Chiefs basketball teams compete in area holiday tournaments

By Ruben Lowman

The North Myrtle Beach Chiefs boys basketball team hosted the six-team Shootout By The Sea tournament this week in the gymnasium of NMB High School. 

In the opening game of the tournament for the Chiefs they lost by a score of 58-42 to the Myrtle Beach Christian Academy Saints. 

The game saw the action going back and forth throughout the first half, with the Chiefs taking a slim 14-11 lead after the first quarter. Senior guard KJ Stanley scored all six of his points during the period, with sophomore TJ Stanley and senior Kris Webb each chipping in with three points to help give the Chiefs the lead. 

The Saints began to start making some outside shots once the second quarter got underway, getting a couple three-pointers to go in. Once the shots from the perimeter began falling for MB Christian, space started opening up the on floor for their guards to drive into and make plays. Webb made all four of his free throws during the quarter for NMB and freshmen duo Landon Cloninger and Jamie Brooks each chipped in with a bucket to take the scoreline to 23-23 at the half. 

Momentum quickly began to swing the Saints’ way during the third period, as missed shots and turnovers piled up for the Chiefs and helped to doom them and torpedo their chances of pulling out the victory. MB Christian used a 24-5 run throughout the quarter to race out to a 47-28 lead heading into the final period. Webb and Cloninger each got themselves a basket in the quarter but a team effort by the Saints saw them build a big lead that was ultimately insurmountable. 

The Chiefs missed a few shots to begin the third and had trouble holding onto the ball amid the Saints stifling defense and heavy pressure. NMB’s ball-handlers had difficulty initiating Chiefs Coach Ryan Walker’s plays and sets, often seeming frazzled by the swarming hands of Saints’ defenders, forcing them into isolation plays and shutting down ball movement. 

Thanks to their 19-point lead, MB Christian mostly looked to hold the ball and drain the clock for much of the fourth quarter. Cloninger hit a couple tough shots, Brooks had a nice breakaway dunk that got the crowd on their feet, senior Elijah Vereen got a lay-in in the paint and junior Zach Mchugo hit a three-pointer in the quarter. A spirited effort by the Chiefs saw them outscore the Saints 14-11 in the period, but they ultimately fell short of a comeback. 

Cloninger, in particular, was one of the bright spots on the night for NMB, exhibiting a high level of assertiveness and poise for a freshman. He will surely be a player to keep an eye on as he progresses in his high school career. The Chiefs played Dreher High School from Columbia on Tuesday night and closed out the tournament playing Cape Fear Academy of Wilmington, N.C., on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Lady Chiefs took part in the United Bank Holiday Invitational on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday mornings, with their games in the Sylvia Hatchell Division held at the John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center in Myrtle Beach. The annual girls’ basketball tournament is affiliated with the Beach Ball Classic, which is one of the preeminent high school boys’ basketball tournaments in the country and has been held since 1981 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. 

The Lady Chiefs began the weekend on Saturday morning with a 66-40 loss to the Lady RedHawks from Westwood High School from Blythewood, S.C. 

The Lady Chiefs didn’t let that minor setback deter them, however, as they rebounded from the loss to record a 32-26 victory against the Socastee Lady Braves on Monday morning. 

NMB closed out the tournament on Tuesday morning with a big victory over the Lady Swamp Foxes of Ashley Ridge High School in the 5th-placed game. The Lady Chiefs beat Ashley Ridge by 12 points with a 53-41 win sending the Lady Swamp Foxes back home to Summerville, S.C. 

The Lady Chiefs are now 6-5 on the season and they will get a break for the holidays before getting back on the court on Monday, Jan. 3, with an away game at Darlington.