game with 10 points.
"It's an honor to play in games like this against these guys," Shaw, who is unsure of his college choice but lists Bethel, Tri-State and Manchester as possibilities, said. "A couple of them are my friends from playing against them."
Said veteran Warsaw coach Al Rhodes, who was one of many coaches in attendance: "We're very proud of the way Jerad has represented us all year long, and I thought he played well tonight."
The Area All-Stars, who have scored 120 points or more seven times during the series including 151 in last year's one-point overtime win, lead the overall series 9-7.
Leading 65-55 at the half, the Metro team pushed the lead to 15 midway through the second half but saw it cut to seven, 103-96, with 5:01 remaining when Argos' Tony Patterson hit a three and South Central's Joey Cuff got a rebound basket.
Though both teams appeared winded down the stretch, the Metro All-Stars shut the door on the Area's comeback attempt with a 19-5 run. The Area team never led in the game.
Patterson was named the Area team's MVP after scoring 16 points. LaVille's Kyle Amor added 14, while Cuff chipped in with 13, Jimtown's Jeremy Herring 12 and Plymouth's Ben Snyder and Warsaw's Shaw 10 each.
Tippecanoe Valley junior Trey Eaton, who averaged nearly 24 points and nine rebounds per contest this year for the Vikings, was named the Area team's Player of the Year, though the IHSAA doesn't allow underclassmen to participate in all-star games.
"It's a very great honor to be picked among these players," Eaton, who sat on the bench with the Area team during the game, said. "There's a lot of talent in this game. To be picked among them means I'm as good as they are."
Elkhart Memorial teammates Clint Adell and Quennel Young led the Metro team with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Adell was named the Metro team's MVP.
South Bend Washington's Derrick Graham, the Metro Player of the Year, finished with 16 points. Riley's Brian Foster and Marian's Carsen Oren had 13 each, Washington's David Patterson 12, Marian's Chris Chalko 11 and Elkhart Central's Brad Pompey 10.
METRO 122, AREA 101
Area 55 46 - 101
Metro 65 57 - 122
Area - Snyder 3 3-3 10, Buller 1 0-0 3, Robertson 3 0-0 6, Patter 5 2-3 16, Herring 4 3-4 12, Clouse 4 0-0 9, Shaw 4 0-0 10, Morningstar 4 0-0 8, Amor 6 1-2 14, Cuff 6 1-2 13. Totals 40 10-14 101.
Metro - Bundesman 3 0-0 7, Foster 4 4-4 13, Pompey 4 0-0 10, Whitfield 1 1-2 3, Young 89 0-0 18, Oren 5 2-3 13, Patterson 5 1-2 12, Adell 9 1-2 19, Graham 7 0-0 16, Chalko 5 1-2 11. Totals 51 10-15 122.
Three-point goals - Area 11 (Patterson 4, Shaw 2, Snyder 1, Buller 1, Herring 1, Clouse 1, Amor 1), Metro 10 (Pompey 2, Graham 2, Young 2, Bundesman 1, Patterson 1, Foster 1, Oren 1). Fouls - Area 9, Metro 8.
