CLINTON, MS — Keith’s John Pettway scored 10 points in Friday night’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game, but it ended up being in a losing effort.

Mississippi’s All-Stars edged Alabama 85-83 Friday night at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the Mississippi College campus to win the boys’ game and sweep  the 26th Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Games.

Mississippi MVP Taze Moore of Southhaven scored 26 points to lead all scorers, including eight in the last 35 seconds, as the hosts pulled out the victory in a wild finish.  Alabama MVP Trey Petty of Westminster Christian had 21 points, including as 3-pointer to tie the game at 83-83 with six seconds remaining.  Moore, however, had one more shot in him as he took the ball the length of the floor and scored just before the buzzer to seal the win. Alabama still holds a 14-12 lead in the series that played its first game in 1991.

Pettway said the game gave him a chance to get ready for college.

“It was a great experience,” Pettway said. “It really prepared me for how college is going to be because in high school you don’t play with Division I and Division II players all the time.”

The game, hosted by the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) in partnership with the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & coaches Association (AHSADCA), was played in Mississippi for the second time since the rotation between states was resumed in 2014. It returns to Alabama next March.

Alabama’s All-Stars, coached by Andy Blackston of Madison Academy and Ronnie Stapler of Westminster Christian,  led most of the first half thanks to a near perfect inside shooting performance out of the gate inside the 3-point arc. Alabama was 10-of-10 in the first 12 minutes but just 1-of-10 from 3-point distance and held a slim 24-21 lead with 7:02 to play in the opening half. Alabama finished 14-of-18 on 2-pointers in the first half but remained cold from the 3-point distance until Cold Springs’ Triston Chambers nailed his only attempt of the first half in the final minute and Alabama trailed 32-31 at intermission.  Alabama also shot just two free throws in the first 20 minutes.

Mountain Brook’s Jack Kline and Woodlawn’s Javien Williams reeled off nine points between them in the first two minutes of the second half to give Alabama a 42-34 lead.  Mississippi turned up its defensive pressure, however, and with 10:32 to play, Alabama led by only one, 56-55.

The game came down to the final minute, however, with Alabama in possession and holding a 78-77 lead. A Mississippi steal and lay-up set up the incredible finish.