ST. IGNACE - Steve Angeli could not have drawn up a better scenario for his final high school basketball game.
The Sault Ste. Marie graduate was selected most valuable player here Saturday after helping the North All-Stars drill the South 104-91 in the 27th U.P. All-Star Classic.
Angeli played with his twin brother Riley. Watching was their father, Jamie, an assistant women's basketball coach at City College of New York who was the speaker at the breakfast.
It was only the second time Jamie Angeli, a basketball coaching nomad, saw his twin sons play a high school game. Steve failed to score in that game, as a sophomore.
"It's awesome. It means a lot," Steve Angeli said after receiving his trophy.
Jamie Angeli drove 13 hours and arrived Friday in time for a Star Line boat trip under the Mackinac Bridge and an hour visit to Mackinac Island for players and family members.
Fact Box
North Boys (104) - Riley Angeli 8, Steve Angeli 18, Zach French 2, Michael Kuenzer 13, Jordan LaPlant 13, Kenya Oas 18, Andy Steber 11, Garrett Warren 8, Tyler Wilson 13.
South Boys (91) - Josh Beauchamp 5, Bryce Bilski 6, Jeff Gregory 8, Bryan Harper 7, Cory Johnson 9, Jacob Kleiman 6, Lucas Moreau 16, Caleb Pellizer 8, Ty Thomann 9, Kyle Tiglas 19.
"For him it was well worth the trip," said his son, who hit a pair of 3-point baskets in the game's opening 70 seconds to assure he would not suffer another goose egg.
He normally does not worry about scoring, instead he sets up teammates by penetrating, dishing the ball and directing traffic.
"I still tried to do the same thing," he said, noting the talents of his teammates and opponents is higher in an all-star setting. "If you make a mistake, you pay for it."
The up-tempo pace fit the skill set of Angeli and Oas, who both scored 18 points. Angeli had 10 assists, three steals and three rebounds while Oas had seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
"This was a heckuva team. I'd like to coach them for real," said North coach Dan Waterman of Munising.
"Steve controlled everything on the floor. He sees the floor so well. Not only did he run the offense but on the bench he would lead the cheers. He is the consummate leader."
With Angeli and Oas setting the tempo, the North reached the century mark for the fifth time in this series and took a 13-12 overall lead. Twice the boys teams were split into an East-West group.
Class D all-stater Jordan LaPlant of Ewen-Trout Creek, Michael Kuenzer of Brimley and Tyler Wilson of Rudyard added 13 points for North and Andy Steber of Calumet hit 11 points. Riley Angeli had eight points and five rebounds.
South closed out the first quarter with a 17-2 flurry for a 26-20 lead before North used a 27-7 run to pull ahead late in the second quarter, with Oas getting six points. However, Kyle Tiglas of Manistique and Caleb Pellizer of West Iron hit triples and Jacob Kleiman of Bark River-Harris hit a jumper in an 8-0 spurt over 52 seconds before North answered to lead 52-47 at half.
That upper hand continued into the third quarter as North pulled ahead 73-57 as seven players contributed points, and North had the game secured at 93-78.
Tiglas led South with 19 points and Lucas Moreau of Carney-Nadeau added 16 points.
In pre-game competition, Bryce Bilski of North Central won the 3-point contest and LaPlant won the dunk event.