NMB basketball teams split region games with Wilson and Hartsville

The North Myrtle Beach Lady Chiefs lost their second region game to Wilson at home last Tuesday before bouncing back with a win at Hartsville on Friday. The Chiefs did the opposite, winning a close one over Wilson, then losing in the last seconds at Hartsville.

The Lady Chiefs loss to Wilson by a 55-49 score was a tale of two halves, the first one belonging to the Chiefs and the second going to the Lady Tigers and one special player named Loyal McQueen.

North Myrtle Beach had a rebound basket by Daveona Hatchell in the first two minutes and trailed 5-4 at the six-minute mark after Jordan Berger made a layup. Berger’s made free throws (5:37) gave the Chiefs a 6-5 lead, which became 9-5 after Riley Vincent hit a three-pointer (4:46) and Wilson called timeout. Berger drove for two more points a short time later but the Lady Chiefs couldn’t score again until Adaiah Vereen and Jermisha Moss baskets in the last two minutes of the quarter gave North Myrtle Beach a 15-10 advantage.

The first quarter was also noteworthy by missed shots by both teams, tie-ups and lots of defensive pressure from both teams, and one three-pointer from Wilson’s McQueen, which was a preview of things to come.

The second quarter started promising for North Myrtle Beach. Jordan Berger got a basket underneath and another basket on a breakaway. Jenna Berger hit one free throw and the Lady Chiefs lead was 21-10 and 4:57 left in the half. By the time the clock read 3:50 Wilson had narrowed the score to 23-19, thanks to two three-pointers from McQueen and another three-point play by number 1. Jenna Berger’s basket and a separate free throw made it 26-19. Berger also added three more made free throws in the final minutes to keep the Lady Chiefs lead at the half 29-25, as Wilson matched the North Myrtle Beach point output.

McQueen and Vereen traded baskets early in the third quarter but with 7:30 left in the quarter the Lady Chiefs offense hit a wall. Missed opportunities and turnovers kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard until Jenna Berger scored with 2:07 left. By that time, despite some offensive problems of their own, Wilson’s McQueen scored ten straight points on two three-point shots, another basket plus one and a free throw and led her team to a 37-33 lead. McQueen added two more free throws and Wilson added another basket for a 41-34 advantage after three quarters.

The fourth quarter was no kinder to the Lady Chiefs. A free throw by Moss and a Jordan Berger basket on an inbounds play were the total points made in the first five minutes of the quarter. McQueen only scored six points in the final eight minutes but her teammates got free for baskets while holding the Lady Chiefs offense at bay until the final three minutes. Trailing 49-37, the Lady Chiefs fought back with a Riley Vincent basket and three-pointer and points by both Bergers and Vereen.

The 55-49 final score was the same margin Wilson won by in their first meeting. It was obvious the difference this time was Loyal McQueen, whose three-point shooting and 32 points was more than the Lady Chiefs could overcome. Jordan Berger’s 17 points and Jenna Berger’s 13 points led North Myrtle Beach scoring.

The Lady Chiefs travelled to Hartsville last Friday and won 60-32.

The Lady Chiefs met Darlington on Tuesday and have a rivalry game with Myrtle Beach on February 7. Their final region game of the season is next Tuesday at Marlboro County.

The Chiefs game with Wilson last Tuesday started with a sluggish offensive performance by the home team. Javi Marlowe scored the first points of the game for the Chiefs on a rebound shot with 6:09 in the quarter. A minute later Travis Collins stole the ball and scored to make it 6-4. Rogan Vincent hit a three-pointer with 3:58 left to lead 7-6. Those were the last points scored as Wilson hit two baskets to lead with 2:10 left. They ran into offensive troubles as well and the first quarter ended with the visitors holding a 10-7 lead.

The Chiefs missed a three and added turnovers before Cameron Henley rebounded two points in and the Chiefs trailed 12-9 early in the second quarter. Malik Livingston was fouled after a steal and drive to the basket and made one of two free throws under six minutes but the Chiefs did not score again until the 3:18 mark when Javi Marlowe drove the baseline for two points and Wilson led 14-12 with 2:45 left. The Chiefs closed the quarter with Marlowe’s basket underneath and two baskets from Tyree Smith and the score 18-18 as teams left the court at halftime.

The Chiefs opened the third quarter scoring, following a three-point basket and two made free throws by Wilson, as Kymani Knox made a basket and free throw and trailed 23-21 with 6:57 left. That score remained until the 4:00 mark when Rogan Vincent nailed a three-pointer to put the Chiefs ahead 24-23. Knox scored and made a free throw with 2:32 left to make it 27-25 and Cameron Gore-Gause’s put-back of a missed shot made it 29-25. Wilson battled back to lead 30-29 but a rebound basket by Smith gave the Chiefs a lead in the final seconds, 31-30.

The Chiefs opened the fourth quarter with two quick baskets by Gore-Gause and Collins scored following a Vincent steal and assist by Vereen for a 37-32 lead. Wilson scored the next six points on a three-pointer and three-point play to lead 38-37 and both teams traded baskets before the Chiefs called a timeout with 3:04 left. Following the timeout the Chiefs tied the score at 40 on a Knox free throw with 2:35 left.

North Myrtle Beach quickly scored two baskets by Knox and Collins to lead 44-40. Following a Wilson timeout, the Wilson bench was hit with a technical foul, Vincent made two free throws and a 46-40 lead. Marlowe made two free throws in separate trips to the line to make it 48-40. Two more Marlowe free throws with :18 seconds left sealed the win and the Chiefs 50-43 region victory.

Coach Ryan Walker was glad to get a win. “We needed this one bad. We have struggled and have been in a rut lately. They played a tough zone defense and we had to grind it out. We couldn’t buy a basket in our last couple of games but we battled, defended well and held them to 43 points. Happy for the win,” Walker said.

Travis Collins scored 10 points, Kymani Knox added 9, Rogan Vincent 8, and Tyree Smith and Cameron Gore-Gause each hit key shots in their 6-point contributions.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs trip to Hartsville last Tuesday was not to their liking. After scoring 21 first quarter points and 10 more in the second quarter for a 31-22 halftime lead, North Myrtle Beach let the Red Foxes come all the way back. Hartstville outscored the Chiefs 7-5 in the third quarter and 15-5 in the fourth quarter, the winning basket in the final seconds giving the Red Foxes a 44-41 win and some revenge for a two-overtime Chiefs win earlier in region play.

The Chiefs were home Tuesday against Darlington before the short trip to Myrtle Beach Friday for their rivalry game against the Seahawks.