Conway shows off defensive prowess, depth in rout of NMB

With several starters still trying to work their way into the lineup after football season, Conway boys basketball coach Michael Hopkins admitted he didn’t know exactly when his team would show its full potential.

Following Friday night’s performance at North Myrtle Beach, some in attendance were left to believe the future may be a tad scary — for Tiger opponents, that is.

Allowing its hosts to hang close for a quarter, Conway (2-1) lit the flame to a rout on the defensive end, outscoring the home-standing 18-4. The Tigers would only add to the advantage in the second half, flexing their muscle en route to an 85-57.

“I thought the first quarter we gave them a few extra possessions, not focusing on rebounds that we should have gotten,” Hopkins said. “But later in the game we got to focusing on finishing defensive possessions, and not on necessarily scoring. Because if you do the little things, those scoring opportunities will come.”

Eleven Conway players scored in the game, with four of them in double figures.

The smallest among them led the charge, though, as guard Juwan Moody had 17 points on the night. Three of his attempts from beyond the arc hit the mark, along with a highlight reel dunk that caused Conway faithful to rise from their seats.

Also with a solid effort was Jaylen Moody, who had 16 points and four rebounds. Standout junior forward Jimmy Nichols had himself a double-double, scoring 15 points and bringing in 10 rebounds.

“That’s good, that’s good ... that’s what I like to see,” Hopkins said. “These guys have good chemistry, and as we’ve added pieces back, I want the guys to play together and play unselfish, it could take us a long way.”

Someone who wasn’t all that excited about Friday night’s result was North Myrtle Beach basketball coach Alvin Green, who felt his team’s effort was lacking, particularly as the game drifted out of reach.

“It was a combination of things, honestly,” he said. “Maybe it was fatigue, tired, we just didn’t play tough enough tonight ... but we were flat out unprepared for tonight’s game. We came out flat, and we didn’t fight ... and it showed.

“I’m not sure how many offensive rebounds they had, but there were quite a bit. Our guys didn’t play hard enough tonight, didn’t play tough down the stretch and that told the story.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Conway 50, (at) North Myrtle Beach 44 | The Tigers fell behind big time in the first quarter, but outscored the Chiefs by 18 over the next two frames before pulling away as Conway took down North Myrtle Beach.

Meme Williams and Neci Hemingway combined for 30 of the Tigers’ 50 points.

This story was originally published December 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Conway shows off defensive prowess, depth in rout of NMB."