Markusssssss, Markusssssss ... Monroe is the top 'Cat in Saturday's All-Star Classic

Star-News boys win, 115-102
AZUSA - Scoring sprees are nothing new to Monrovia High School's Markus Monroe.
The Wildcats senior scored 40 points on the road against South Pasadena on Jan. 26 and came back with 31 the next game against Blair.
On Saturday, Monroe proved he belonged with the big boys.
Monroe hit five 3-pointers and poured in 21 points to lift the Star-News all-star team to a 115-102 victory over the Tribune stars in the Tribune/Star-News All-Star Classic at Azusa Pacific University's Felix Event Center.
For his effort, Monroe was named the Star-News Player of the Game.
"I wasn't really going for the MVP, I was going for the win because we were down when I came in," Monroe said. "I tried to get the win and points came along with it."
Unlike many of the players, Monroe didn't have any trouble adjusting to the different sightlines in the larger arena.
"It felt like when I had 40 against South Pas," Monroe said. "Everything that went up went in. I was feeling it tonight, and it was one of my better nights I've had in a long time."
South Hills' Jerry Santos scored a game-high 23 points and was named the Tribune's Player of the Game.
"It's not really that big of a thing for me," Santos said. "It all kind of goes back to my teammates at South Hills and my coaches for all the support and making me the player that I am today."
Pasadena's Torey Phillips scored 14 points for the Star-News all-stars.
Scott Jones had 12 and Star-News Player of the Year Trevon Harmon chipped in with 11.
Walnut's Chasen Woods collected 19 points and San Dimas' Jon Joe had 11. Damien's Griffin Ramme scored nine points.
Monroe connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to spark an 8-0 run that gave the Star-News a 32-23 lead with 9:09 to play before halftime.
Keppel's Noel Madrigal chipped in with two 3-pointers to spark a string of nine unanswered points that put the Star-News up by 10, 44-34. He hit three 3-pointers and finished the game with nine points.
South Pasadena's Darin Nakauchi hit two 3-pointers and finished the night with eight points for the Star-News all-stars.
The Tribune all-stars, however, scored the final seven points of the half to cut the Star-News' lead to 50-46 at the intermission.
Monroe hit a pair of 3-pointers as the Star-News opened the second half on a 23-4 run to increase its lead to 73-50.
The Tribune stars mounted one last comeback, but it fell short.
"This was such a great event to be a part of and I'm just glad to be out here," Santos said. "It's too bad that we couldn't get a `W', but it's all fun."
Phillips won the slam-dunk contest, judged by former Glendora standouts Tracy and Cameron Murray and Brandon Lee.
Ramme came away with a victory in the boys' 3-point contest.

Tribune girls win, 64-56
AZUSA - The atmosphere wasn't conducive to an all-star game.
The competitive drive of the participants wouldn't allow anything less than a hard-fought game in the Tribune/Star-News All-Star Classic on Saturday night at Azusa Pacific University.
Covina High School's Blaire Egardo stole the show, pouring in 16 points to lead the Tribune girls all-stars to a 64-56 victory over the Star-News.
"It was a very exciting experience and my one goal was to come out to help my team win, and that's what we did," Egardo said.
With her performance, Egardo was named the Tribune Player of the Game.
"To win MVP at a big game like this, it feels like the hard work has finally paid off," Egardo said.
La Ca ada's Joy Lelo of the Star-News squad showcased her ability to drive to the basket in the first half when she scored all nine of her points, which tied Rosemead's Jessica Ly for team-high honors.
"I think we all just wanted to come out strong and have fun because we had nothing to lose," said Lelo, who was named Star-News Player of the Game.
Pasadena's Monica Rodberg scored just four points but was a terror on the boards.
Rodberg pulled down 12 rebounds in the first half and finished with 16.
The Tribune team opened up a 27-20 lead following a 3-pointer by San Dimas' Lauren Sapp.
The Star-News responded with 10 consecutive points to move ahead 30-27 with 2:21 left before halftime.
Duarte's Zequoia Williams hit a 3-pointer as time expired to cut the Star-News' lead to 32-30 at the half.
"I think early on our kids were nervous with the big crowd," Covina coach Greg Gustafson said. "We started out slow, but after that we got rolling a little bit and it was a lot of fun."
After Muir's Kalen Cooper hit one of two foul shots, the Tribune rolled off eight unanswered points to take a 38-33 advantage.
The Tribune used a 14-4 run to break a 46-46 tie and put the game away.
Bishop Amat's Michelle Franco, Glendora's Ashley Paul and Diamond Ranch's Eliza Dy each scored seven points for the Tribune.
Muir's Darxia Morris, the 2006-07 Star-News Girls Player of the Year, scored eight points.
"It was a different experience not knowing how other people play, but we got together and kind of played together as a team and we played strong," Morris said.
"Any time you get to coach some good players, I cherish that moment," Star-News coach Gary Johnson of Muir said. "The girls worked hard but just ran out of gas."
Morris, who is headed to UCLA, was victorious in the girls 3-point contest.
"To me it was really huge because I usually don't shoot 3-pointers at all," Morris said.