Perseverance pays off for Zam, Myrtle Beach in win over Wilson

Driving toward the basket in the closing seconds Friday night, a single word resonated in the mind of Myrtle Beach’s Adam Zam.

Finish.

After two unsuccessful attempts from point-blank range, the upperclassman’s third shot finally hit the mark, allowing Myrtle Beach to pull out a 53-52 overtime win over Wilson.

Zam scored each of his 12 points in the second half and overtime. According to the senior sharpshooter, all of it was by design.

“Coach (Craig Martin) asked me to finish the game for him,” he said. “I did what I had to do as a senior, and I put the team on my back and finished the game.”

A game played largely in the confines of a phone booth, neither team held more than a 7-point lead at any time. This was particularly true of the fourth quarter and overtime, the teams finding themselves tied on six occasions.

Seemingly, every time Myrtle Beach pulled even, the Tigers would have an answer.

Wilson thought it would finally be able to vanquish its foes after Jamal Bryant split a pair of free throws, and guard Blake Walker’s runner put it up 52-49 with 90 seconds remaining.

However, on Myrtle Beach’s next possession, Zam was fouled – putting him at the charity stripe for a pair of free throws. The senior cooly knocked down both, pulling the Seahawks to within a point and setting the scene for the dramatic finish.

Isolated by his teammates and given the opportunity to go 1-on-1 with a Wilson defender, Zam drove hard to the basket. His first attempt was short, with his second caroming off the back rim.

Both missed, but fortuitously landed back into his waiting arms. Given one more try, the Seahawks senior made sure he got the desired result.

“We just kind of rode the one that was hot,” Martin said. “We looked at many different ways to get him the ball, and figured one out. (Zam) caught the ball, executed and continued to play, because he missed the original attempt at the layup but had to tip it two or three times, He did a good job of committing to the play.”

Wilson had a couple of opportunities in the game’s closing seconds, but the Tigers’ final attempt was blocked at the buzzer.

Bryce Schneider chipped in 11 points on top of Zam’s team-high point total. Jamonty Williams led Wilson with 13 points.

Along with Zam’s ability to create plays down the stretch, Myrtle Beach’s ability to knock down free throws buoyed them to a win. The Seahawks knocked down each of their final 16 free throws in the game.

The victory pushes the Seahawks to 6-13 on the season, and more importantly, 3-3 in Region VII-AAA play. Wilson, now riding a 2-game losing streak, finds itself in the unfamiliar position of second place in the league at 3-2.

“Every single game is big,” Martin said. “This is a great win. Wilson is a skilled, talented team ... I’m just happy to get out of here with a win.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 12:19 AM with the headline "Perseverance pays off for Zam, Myrtle Beach in win over Wilson."