Kelly Williams of the South All-Stars scores on a two-handed slam against the North squad during their All-Star Game Sunday night in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The North All-Stars won, 133-130.

PUERTO PRINCESA — The undersized North All-Star team used its quickness to down South All-Star team, 133-130, Sunday night in the 2010 PBA All-Star Game at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum here.

Guard Mark Cardona led the Northerners, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the second period, while forwards Arwind Santos and Gabe Norwood contributed 17 points apiece.

Norwood, the second-year player of Rain or Shine, was named the Handy Fix-Most Valuable Player (MVP), providing several highlight-reels with his rim-rattling slam dunks while adding five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a shot block.

Down by four, 97-101, Norwood joined hands with former All-Star MVP Willie Miller and Ranidel de Ocampo, who both finished with 12 points, in a 24-15 run bridging the late part of the third and early fourth that gave North a 123-116 lead with 6:16 to play.

The last time the South team threatened was when Jimmy Alapag converted a jumper and two free throws, 125-127, with less than two minutes left.

But Norwood, Cardona, and De Ocampo scored six straight points for North for a 133-125 advantage with 35.9 seconds remaining in the game.

“We want to use our quickness to the hilt, and luckily, it worked for us,” North mentor Ryan Gregorio said, as he improved his All-Star record to 2-1. “We all know that the South team is very tall, they have the height advantage.”

South's Joe de Vance, meanwhile led his team during the introduction with his hip-hop and break-dancing to the tune of Rude Boy by Rihanna that delighted a capacity crowd.

The North All-Star players responded with their dance version of the sexy song “Careless Whisper”.

Earlier, the active players composed of reigning Three-Point Shootout champion Mark Macapagal of Coca-Cola, Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan, and Barako Bull Coffee’s Yousif Aljamal won the Legends Shooting Stars challenge.

The troika combined for 51 points to beat ex-PBA players, four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio, 1998 MVP Kenneth Duremdes, and Roel Gomez, who totalled 29 points. The three pocketed P20,000.

In the Shooting Stars competition, the three teams were not able to finish the challenge after they all missed on their half-court shots, but the group of San Miguel’s Jonas Villanueva, the Obstacle Challenge champion and TV courtside reporter Dom Uy had the best time of 38 seconds to win the title.

The scores:
NORTH ALL-STARS 133 – Cardona 20, Norwood 17, Santos 17, Mercado 14, Miller 12, De Ocampo 12, Intal 11, Artadi 9, Reyes 7, Pingris 6, Helterbrand 6, Maierhofer 2.
SOUTH ALL-STARS 130 – Williams 17, Baguio 15, Alapag 14, Thoss 14, Yap, J. 11, Hugnatan 11, Taulava 10, Tubid 9, Devance 9, Yap, R. 7, Menk 4.
Quarters: 38-39; 76-69; 104-101; 133-130.