VENTURA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAMES : Griffin Golden as South Wins

As expected, a player from Simi Valley High led the South team to victory in the Ventura County girls’ all-star basketball game at Ventura High on Friday night.

But it was the Pioneers’ Jamie Griffin, not county player of the year Tawnee Copper, who hit the big shots down the stretch in a 47-46 victory.

Griffin, a 5-foot-7 guard, scored 18 points, including the South’s final eight.

The South was a prohibitive favorite, but the North scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take a 37-35 lead with 5 minutes 5 seconds left.

Angela Mosesso, one of four Simi Valley players on the South roster, hit a shot in the lane to tie the score, 37-37, and Westlake’s Megan Carmola followed with a 15-foot jump shot to give the South a 39-37 advantage.

Griffin’s layup gave the South a 41-37 lead with 3:40 remaining. Every time the North countered with a bucket, Griffin would answer with one of her own.

Griffin’s final basket, a layup on an assist by Amy Berman of Newbury Park, gave the South a 47-43 lead with 10 seconds left. Rio Mesa’s Chante Guggia hit a three-point basket with three seconds left.

“I didn’t really feel any pressure to take control,” Griffin said. “But everyone out here is an all-star and deserved to be here and is capable of scoring.”

The UC Santa Barbara-bound Cooper scored 15 points before fouling out with 1:50 remaining.

Shari Rogers of Oxnard had 17 points for the North.