Orange County Girls’ All-Star Basketball Game : This Little Piggie Wins It for North : Team Rallies Behind Modified Offense in 2nd Half, 78-61

It wasn’t pretty, not with 41 turnovers and 37 fouls. In fact, the North’s 78-61 victory over the South in Saturday’s Orange County girls’ all-star basketball game might have been better suited to a barnyard.

“Pig changed things in the second half,” guard Jill Matyuch said after the North turned a nine-point halftime deficit into a 17-point victory.

“Pig” is what the North players call Coach Mickey McAulay’s “PG” passing game and “shuffle” offense combination. The odd-named offensive strategy gave the North its third victory in the nine-game series.

The teams started the contest with similar passing games aimed at getting the ball inside. This worked well for the South as 6-foot 3-inch Chris McFerson and 5-10 Stephanie Fleischaker, both from Foothill High, combined for 18 first-half points. But Michelle Carter, the North’s 6-2 center from Magnolia, was limited to a pair of free throws.

In the second half, McAulay modified her passing game to revolve around a double post, successfully freeing Matyuch and Melanie Williams on the outside. Held to four and six points, respectively, in the first half, Matyuch and Williams combined for 35 points in the second half as the North took advantage of its decided edge in quickness.

Williams, a 5-8 guard from Western High headed for Nevada Las Vegas, finished with 25 points on 11-for-17 shooting. She also had seven steals en route to MVP honors. Matyuch, a 5-8 guard-forward from El Dorado who is bound for Cal State Fullerton, scored eight of her 20 points in the first 5:29 of the second half.

Fleischaker had 18 points for the South, which hurt its cause by committing 27 turnovers, 18 in the second half. McFerson, after hitting 5 of 9 shots in the first half, sank just 2 of 9 in the second but led all rebounders with 13.

NORTH (78)-- Warmus 16, Matyuch 20, Carter 4, Schuessler 6, Williams 25, Legaux 5, Carlisle 2.

SOUTH (61)--Fleischaker 18, Vlachos 8, Uecke 2, Clower 5, Battaglia 4, Drake 2, Herman 4, Lawler 4, McFerson 14.

Halftime: South, 35-26.