The Sun News Toast of the Coast hoops finalists announced

Six area basketball players set themselves apart during 2015-2016 basketball season. Two of them will earn The Sun News’ top individual hoops honor later this month.

North Myrtle Beach’s Josh Livingston, Carvers Bay’s Arkel Williams and Carolina Forest’s Duane Moss are the finalists for Toast of the Coast Boys Basketball Player of the Year, while Myrtle Beach’s Nia Sumpter, North Myrtle Beach’s Aquera Johnson and Green Sea Floyds’ Tamara Jackson are the girls finalists.

Each of those six players will be among the publication’s Toast of the Coast selections, along with three more local boys, three more local girls and a coach from each side.

Johnson was at times a one-person wrecking crew for the Chiefs. She put up impressive numbers throughout the season, averaging 16.8 points, 14 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game.

No area player had a higher percentage of her team’s points than Jackson, who also led the Grand Strand in scoring at 22.3 points per game. She complemented her scoring, helped by four 30-point games, by finishing in the top three in assists (4.3 per game).

Sumpter has led Myrtle Beach to this weekend’s Class AAA state finals by averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. She was named the Region VII-AAA Player of the Year.

Williams was arguably the most consistent player throughout the season, averaging an area-best 18 points and more than eight rebounds per game for the Bears. Carvers Bay was the last area boys team still alive before losing in the Class A Lower State finals on Saturday.

Livingston, the Region VII-AAA Player of the Year, led the Chiefs to region title while averaging 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward was also among the area’s leaders with 37 blocks.

Moss was a key piece in the best season in Carolina Forest history. The Panthers finished second in Region VI-AAAA and then won their first two Class AAAA postseason games in school history with Moss averaging 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds during the year.

Williams, Livingston, Johnson and Sumpter were each named to their respective classification’s All-State team by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "The Sun News Toast of the Coast hoops finalists announced."