Dionte Neal's buzzer-beater lifts the West past the East in 2026 NCCA Basketball All-Star Game

A fitting end for a legendary player.

Reidsville Senior High School graduate Dionte Neal hit a game-winning 3-point buzzer-beater to send the West All-Stars past the East All-Stars, 102-101, in the 2026 NC Coaches Association East-West All-Star Boys Basketball Game.

The reigning NC Boys Gatorade Player of the Year was held to two points entering the fourth quarter. At times, the East team elected to face guard Neal when he was away from the ball on offense. Neal picked up his first bucket of the fourth quarter with under four minutes left. He finished with 10 points.

It was the 77th edition of the NCCA Boys Basketball All-Star Game. The West squad now leads the overall series, 40-37.

The East was coached by Matt Brown of Northwood High School and Greg Motley of Southern Durham High School. The West team was coached by Joe Spinks of Eastern Guilford High School and Lavar Batts of Jay M. Robinson High School.

To cap off a dominant opening half from the East Washington High School's Shimere Garris drilled a shot from past half court at the buzzer to give the East All-Stars a 63-44 lead.

Garris led all scorers in the first half with 15 points.

In the third quarter, the West had some fight in it. The East team called a timeout with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter after its lead was cut to 13 points.

By the end of the third, the West had cut the the East's lead to nine points. Braylon Taylor of Salisbury had a drive and successful layup with a couple of seconds left on the clock.

Taylor started the fourth quarter with a 2-point jumper to cut the East lead to seven points.

With 7:48 left, a basket and the foul for Hoggard's Will Seward improved the East lead to 12 points.

With 2:34 to go, Taylor sank a pull-up jumper from the top of the key to cut the East advantage to four points.

A dunk by Seward with 59 seconds left was answered by a Neal pull-up 3-pointer, which cut the lead to 99-94 with 49 seconds to play.

The East team proceeded to miss two free throws and North Mecklenburg's ExZavier Young made a layup to make it a one-possession game. The West called a timeout with with 32 seconds to play.

Out of the timeout, the East team called a football routes play and turned it over. Taylor got the steal and made a basket and the foul. He hit the free throw to tie the game at 99.

Matt Brown called a timeout for the East with 19 seconds left.

Garris was fouled with 15.3 seconds left. He made both free throws to give the East a 101-99 lead.

The West team had the ball knocked out of bounds with three seconds left. Head coach Joe Spinks called a timeout, down two points.

The baseline out of bounds play was called for Neal, and he drilled the shot through contact.