Staff report
GREENSBORO – Salisbury graduate Braylon Taylor came close to being the first person to score his career high in the East-West All-Star Game.
Taylor’s career high was the 29 points he scored in the 4A state championship game against Reidsville as a senior.
The 6-foot-2 Catawba recruit scored 28 on Monday as the West All-Stars came back from a 19-point deficit and beat the East All-Stars 102-101 at the Novant Fieldhouse. He was voted the game’s MVP.
Reidsville’s Dionte Neal, twice the Gatorade Player of the Year for North Carolina, made the game-winning shot after Taylor led a collosal comeback.
While most of his teammates were struggling, Taylor got off a a solid start, shooting 4-for-6 and scoring nine points in the first quarter.
Taylor had a quiet second quarter as the West team fell behind 63-44 at the break.
But everything was clicking for Taylor by late in the third quarter. He made the last bucket of the third quarter and the first one of the fourth.
Taylor’s steal and three-point play lifted the West to a 99-all tie late and set the stage for Neal’s dramatic game-winner.
Neal had two points going to the fourth quarter but finished strong.
The Rowan County and South Piedmont Conference Player of the Year, Taylor played 23 minutes and shot 11-for-23 from the field.
He was 2-for-3 on 3-pointers and made all four of his free throws.
He had three rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Shimere Garris scored 24 for the East, while Will Seward had 22 points and 10 rebounds.
