Lady Chiefs win, but Chiefs Lose Tuesday Night

Lady Chiefs win, but Chiefs lose Tuesday night

By John Smithson

North Myrtle Beach splits with Marlboro County Tuesday as the girls win and boys lose at the North Myrtle Beach High School gym.

The Lady Chiefs started slowly in the first half, leading 6-2 after three minutes. Then Jordan Berger got hot, scoring 17 points in the first half to help the Lady Chiefs to a 28-13 lead over Marlboro County at the  intermission.

The second half was more of the same. The Lady Chiefs defense and good ball control by North Myrtle Beach helped them to a 43-20 third quarter edge.

The Lady Chiefs closed it out in the fourth period to win 49-31.

Coach Brooke Smith singled out Jordan Berger’s 25 point performance as a big part of the team’s effort. “We used a tight man-to-man defense to help shut down their two best scorers. Usually we use a 1-3-1 zone defense. It was good for us to successfully switch defenses, especially one we can use against other teams in conference play. Everybody played in the game and did a great job, especially Jordan Berger,” Smith said.

In the boys game that followed, the Chiefs took the opening tip and Radon Vincent hit a three pointer for a quick 3-0 lead. Then the Chiefs didn’t score until under two minutes of the first quarter, when Malik Livingston scored underneath the basket for a 5-4 lead. The Chiefs added a breakaway basket by Javi Marlowe to close the period up 7-4.

The Chiefs started the second period with another steal lay-in, a second three-pointer by Vincent, and Tryon Stockdale’s basket to lead 14-4. The Chiefs built their lead to 20-8, then 23-13 before Marlboro County came back to trail 25-18 at the half.

The Chiefs couldn’t get going in the third period, as their lead was cut to 25-24 with 5:11 left. The Chiefs kept their lead until the final Marlboro County shot of the period, which gave them a 34-33 lead as the third period ended.

The final eight minutes saw Marlboro County build on their lead, helped by two late three-pointers, and missed foul shots by the Chiefs. North Myrtle Beach got as close as four points in the final minute, but couldn’t catch up, losing 54-49.

“We had a good first half, but couldn’t maintain our momentum in the second half. We played hard, but missing free throws down the stretch really hurt us. We probably missed eight, and when you lose a game by five points, those come back to get you,” coach Darcie Vincent lamented.

The Chiefs boys and girls travel to Wilson Friday night.