Miami (FL) Senior kept its hopes of a Crescom Bank Holiday Invitational championship 3-peat alive with a 39-38 come-from-behind victory over Lower Richland (Hopkins, SC) at the Myrtle Beach (SC) Convention Center.
In the opening half, Lower Richland (5-4) built a 20-6 advantage on Keondra Archie’s layup with 4:40 remaining. Miami Senior (11-0) used a 9-2 run over the next 3:03 to close the gap to 22-15 before Rozell Nuttry scored the final basket of the opening 16-minute half to give the Diamond Hornets a 24-15 cushion at the break.
Lower Richland’s Cailah Hicklin gave the Diamond Hornet’s a 26-15 lead at the start of the second half on a short jumper just just 37 seconds into play. Miami Senior, winners of the 2013 and 2014 CBHI titles, turned up the defensive pressure and forced four turnovers during a 10-0 run by the Stingarees that closed the gap to just one point at 26-25 with 12:05 remaining.
Lower Richland continued to hold the lead until Andrisia Sweeting hit a long 3-point basket to give Miami Senior its first lead of the contest at 30-29 with 9:24 to play. The lead changed hands seven times in the closing seven minutes of action. Dejah Williford gave Lower Richland its last lead of the night at 38-37 on an offensive rebound and layup with 59 seconds remaining. Armani Paschal connected on a jumper assisted by Sweeting to regain the lead and give the Stingarees the lead for good with 42 seconds to play.
Miami Senior was led by Sweeting’s 10 points and five steals while Hicklin paced Lower Richland with eight points and eight rebounds.
