Sumpter, Myrtle Beach gain measure of revenge vs. Wilson

Much was said following Myrtle Beach’s loss to Wilson earlier this month, but one thing particularly struck the nerve of Seahawks shooting forward Nia Sumpter.

“It was said by (Wilson) that their ‘Big 3’ was better than ours,” she said. “We were out to prove that their ‘Big 3’ could not beat our ‘Big 14.’ ”

Given a second chance against the rival Tigers on Friday night, Sumpter and her Myrtle Beach teammates had not forgotten what was said – sending a response through their play.

Sumpter scored a game-high 25 points, helping Myrtle Beach gain a measure of revenge in a 59-35 victory of Wilson.

“She’s our bulldog, she does all the dirty work for us,” said Myrtle Beach girls basketball coach Jennifer Dennison. “What else can I say, she’s just a great player for us.”

The teams’ meeting earlier this month was decided in the final seconds, with Wilson pulling out a 56-53 win. This clash between a pair of Class AAA’s top teams would not feature such drama.

Myrtle Beach led wire-to-wire, with senior Keocia Walker setting the tone by scoring the game’s first five points. If not scoring, the diminutive point guard was dishing out assists – her primary beneficiary being Sumpter – staking her team to a 22-13 halftime lead.

Immediately after the halftime break, the Seahawks pushed their lead to double-digits – an advantage that would only grow as the game moved along.

In addition to Sumpter’s game-high point total, Walker added 14 points. Kiana Adderton was the only other Myrtle Beach player in double figures with 12.

Wilson was led by Shamiyah Barnes, who had 11 points, while Kiki Jones chipped in nine for the Tigers in a losing effort. The other member of the Tigers’ “Big 3” – D’Asia Gregg – was held scoreless.

Though certainly a big win for the Seahawks, Dennison is preaching humility to her team, hoping her players will take things one game at a time.

“It’s a great win for our girls, but we’re taking things one game at a time, knowing what is ahead for us,” she said. “Next week we have Lake City and then we’re on to St. James, a team which also was able to beat (Wilson). We have to continue striving to get better.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 12:23 AM with the headline "Sumpter, Myrtle Beach gain measure of revenge vs. Wilson."