MONTGOMERY — Cullman’s Lawson Schaffer and Baylee Johnson officially closed their high school basketball careers as All-Stars.

And winners.

Schaffer heaped on his usual smattering of the intangibles in a 101-88 victory for the boys, while Johnson showed off her driving abilities in a 93-87 triumph for the girls in Friday’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Games at Alabama State’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Schaffer came off the bench midway through the first half of the boys matchup and immediately made an impact. He clanked in a mid-range shot not even a minute on the court and then quickly transitioned to the role of thief, swiping steal after steal in rapid succession. The first was cashed in for a dunk by Lee-Huntsville’s Gerron Scissum, the second for a 3 of his own with no one in sight and the fourth for an alley oop thrown down by Theodore’s Dazon Ingram.

Schaffer hit the bench late in the first half with five points, four steals and two assists. The points and team-high in steals didn’t change the rest of the night, but the point guard did raise his assists to four and rebounds to three following a pair of second-half appearances.

Schaffer, widely considered one of the top four candidates for the state’s coveted title of Mr. Basketball, was all smiles on the floor after celebrating the win with family, friends, coaches and teammates. He summed up the All-Star experience with two surprising words to anyone who saw him in action during a spectacular senior season — “definitely humbling.”

“We played 1-on-1 drills to start out, and I was getting killed every time,” said Schaffer, who reported to Montgomery Wednesday with the other 11 players on Alabama’s talent-heavy roster. “They kept me down there with the post players because all the good guards were on that end. It kind of got to me. I was like, ‘I can’t come in here just because I’m on Mr. Basketball and act like it’s going to be given to me.’ These guys are just as good as me, so I knew I had to come out and play my hardest.

“That’s what I tried to do.”

Some folks might’ve been shocked an All-State first-teamer and finalist for Class 6A Player of the Year didn’t earn the start.

Schaffer was not one of them. He didn’t mince words about why, either.

“I’m really not the best player,” he said. “I’m just on Mr. Basketball because of my work ethic and I’m on a really good team.”

One man elated he no longer has to scheme against Schaffer is Decatur’s Jamie Lee, one of Alabama’s three coaches Friday. The rival leader said he couldn’t help but notice how Schaffer was constantly talking and encouraging his teammates the minute he arrived on campus.

Toss in Schaffer’s passing abilities, active hands and pinpoint shooting, and Lee felt the standout was a complete package any college would be happy to have.

“I think people overlook him a little bit. That’s just my take on it,” the coach said. “I think somebody is missing out by not taking him. He just makes things happen on the basketball court.

“He may not be Dazon Ingram athletically, with the God-gifted body Dazon has, but Lawson does things just like Dazon, just in a different way.”

Ingram, one of Cullman’s foes at the Steel City Classic, was named Alabama’s MVP after racking up 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Other newfound teammates Schaffer faced during this past season were Scissum, a fellow Player of the Year finalist, and Austin’s Camron Reedus — not to mention Carver-Montgomery’s Brandon Austin, the last young man in the running for 6A’s top individual award.

Schaffer was honored just to take the same court as such next-level competitors.

“It’s awesome. These guys are athletes,” he said. “More than athletes, they’re basketball players. You add those two together, and it calls for a freak basketball player. That’s what they are.”

Though Schaffer donned a red and white Alabama jersey for the senior showcase, he said he’s still leaning toward accepting a preferred walk-on invitation from Auburn. Schaffer said he still has a few more visits to take and will probably make his pick in early to mid-April, possibly even before the first day of the national signing period.

“Auburn is still my No. 1 right now,” he said. “There’s so many decisions, and there’s not a black and white with any college. There’s pros and cons, so we’ll see.”

Johnson, fresh off a senior campaign barely slowed by an offseason ACL injury, waited only five minutes for her first playing time in the opener.

The 5-foot-7 point guard made her presence known pretty quickly, too, driving past two towering Mississippi defenders for her lone field goal of the evening. Johnson rounded out a four-point showing with a pair of successful free throws later in the half.

Johnson had her reasons for going strong to the basket right away.

“I was trying to prove that I belong here,” she said.

Red Bay’s Donnie Roberts, the head of Alabama’s coaching trio, had already made up his mind Johnson’s spot on the select roster was much deserved far before she made the authoritative drive.

“Of course you’ve got some big players in this game, but little players that’s got the heart that’s Baylee’s got, she plays hard,” he said. “I tell you what, she’s a real gritty player. An excellent shooter and ball handler. She’s done good this week.”

Despite the kind words from Roberts, Johnson felt she still has plenty to work on. The UAH signee said Wednesday’s two-and-half-hour practice and the three of the same length that followed Thursday were especially rough.

“The speed of the game is so much faster. You’ve got to catch up with it,” Johnson said. “I’ve just got to take care of the ball better. If I’m going to be a point guard in college, I’ve got to pick up my ball game.”

As for receiving the All-Star treatment in her final chance to rep the Lady Bearcats?

“I thought it was awesome,” Johnson said. “I was blessed to be picked for it.”

Clay-Chalkville’s Kristian Hudson was tabbed Alabama’s MVP after posting 24 points, five assists and three steals.

Alabama’s boys improved to 14-11 in the series with their fourth straight win against Mississippi. The girls avenged last year’s loss and took a 13-12 series advantage.