Khadijah Sessions received some news while attending the South Carolina-Florida women’s basketball game on Sunday. However, it wasn’t news about the team she plans on playing for next season.
“[Myrtle Beach coach Brian Kiper], his wife, son, my mom and I were watching the game,” said Sessions, who is committed to the Gamecocks. “Coach’s son came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations on being named AAA player of the year.’ I looked at him and said, ‘What?’ ”
The senior guard was named all-state for the fourth time and it was her first state player of the year award.
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“I was very honored and very happy,” Sessions said about being honored by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association. “There is a lot of good players that play in AAA, so I was just very happy to be able to get that.”
Seahawks coach Brian Kiper also was pleased with the news.
“Obviously, it is very exciting,” Kiper said. “… I feel she is the best AAA player in the state and it is well-deserved.”
Sessions has averaged 32 points and 12 rebounds per game since region play began. She also has had to adapt to new roles with junior forward Tanisha Brown injured.
“It has changed a lot for her,” Kiper said of Sessions’ play with Brown out. “She has taken more on rather than just scoring. Defensively we’ve had to pull her off the other teams’ guards and onto the post players. She has been able to see the court more playing in the paint.”
Kiper is happy with the way Sessions has molded as a leader over the years.
“This is her sixth year of varsity basketball,” Kiper said. “To play varsity basketball that long, she has been through it a lot and she has found her role and has become the leader. The girls look up to her for that reason.”
Sessions said she has embraced the responsibility.
“Being a six-year varsity player and coming in and playing with players like [former Myrtle Beach standouts] Ashley Clarke and Jasmine Jones, I had to regroup myself every year as a leader,” Sessions said. “I’ve always been a leader, I’ve just had to change it different ways. I not only have to be a leader but I have to mentally get myself ready to go out and play my game.”
North Myrtle Beach’s Taylor Allman was also named to the all-state team.
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