Rookies 103, Sophomores 97
Richardson, Rookies Stuff the Sophs

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 9 (Ticker) -- This wasn't the trophy Jason Richardson
was supposed to win.

Richardson scored 26 points and made Mike Miller eat his words as the
Rookies defeated the Sophomores, 103-97, in the 'got milk?' Rookie Challenge
at NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday.

Richardson made 11-of-18 shots and was named Most Valuable Player. The
athletic guard of the Golden State Warriors played 22 minutes and was very
active but said he had plenty left for the NBA.com Slam Dunk Presented by
RealOne on Saturday night.

Shane Battier and the Rookies elevated their games and downed the Sophs,
103-97.

"I got a good night's rest last night," Richardson said. "I still think I'll
have some energy to go back and rest a little bit and get the fans excited
for tonight."

Entered in the Slam Dunk, Richardson showed he is much more than a leaper. He
had a handful of rim-rattling dunks but also showed a nice touch from the
perimeter.

Early in the second half, Richardson had back-to-back 3-pointers and a long
jumper. He capped his spectacular game with a reverse follow dunk that gave
the Rookies a 98-92 lead with 1:20 remaining.

Richardson posted the third-highest point total in the eight-year history of
the game, which now pits first-year players against second-year players. Only
Kobe Bryant, with 31 in 1997, and Wally Szczerbiak, with 27 last year, have
scored more.

At practice on Friday, Miller said the Sophomores would win, 130-100. The
swingman of the Orlando Magic made just 1-of-7 shots and became a two-time
loser in this event, having lost as a rookie last year.

"We just kept quiet and knew what we were going to do today," said Richardson.
"I wanted to beat those guys so bad."

"You knew they were going to come with it and we were going to come with it,
" Miller said. "We just waited too long to turn it on. You have to give
credit to them, they played."

Shane Battier of the Memphis Grizzlies scored 15 points and Zeljko Rebraca of
the Detroit Pistons added 14 and nine rebounds for the Rookies, who shot 55
percent (45-of-82), picking up the pace in the second half.

"I was impressed with -- I can't pronounce his name, from Detroit," Richardson
said. "I haven't watched him play that much, but he's a pretty good ballplayer."

Quentin Richardson scored 22 points and Los Angeles Clippers teammate Darius
Miles added 20 for the Sophomores, who shot just 45 percent (44-of-97) and
played more to the crowd than to win.

With 12:24 left, Jason Richardson came off a screen and threw down a one-hand
hammer dunk over Cleveland 7-footer Chris Mihm that brought oohs from the
laid-back First Union Center crowd and gave the Rookies the lead for good at
72-71. He added a 360 dunk off a fast break just over a minute later.

"That's a preview of later," Jason Richardson said.

Battier took over from there, making four mid-range jumpers over the next
five minutes to help extend the lead to 92-81 with 5:22 left.

Jason Richardson scored 11 points in the first half but was outdone by Quentin
Richardson, who scored 21 points -- many off offensive rebounds.

When Quentin Richardson took a seat, Miles took over. The 6-10 forward played
point guard and did rather well, throwing a lob that defending Slam Dunk
champion Desmond Mason could not put home, flipping in a dipsy-doo finger
roll and going behind the back with a dribble before whipping a
behind-the-back pass to Sacramento's Hedo Turkoglu for a layup and a 37-36
lead.

Of course, Quentin Richardson and Miles flashed their trademark "noggin knock"
after nearly every basket.

The Rookies went to halftime trailing 58-51, but not before Jason Richardson
threw down a vicious rock-the-baby dunk in the last minute.

Boston's Joe Johnson and Brendan Haywood scored 12 points apiece for the
Rookies.

New Jersey's Kenyon Martin scored 17 points and Chicago's Marcus Fizer grabbed
14 rebounds for the Sophomores, who held a 54-39 edge on the glass.