Selma High Lady Saints forward Ta’Sharri Grimes took advantage of her opportunity to play in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) North-South All-Star game at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Alabama State University’s campus on Wednesday night.

In line with a roster full of talented girls basketball players from around the state, Grimes stepped forward and waved when her name and school were announced over the PA system to the crowd.

The South team had only practiced with each other for three days leading up to Wednesday’s All-Star exhibition game, but Grimes walked out with the starting five to prepare for tip-off.

“It felt great to be selected because I’m sure there are a lot of girls want to be in my spot,” she said.

Even in the red and white No. 15 South jersey, Grimes stood out with her Lady Saints blue basketball shoes. She didn’t have to change her game at all for the South team.

Much like she does for the Lady Saints, Grimes was the ball-handler and scorer when the team needed her to be.

After she scored her first basket beating her defender to the baseline early in the first quarter, Grimes remained hot for the remainder of the game. She beat her defenders off the dribble, hit a mid-range turn around jumper and wowed the crowd with a spin move on a fast break for another layup.

She was perfect from the field (6-for-6) through three quarters, and finished the game with 14 points, an assist, a block, a steal and two turnovers.

The South team trailed the entire game, but Grimes continued to push and close the gap for her team.

“That’s a great kid, and [Grimes] played well,” team South and Clarke County head girls basketball coach Rhonda Wright said. “She was doing her thing getting in the paint and scoring points. She carried us in certain spots, so she did a great job.”

However, Grimes injured her left shoulder in the fourth quarter when she collided with a defender diving for a loose ball on a fastbreak. The injury placed her on the sideline for the remainder of the game, and team North was able to maintain their lead over South.

“I feel like I was doing a great job from the beginning to the end until I got injured,” Grimes said. “I still wanted to get out there and finish, but I couldn’t because they wouldn’t let me.”

Despite the 66-57 loss to North, Grimes was one of the exciting players to watch in the talent-filled game.

Grimes enjoyed her all-star experience in Montgomery. The AHSAA also gave the athletes an opportunity to give back to the community during their stay. Grimes and the other athletes visited a local Boy’s and Girl’s Club to teach fundamentals of the game to the kids.

“We had it split up into six stations, and we worked with the kids,” she said.

Grimes left the basketball floor with an ice pack on her left shoulder, but she made the most of her North-South All-Star experience.