Richardson Shows Stuff After His Game Goes South, 103-98 : All-star basketball: He hits two three-pointers to help hold off North in Ventura County game.

Ben Richardson of Agoura High sure didn’t look like the only player on the floor with a Division I basketball scholarship in the first half of the Ventura County Coaches Assn. all-star game.

The 6-foot-6 center played tentatively after missing his first shot for the South team in Friday night’s game at Ventura High.

Even with Richardson struggling, the South maintained a double-digit lead into the second half.

But when the North began to rally early in the third quarter, Richardson, who will play at Boise State, responded.

He sank consecutive three-point baskets to extend the South’s tenuous lead that eventually became a 103-98 victory.

“I started off about as cold as I’ve been in my entire life,” Richardson said. “It took me a while to get back into it.”

Richardson wasn’t the only South player to suddenly catch fire. Westlake forward Matt Smiley had three three-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 17 points. Warrior teammate Nasir Shakouri added 14.

Anthony Tauriello of Simi Valley scored 14 points, and Shawn Williams of Oak Park had 13. Richardson finished with 12.

Center Danny Herrera of Santa Paula kept the North in the game with eight points in a two-minute span early in the second quarter.

Herrera finished with 22 points, scoring several baskets in the closing minutes to keep the game close.

Three baskets by Eric Carlsen of Royal, who had 11 points, and one by Smiley gave the South a 57-47 halftime lead.

Ben Tryk of Santa Paula scored 15 points and Aaron Cropper of Hueneme added 12 for the North.

*

South 48, North 42--In the girls’ game, Alisha Valvanis of Oak Park scored 11 points and Julie Wastell of Newbury Park buried three three-pointers in the South’s come-from-behind victory.

It was only the third victory for the South girls in the 17-year history of the event.

The North took the lead midway through the first quarter when the South went scoreless for more than six minutes, missing 14 consecutive shots.

Rustiness reigned in the first quarter as the teams combined for 16 turnovers.

Ember Brown of Ventura scored all nine of her points in the first half as the North built a double-digit lead. Wastell hit a running 30-footer for the South as time expired in the first half to cut the South’s deficit to 24-17.

Rachel Buck and Sara Phelps of Buena and Brianna Kanongata’a of Rio Mesa each scored eight points for the North.