The longstanding Beach Ball Classic holiday high-school basketball tournament in Myrtle Beach is one of the most well-known in the country.
The Bishop O’Connell Knights of Arlington added to the lore of that competition in recent days by winning the top-division (Traditional Bracket) of the boys tournament for the third time.
The Knights (10-3) were 3-0 in the 2024 event, held Dec. 27-30 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
O’Connell also won the title in 2023 and in 2021, not playing there in 2022. Overall, the Knights have played the Beach Ball Classic on multiple occasions, finishing second at least three times.
The classic began in 1981. Socastee High School was and remains the host team.
“It’s always a very tough tournament with good teams, and it prepares us for the rest of our season,” O’Connell coach Joe Wootten told ARLnow. “Our team played well, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the progress we have made since the season began.”
By winning the Beach Ball Classic, the Knights have won four straight games and stand 2-0 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
In the championship game of the Beach Ball Classic, O’Connell rallied to defeat the St. John’s Cadets of D.C., 57-52. The Knights trailed 31-23 at halftime.
“We stayed together with each other as a team in the second half, and played real good defense,” Wootten said.
O’Connell’s Darius Bivins was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the Traditional Bracket. He scored 18 points, made three three-pointers, and had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in the championship game.
O’Connell players chosen to the all-tournament team were Makel Minor and Wyatt Norton. Minor had 16 points and three rebounds in the final.
Also in the championship game for the Knights, Liam Koelsch had 10 points and eight rebounds; Shane Lincoln scored seven with three rebounds and two assists; Chris Morrison had three points; and Aiden Caulker added three assists.
The Knights routed Ridge View of South Carolina, 77-43, in the semifinals as Bivins scored 16 and made four threes to go with four steals and five assists.
Minor scored 15, Koelsch had 14 points and five rebounds, Norton scored 10 and had five boards, Lincoln scored six with five rebounds and Morrison had four points.
O’Connell played and defeated Socastee, 72-30, in the first round behind 21 points and nine rebounds from Norton. Minor made four threes and scored 18. Bivins scored four points, had seven assists and six steals; Lincoln had eight points and four steals; Caulker had five points; and Will Bryant scored four.
Wootten said O’Connell likely will return to play in the 2025 Beach Ball Classic.
Wootten said O’Connell has played a very difficult schedule so far, with its three losses coming against top-ranked teams in various polls. The Knights have defeated Good Counsel and DeMatha of the WCAC, and nipped highly-regarded Sidwell Friends, 46-45.
“It’s one of the toughest early-season schedules we have played,” said Wootten, who should win his 550th game as O’Connell’s coach this season.
