Myrtle Beach boys unable to hold off Wilson

Myrtle Beach let an opportunity to jump into the race for the Region VIII-AAA title slip away Friday night.

The Seahawks saw a nine-point halftime lead over region co-leader Wilson dissipate in the third quarter, and later couldn’t sustain the momentum of a 14-3 run in the game’s final four minutes that forged a tie.

Wilson (14-6) scored the only two points in the final 1:25 at the foul line and escaped with a 55-53 road win to remain tied with St. James atop the region at 5-1.

“They were attacking and making shots and had us back on our heels in the first half,” said Tigers coach and former Seahawks coach DeAndre Scott. “I told the kids if they want a serious chance to win the region this year then they have to show some fight in the third quarter, and they responded.”

The Seahawks (9-11) could have tied the Tigers for second in the region, but instead face an uphill climb to a region title and will have to battle for a playoff spot at 3-3 in the six-team region.

Myrtle Beach stifled Wilson’s offense through the first two quarters, holding the Tigers to 18 points at halftime to take a nine-point lead into the break. Nine players scored in the first half for the balanced Seahawks.

But Wilson scored 23 points in the third quarter to take a 41-39 lead entering the final quarter. Junior guard Patrell Rogers scored 10 points in the third on a myriad of baskets including a dunk on a break, a jumper, pull-up jumper in transition, and pair of lay-ins.

The Tigers scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to open up an 11-point lead on a four free throws by Braxton Ivery, a three-point play by Ivery off a baseline drive, and inside bucket on a spin move by Alandre Davis.

Following the fiery urgings of Myrtle Beach coach Craig Martin during a timeout, a pair of free throws by Tramond Wilson with 4:11 to play snapped a nearly five-minute scoreless streak for the Seahawks and began a 10-2 run that quickly pulled them back into the game.

Tramond Wilson, who had a team-high 12 points, added a pair of free throws and lay-in on a break in the run, Daquarius Wilson scored off a steal and E.J. Goings finished the run with a steal and lay-in to close the gap to 52-49 with 2:30 to play.

A Brandon Jones free throw pushed the advantage back to four points, but Tramond Wilson scored off the follow of a blocked shot and Goings converted a T.J. Jones pass on the break into a lay-in to tie the score at 53 with 1:25 to play.

A Jones free throw put the Tigers ahead with 48 seconds remaining, and an Emaray Johnson foul-line jumper for Myrtle Beach went in and out with 8 seconds remaining.

Ivery added a free throw and a Myrtle Beach inbounds pass with 2.3 seconds remaining was stolen by Ivery.

“We’re staying positive,” Martin said “… I’m extremely excited and proud of how they played. They’ve worked hard all year. They worked hard in the summer. They’re doing a great job. They’re doing exactly what we want them to do. They’re playing the way we want them to play, and they’re not giving up. We’re fighting all the way through.”

•  WILSON (PTS) – Brandon Jones 14, Braxton Ivery 14, Patrell Rogers 12, Alandre Davis 10, Taveon Haile 3, Jared Charles 2.

•  MYRTLE BEACH (PTS) – Tramond Wilson 12, Emaray Johnson 9, E.J. Goings 8, Soloman Cooper 7, Daquarius Wilson 4, T.J. Jones 4, Nolin Butler 3, Tryone Sutton 2, Mason Lewis 2, Bert Mack 2.

• 3-point goals: Wilson 0; Myrtle Beach 3 (Butler, Johnson, Cooper). Team fouls: Wilson 11, Myrtle Beach 13. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

• Records: Wilson 14-6, 5-1, Myrtle Beach 9-11, 3-3.

MB girls fall again

The Myrtle Beach girls suffered their second Region VIII-AAA loss of the year – and second region loss since 2005-06 – after losing an 18-point halftime lead at home against Wilson.

The Seahawks led 27-9 at the half, but Wilson exploded for 31 points in the third quarter and outlasted Myrtle Beach in overtime for a 70-57 win Friday night. Myrtle Beach (16-4) fell to 4-2 in the region, while Wilson (11-11) improved to 2-4.

“I think we kind of lost focus and I don’t think we had the same intensity on defense in the third quarter,” said Myrtle Beach coach Brian Kiper, whose team continues to be without talented junior Tanisha Brown because of a knee injury. “I think that’s just relaxing a little bit mentally, losing focus and just not digging down and playing defense.”

Khadijah Sessions scored a game-high 30 points for the Seahawks and tied the game to force overtime by making one of two free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining in regulation.

But Wilson commanded the overtime, as Nijeria White hit a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minute and added an inside basket to put the Tigers up by eight. A free throw by Jasmyn Burch, and jumper off her own free throw miss, put the Tigers up by 11 with 1:40 left in the extra four-minute session.

Burch finished with 25 points, including 15 points in the third when she hit three of Wilson’s five 3-pointers in the quarter. White scored 23 and Maya Jackson added 14 for Wilson.

“A big win here really helps boost our girls’ confidence and puts us back on the winning track in the region,” Wilson coach Kimberlyn Jackson said. “I told my leaders they needed to step up. I’ve got three captains and needed three leaders on the floor. They went out and did exactly what I asked.”

•  WILSON (70) – Mallory Gainey 2, Jasmyn Burch 25, Jazmyne Jackson 6, Nijeria White 23, Maya Jackson 14.

•  MYRTLE BEACH (57) – Cameron Crutchfield 2, Shavae Shaw 11, Khadijah Sessions 30, Tyrenda Sutton 4, Martina Ballestero 5, Christiana Myers 3, Kardejah Anderson 2.

• 3-point goals: Wilson 9 (Burch 3, White 6); Myrtle Beach 4 (Sessions 2, Shaw 1, Ballestero 1). Team fouls: Wilson 18, Myrtle Beach 18. Fouled out: Sessions. Technical fouls: Johnson.

• Records: Wilson N/A, Myrtle Beach 16-4, 4-2 Region VIII-AAA.