Georgiana head basketball coach Kirk Norris was recently chosen as coach of the South All-Stars basketball team during this year’s All-Stars Sports Week.

All-Star Sports Week takes the best high school players and coaches in the state and divides them between the North and South regions.

Norris wanted to give credit where credit was due, and was appreciative of those that made it all possible.

“I feel very grateful to have been chosen to coach the Boys South Basketball All-Stars this year,” Norris said. “To have the honor of coaching the best players in the state is definitely a tremendous honor.  I have to thank my players at Georgiana for having a great season this past year, and they are the reason I received the great opportunity of coaching in the all-star game.”

The South basketball team squared off against their North opponents Wednesday night at the Alabama State University Acadome.

The South came out of the gates fast early on, leading by as many as 14 points late in the first half. However, star player De-Runnya Wilson from Wenonah eliminated that momentum almost single-handedly in the third quarter.

The 6-foot-6-inch forward picked up a loose ball and scored to tie the game with 4:10 remaining in the third, and led the North to a 2-point lead with a steal and another basket soon after.

From then on, it was tough for the South to regain control.

The North won with a 65-57 victory over the South, extending their winning streak to 10 games.

Norris said his team played extremely hard and competed at a high level despite the loss, and that he enjoyed the opportunity to coach them.

“Being able to coach such a talented group of players is a great honor,” Norris said.

“The players were receptive and willing to do what I asked of them in the short time I had them.  They were a very talented and great group of young men to work with.”