New look Seahawks pass first test
Though some might have forgotten, Shonquilla Hudson was once a prolific scorer for Myrtle Beach High School.
Monday night, the senior guard offered a flashback to her play as a freshman and sophomore, scoring 16 points to help the Seahawks beat Airport 55-42 in the first round of the Class AAA state tournament.
Hudson's scoring - which tied Anastasia Wilson for team honors - was a much-needed offensive lift after Ashley Clarke, the Seahawks leading scorer throughout the regular season, was dismissed from the team last week.
Hudson, who is 25 points away from becoming the fourth Seahawk to score 1,000 points under coach Mickey Hunter, has been asked to become an offensive threat again after giving up her shots to Clarke and others the past two seasons.
"She had accepted her role; she has been our best perimeter defender," Hunter said. "[But] I've been telling her for the last week we need a little more offensive production."
If the Seahawks (23-3) are to make a run to a Class AAA title - they were ranked No. 1 in The State's AAA basketball poll before the loss of Clarke - they will need to find a way to make up the 19 points per game Clarke scored.
"[Hunter] wants me to shoot a lot more," Hudson said. "... I had been telling [younger players] to shoot ... Now I have to become more of a leader than before."
Hudson is not the only Seahawk who has had to adapt to a new role. With Clarke gone, Jasmine Jones has had to take over at the critical point guard position.
"I'm used to playing point guard," Jones said. "In practice, me and [Clarke] would go against each other all of the time."
Jones has the talent to do the job. She was named as the co-Region VII-AAA Player of the Year along with Georgetown's Jasmin Coleman.
She displayed lead-guard talent in the third quarter, threading a half-court bounce pass between Airport defenders to Wilson for a layup that gave Myrtle Beach a 36-32 lead.
Jones gave a fist pump and Myrtle Beach played with similar confidence the rest of the way. After the Jones' pass, the Seahawks outscored Airport 22-10 to close the game.
Jones and Brianna Webb each finished the game with five assists - half of them were to Hudson, who was open for shots outside.
"We executed our offense very well," Hunter said. "We shared the ball well, everyone got a look."
Taking better shots is another way the Seahawks can try to make up for Clarke's loss. Hunter said they will not be routing teams by 20 or more points any longer.
"We came together and said we have to step up one more notch," Jones said. "... I think some might underrate us, but we know what we are."
AIRPORT (42) - Jarne Gleaton 4, Janna Echelberger 2, Devette Robinson 5, Kaeya Stephens 12, Shardae Washington 2, Delisa Colter 17.
MYRTLE BEACH (55) - Shonquilla Hudson 16, Anatasia Wilson 16, Jasmine Jones 9, Ashley Nichols 6, Brianna Webb 8.
Airport16 10 9 7-42
Myrtle Beach11 18 15 11-55
3-point goals: Airport 2 (Colter 2); Myrtle Beach 2 (Hudson 2). Fouled out: none Technical fouls: none.
Records: Airport 13-8, Myrtle Beach 23-3.
Monday night, the senior guard offered a flashback to her play as a freshman and sophomore, scoring 16 points to help the Seahawks beat Airport 55-42 in the first round of the Class AAA state tournament.
Hudson's scoring - which tied Anastasia Wilson for team honors - was a much-needed offensive lift after Ashley Clarke, the Seahawks leading scorer throughout the regular season, was dismissed from the team last week.
Hudson, who is 25 points away from becoming the fourth Seahawk to score 1,000 points under coach Mickey Hunter, has been asked to become an offensive threat again after giving up her shots to Clarke and others the past two seasons.
"She had accepted her role; she has been our best perimeter defender," Hunter said. "[But] I've been telling her for the last week we need a little more offensive production."
If the Seahawks (23-3) are to make a run to a Class AAA title - they were ranked No. 1 in The State's AAA basketball poll before the loss of Clarke - they will need to find a way to make up the 19 points per game Clarke scored.
"[Hunter] wants me to shoot a lot more," Hudson said. "... I had been telling [younger players] to shoot ... Now I have to become more of a leader than before."
Hudson is not the only Seahawk who has had to adapt to a new role. With Clarke gone, Jasmine Jones has had to take over at the critical point guard position.
"I'm used to playing point guard," Jones said. "In practice, me and [Clarke] would go against each other all of the time."
Jones has the talent to do the job. She was named as the co-Region VII-AAA Player of the Year along with Georgetown's Jasmin Coleman.
She displayed lead-guard talent in the third quarter, threading a half-court bounce pass between Airport defenders to Wilson for a layup that gave Myrtle Beach a 36-32 lead.
Jones gave a fist pump and Myrtle Beach played with similar confidence the rest of the way. After the Jones' pass, the Seahawks outscored Airport 22-10 to close the game.
Jones and Brianna Webb each finished the game with five assists - half of them were to Hudson, who was open for shots outside.
"We executed our offense very well," Hunter said. "We shared the ball well, everyone got a look."
Taking better shots is another way the Seahawks can try to make up for Clarke's loss. Hunter said they will not be routing teams by 20 or more points any longer.
"We came together and said we have to step up one more notch," Jones said. "... I think some might underrate us, but we know what we are."
AIRPORT (42) - Jarne Gleaton 4, Janna Echelberger 2, Devette Robinson 5, Kaeya Stephens 12, Shardae Washington 2, Delisa Colter 17.
MYRTLE BEACH (55) - Shonquilla Hudson 16, Anatasia Wilson 16, Jasmine Jones 9, Ashley Nichols 6, Brianna Webb 8.
Airport16 10 9 7-42
Myrtle Beach11 18 15 11-55
3-point goals: Airport 2 (Colter 2); Myrtle Beach 2 (Hudson 2). Fouled out: none Technical fouls: none.
Records: Airport 13-8, Myrtle Beach 23-3.
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