5 named all-state; Times released for all-star games

Five area basketball players have been named all-state by the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association, and the Carolinas' best players are coming to the beach next month.

Aynor's Marcus Smith, Carolina Forest's Chris Ford and Lakeitha Alston, Georgetown's Kinard Gadsden-Gilliard and Myrtle Beach's Khadijah Sessions were honored on Wednesday for their play this season. Plans have also been finalized to hold the Carolinas All-Star Basketball Classic in Myrtle Beach next month.

Smith was the area's leading scorer this season, averaging 26 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. The 6-foot senior guard scored 40 points three times, including a 47-point effort against Loris.
Ford burst onto the scene this year and keyed Carolina Forest's turnaround from doormat to region champions. The 6-foot-4 junior forward, who was ineligible as a sophomore, averaged a double double, establishing himself as one of the area's most imposing inside players.

Gadsden-Gilliard, a senior forward, ended his career with another stellar season, averaging 22 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks per game as the Bulldogs finished third in Region VII-AAA.

Alston was perhaps the area's most dominant girls post player. The 5-foot-10 senior forward averaged 23.8 points and 13.3 rebounds. She averaged 32.3 points and 17.3 rebounds over her team's final four games _ that includes 34 points and 24 rebounds in Tuesday's playoff loss to North Augusta _ leading the Panthers to the Region VI-AAAA title.

Although she's only a freshman, Sessions is veteran for the Seahawks. After playing a secondary role in her first two seasons, she is averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 5 steals per game. If she had played more in the team's blowouts late in the season, she may have averaged a triple double. The Seahawks host North Charleston in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs Thursday at 7 p.m.

In other news, game times have been released for the North-South All-Star basketball games, which will be played for the second straight year at North Myrtle Beach, and the Carolinas All-Star Basketball Classic, which has moved from Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena to Socastee. Both events will be played on March 21.

The North-South games begin at 11:30 a.m. with the girls game. The boys game follows at 2 p.m. Later that night, the best girls and boys from each of the Carolinas will descend on Socastee. The girls game will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 8:30 p.m.

Smith was the area's leading scorer this season, averaging 26 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. The 6-foot senior guard scored 40 points three times, including a 47-point effort against Loris.
Ford burst onto the scene this year and keyed Carolina Forest's turnaround from doormat to region champions. The 6-foot-4 junior forward, who was ineligible as a sophomore, averaged a double double, establishing himself as one of the area's most imposing inside players.

Gadsden-Gilliard, a senior forward, ended his career with another stellar season, averaging 22 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks per game as the Bulldogs finished third in Region VII-AAA.

Alston was perhaps the area's most dominant girls post player. The 5-foot-10 senior forward averaged 23.8 points and 13.3 rebounds. She averaged 32.3 points and 17.3 rebounds over her team's final four games _ that includes 34 points and 24 rebounds in Tuesday's playoff loss to North Augusta _ leading the Panthers to the Region VI-AAAA title.

Although she's only a freshman, Sessions is veteran for the Seahawks. After playing a secondary role in her first two seasons, she is averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 5 steals per game. If she had played more in the team's blowouts late in the season, she may have averaged a triple double. The Seahawks host North Charleston in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs Thursday at 7 p.m.

In other news, game times have been released for the North-South All-Star basketball games, which will be played for the second straight year at North Myrtle Beach, and the Carolinas All-Star Basketball Classic, which has moved from Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena to Socastee. Both events will be played on March 21.

The North-South games begin at 11:30 a.m. with the girls game. The boys game follows at 2 p.m. Later that night, the best girls and boys from each of the Carolinas will descend on Socastee. The girls game will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 8:30 p.m.