CLINTON – Brittany Willis continued what has become a family tradition Thursday night.

Willis, a senior-to-be at Warren Central, became the fourth member of her family to play in a high school basketball all-star game when she helped the North to a 62-54 victory in the Mississippi Association of Coaches all-star game at Mississippi College.

Willis’ sisters, E.J., K.K. and Brady, all capped stellar careers at Porters Chapel Academy by playing in the Mississippi Private School Association’s all-star game. Brittany Willis was the first of the four to play in the public school game.

&#8220They all played here at this gym, too. They all played on the South. I’m the first one to play on the North,” Willis said. &#8220They’re all here and I’m glad they’re here.”

Willis entered the game as a substitute about 5 1/2 minutes into the game and finished with four points and three rebounds in 11 minutes. She was 1-for-4 from the field and hit both free throws she attempted, but had several turnovers and was less than enthusiastic about her performance.

&#8220I got to play. It’s an honor just to play in this game,” she said. &#8220I think I made a couple of turnovers, but I did OK.”

While Willis was waiting for her chance to get in the game, Gentry’s Sharita Cooper was stealing the show. The 5-foot-5 guard finished with 12 points, seven assists and 10 steals and earned defensive MVP honors. Cooper started and helped stake the North to an 11-point lead less than six minutes into the game.

The South climbed out of that hole and actually managed to take a 28-27 lead at halftime. Cooper re-entered at the start of the second half, however, and contributed two steals in the opening minutes that helped the North regain the lead, 41-36 with 12:38 to play.

The North eventually pushed the lead back to double digits before Wayne County’s Tamara Green and Perry Central’s Demara Bolton each hit a 3-pointer to pull the South within five at 47-42. That was when Cooper went to work on the offensive end, driving and dishing with equal effectiveness to keep the South at bay.

&#8220She was very quick,” South coach Charles Moore of Franklin County said of Cooper. &#8220She was an unknown as far as our scouting report, but she certainly proved herself.”

Coahoma County’s Tanesha Washington added 12 points and seven rebounds for the North, while Clinton’s Ashley Daniels finished with seven points and nine rebounds.

Meridian’s Whitney Hood had nine points, 15 rebounds and three blocks for the South all-stars and was named the game’s offensive MVP.