Marc Narducci: Two hot hands - one sweaty, one not

TOMS RIVER, N.J. - One player was carefree, feeling no pressure to perform, while the other admitted having pregame jitters.

This was just an all-star game, but two players with different approaches still came out with favorable results.

That goes to show that there is more than one way to approach an all-star game, although guards usually have one thing on their mind - scoring.

Atlantic City guard Umar Shannon was as loose as can be before leading the South to a 129-110 win over the North during yesterday's New Jersey State Coaches Association All-Star Classic at Toms River North.

The South team in this state all-star clash consisted of players from South and Central Jersey.

Shannon not only led his team to victory but came away with some hardware as the MVP, scoring 21 points and hitting five three-pointers in what can be described as a trey fest.

Before the season Shannon had accepted a scholarship to St. Francis (Pa.), but that sure thing did not keep him from staying hungry. Shannon had a great year, averaging 18.4 points, and was named an Inquirer second-team all-South Jersey selection.

Unlike many who enter an all-star game trying to prove they belong, Shannon just wanted to enjoy the moment.

"Everybody here is an all-star, so I didn't think there was anything that I had to prove," Shannon said. "I just wanted to go out and have fun."

While it may not always happen, generally guards have most of the fun in all-star games. They get to bring the ball up, and yesterday many of them never let it go until they fired toward the basket.

Shannon hit 5 of 11 three-point attempts and made his only two-point shot.

"They weren't guarding me so I shot," he said.

Actually, nobody was guarding anybody, as the final score indicates.

Woodbury's combination guard, Mark DiRugeris, brought the opposite approach of Shannon into the game, with the exception of not being bashful to shoot.

DiRugeris, an Inquirer first-team all-South Jersey selection, has not made his college choice, although he said yesterday that he is likely to attend Chestnut Hill, which has offered him a scholarship.

He was the South's second-leading scorer with 14 points and showed an array of offensive skills. DiRugeris made two three-point field goals and also took the ball strong to the basket.

"I was really nervous before the game," DiRugeris said.

"The best players in the state were here, and I feel I belong here, but you never know what to expect."

DiRugeris, who led Woodbury to the South Jersey Group 1 championship, says he is naturally nervous before every game. Maybe that nervous energy is what has made him an all-star.

Afterward, Shannon said the performance did not give him an extra dose of confidence. DiRugeris had the opposite view.

"Once you make that first shot, you settle down, but to play this way today was really big for my confidence," DiRugeris said.

Both players will be suiting up one final time in all-star competition on Saturday at 3 p.m. when they play in the Albert J. Carino Basketball Club of South Jersey all-star game at Eastern.

"I'm looking forward to playing in that game," DiRugeris said.

Added Shannon: "It will be a lot of fun."

Finally the two players with different approaches agree: Being a guard in an all-star game is something to relish.