ROBERSONVILLE — Southside would not need another wild late rally this time around against Plymouth, but the Seahawks did need a fantastic fourth quarter effort by Katisha Hyman and Chante Painter to hold off the late-charging Vikings and hold on to a 55-51 win the second round of the Four Rivers Conference tournament on Thursday.
Hyman scored a game-high 21 points while Painter added 15, and together the two scored all of Southside’s 14 fourth quarter points to keep No. 3 Plymouth (14-6) at bay. The same duo powered the team past Plymouth the last time they squared off and helped the Seahawks overcome a 19-point fourth quarter deficit.
The win advances the second-seeded Seahawks (24-2) into today’s conference tournament championship game where they will face the top-seeded Riverside Knights whom they split the regular season league title with.
The matchup pits the two top teams in the state against each other as Riverside was ranked the No. 1 team, while the Seahawks were tabbed No. 2, according to the latest NCPreps.com poll.
The two Four Rivers Conference powerhouses split their two regular seasons meetings with each winning on the other’s court. Today, tying will not be an option when they take the court at South Creek High School at 6 p.m.
“I think everybody wanted that matchup, that will be for all the marbles. The winner will get the No. 1 seed out of our conference,” Southside coach Bill Lake said.
On Thursday, the Seahawks came out gunning as they took a 17-8 lead in the first quarter. However, that lead didn’t last long as the Vikings came storming back and outscored the Seahawks 13-7 in the second and trailed Plymouth 24-21 at halftime.
“We just don’t quit,” Plymouth first-year coach Lamount Gilliam said. “We play hard and we play till the end and that’s what we’re trying to establish with this basketball club.”
Plymouth point guard Desire Chesson had a phenomenal game as she pushed the tempo to tally 12 points while fellow guard Janezia Dixon added 10. Down low, the Vikings (14-6) were guided by F/C Kristy Gibson who scored a team-high 14 points.
The Vikings pulled within two of the Seahawks a few times in the fourth with the last time coming when a Gibson layup made the score 51-49 with :10 left in the game.
Plymouth fouled Hyman on the ensuing possession but the Seahawks star went 2-for-2 from the free throw line to put the game out of reach.

Plymouth    8    13    14    16    –    51
South Creek    17    7    17    14    –    55
Vikings (51)
Desire Chesson 12, Kristy Gibson 14, Jenezia Dixon 10, Cooper 9, Barrow 4.
Seahawks (55)
Purdue 8, Katisha Hyman, Chante Painter 15, Ruffin 5, Biango 3, Hardy 2, Clark 2.