At halftime of the McKinley/East game, a photographer sat down next to me and said "this isn't a very good game, both teams are capable of playing much better". I wasn't even sure how to respond to that, so I didn't really say anything. But in my mind, I was thinking "are you nuts"? Games like last night's city thriller are what it's all about. They're what keep me longing for winter to drag on. They get me so fired up, winters don't bother me - signs of spring do. Two teams that want to win so badly and play with so much pride that they spend 32 game minutes laying everything on the line. I guess if you were looking for crisp execution, last night wouldn't be for you. I'll take the intensity and passion displayed by two of the city's finest teams, led by the city's two best coaches & two best players any day of the week. For me, there's no high school basketball experience in WNY more stimulating than a critical Yale Cup game with two teams literally playing for keeps.
With two seconds remaining, Keyshawn Ridgeway sank his first of two free throws to break a tie and give McKinley a 70-69 win at East High. With the win, the Macks remain undefeated in the city and clinch at least a share of the Yale Cup. They hoist it outright with a win at Riverside on Thursday.
Percy Bryant scored the first basket of the third quarter, as he pulled up from just inside the three-point arc and let a beautiful jumper fly over the outstretched arm of a defender, catching nothing but net. The bucket gave Bryant exactly 1,000 points for his career as a Panther, and at the next whistle, the game was stopped to honor his with a commemorative ball. Bryant had a large contingent of boisterous fans in the house, who acted as a private cheering section for Percy all game, and infused even more life and energy into a Yale Cup thriller that was already as hype as it could be. The Percy Bryant fan club stormed the court and surrounded him after he got the 1,000 point ball and took a moment to chant, jump, and celebrate with Bryant. Then it was back to basketball, and the Macks & Panthers picked right up where they'd left off.
Damone Brown sank a pair of free throws to end the third quarter and give East its first lead since the first quarter, 48-47. Dion Morrison opened the final stanza with a bucket for the Panthers, making it 50-47. Three free throws from the Macks tied the game at 50 apiece. After a basket from Jovell Littlejohn put East back up by two, Ridgeway hit a pair from the stripe to tie things back up again, 52-52. The rest of the game is detailed by every point scored below:
4:47 - Bryant scores in the crowded lane - 54-52, East
4:43 - Morris hits one of two from the line for the Macks - 54-53, East
4:11 - Littlejohn scores inside, off the glass for the Panthers - 56-53, East
3:58 - Macks' Shaquan Jones rebounds & scores - 56-55, East
3:40 - Bryant goes to the line & hits both to keep the Panthers in front - 58-55, East
2:50 - Jaylen Prophet hits two free throws for the Macks - 58-57, East
2:27 - Macks' coach Zaire Dorsey yells "give me one". Prophet delivers a '3' - 60-58, McKinley
2:12 - Bryant gets back to the line, where he hits one of two - 60-59, McKinley
1:50 - Jones hits another 3-pointer for the Macks - 63-59, McKinley
1:33 - Juwan Tolliver sinks two charity tosses for the Macks - 65-59, McKinley
1:22 - Damone Brown scores and draws the foul for East, but misses the FT - 65-61, McKinley
:49 - Brown gets a '3' to fall, bringing the Panthers to within a point - 65-64, McKinley
:40 - Morris gets back to the line for the Macks & calmly sinks a pair - 67-64, McKinley
:32 - Bryant pulls up from deep and buries a long-range bomb. Are you kidding me? - 67-67
:20 - East is called for a foul, sending Prophet to the line for two. Good & good. - 69-67, McKinley
:11 - Bryant takes the inbound, goes the distance, & finishes a circus layup with the left - 69-69
:02 - Ridgeway hits the game winner from the line, misses the second, and during the scramble for the rebound, the clock expires. - FINAL: 70-69, McKinley
Morris finished with 22 points to lead the Macks, Jones scored 15 points, Prophet added 14 points, and Tolliver chipped in 10 points.
Bryant scored a game-high 27 points to lead East. Brown finished with 20 points and Littlejohn scored 12 points.
-centercourt
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