Myrtle Beach H.S. Hoops Still Transitioning from Gridiron
By Terry Massey
Myrtle Beach High's football season came to an end last week with a loss in the Class AAA state championship game.
Someone might want to alert the basketball team.
Having to wait until one day before their season-opener to welcome the football players to the basketball court, the Seahawks are off to a slow start to the season on the hardwood. They lost their fifth game in six outings to Carolina Forest on Tuesday night, 67-55 - their second defeat of the season at the hands of their rivals.
"A lot of guys, in fact all of our starters, are just coming back from a long, intense football season," said Seahawks Coach Greg Martin, who is in his first season with the Seahawks. "They were only back for one practice before we had our first game so we really haven't had a lot of time to make the transition."
The Seahawks were still in football mode in more ways than one. Not only did they look not quite ready for roundball, struggling on the offensive end for point production, but they also played a physical game on the defensive side. Myrtle Beach was whistled for 27 fouls in the game to 16 for Carolina Forest.
"A lot of that is conditioning. If we're in basketball shape we don't commit those fouls," Martin said. "We don't have our basketball legs yet or our basketball minds yet, but we've got a good group of kids and we'll get there."
Myrtle Beach never trailed in the first half and relied heavily on quarterback-turned-point guard Everett Golson, who led all scorers with 22 points. He scored all seven of the Seahawks' points in the second quarter to help them take a 27-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
But the second half belonged to Carolina Forest. Chris Ford scored 10 of his 20 points in the third period to lead a 15-3 charge, which the Seahawks couldn't answer. Mike Gray added back-to-back baskets to give the Panthers a double-digit lead and they rode the free-throw line to the victory.
"Myrtle Beach always has some great players and teams and it says a lot for our guys to beat them twice this year," said Carolina Forest Coach Brian Brunson, who coached the Seahawks in the mid-1990s. "I had some great times here at Myrtle Beach, but I love being at Carolina Forest. We're trying to build something there where we don't start strong but we finish strong, too."
Myrtle Beach got within five of the Panthers in the fourth quarter but it was too little, too late. The Panthers finished them off by converting at the free-throw line.
Daquan Page led the Panthers with 21 points and brothers Robert and Mike Gray added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Myrtle Beach's top scorers were all football players until 10 days ago, with Dallas Goodman scoring 13 and Steven Cobb adding 11 to join Golson's 22 in double figures.
The Seahawks are off until the Dec. 26 opening day of the Beach Ball Classic. Maybe that will give them time to make the switch from football to basketball.
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