A Split Decision in Ventura

Jake Stewart likes to have fun, and he had a ball Saturday night.

Stewart scored a game-high 35 points to lead the South team in a 107-98 victory over the North in the Ventura County Coaches’ All-Star boys’ basketball game at Ventura High.

“It was fun,” Stewart said. “They were just throwing me the rock.

“They were giving me the shots, and I just kept making ‘em.”

Stewart, a 6-foot guard from Westlake High who will attend Cal Lutheran in the fall, hit from all over the floor, making three three-pointers, driving through the lane and going underneath in a free-wheeling offense.

The teams played 10-minute quarters, and the South offense grew more effective with each period. The South, which had only two practices, had 37 points in the fourth quarter.

The North, with 14 fourth-quarter points from Tyrone Nunnery of Rio Mesa High, countered with 36 in the frame, but it wasn’t enough after the South broke open a close game in the third period.

The South led, 49-48, with five minutes to play in the third, but went on a 15-3 run to take a 64-51 advantage.

The North never drew closer than 10 points after that.

The biggest lead of the first half was the 43-38 advantage the South held at the break.

The teams were tied, 20-20, after the first quarter.

Stewart had 13 points in the half. Mike Bowers added 11 in the half and finished with 20 points.

Nunnery finished with 25 points and Charles Merricks of Channel Islands had 15 points.