AfterShocks | 7/18/2021 6:50:00 PM
It does not take anything special to inspire
Markis McDuffie to laugh, dance and celebrate.
Conner Frankamp plays a more reserved role, so the level of special elevates when he jumps for joy and wears a big grin after a basketball game.
"Craziest five seconds I've been a part of, and I've played a lot of basketball," Frankamp said.
Frankamp ended the nuttiness with his layup to give the AfterShocks a 76-73 win over Omaha Blue Crew in the second round of The Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Koch Arena. He scored 11 of the final 13 points for the AfterShocks, who trailed 67-63 when the Elam Ending set the target score to win at 75.
The win moves the AfterShocks to Tuesday's third-round (round of 16) game vs. Sideline ALS at 8 p.m. (ESPN). The winner advances to the quarterfinals in Dayton, Ohio beginning July 31.
The Wichita State-Creighton rivalry went dormant in 2013. Sunday's game, even if most of the participants never played in one of those games, reminded fans why that Missouri Valley Conference rivalry inspired passion.
When Frankamp's winning basket dropped through the net, he jumped into the arms of his teammates and bounced around the court. Frankamp hugged McDuffie, who made two steals late in the game to redeem himself after a potentially disastrous technical foul. McDuffie grabbed the AfterShocks placard and waved it on his way to the bracket, where he put it in place to signal advancement and danced.
"Pure joy," AfterShocks coach
Zach Bush said. "To see Conner react that way. . . I've never seen him react that way in my life. We talk about the Wichita State basketball brotherhood, but it's real. We love spending time together. We don't want the week to end."
The craziness started when Blue Crew's Greg Smith stumbled and bumbled into McDuffie and lost the ball out of bounds. When the officials declined to call a charge and gave the ball to the Blue Crew, the AfterShocks protested aggressively. McDuffie reenacted the play and fell to the ground to earn the technical foul.
"I thought I played really good defense," he said. "I thought that was going to be a charge. He called a freaking out-of-bounds this way. I'm like 'Yo, we're the home team. Point the other way and the crowd goes crazy.' I demonstrated it and I kind of went too far."
Two free throws gave the Blue Crew a 71-69 lead. A basket by Smith made it 73-69.
"I really got nervous, because the game went to 75, and I didn't want to hurt my team," McDuffie said. "I wanted to be the best I could be defensively to finish this game."
McDuffie and the AfterShocks locked in on defense from that point. Blue Crew wasted four possessions with 73 points – needing two points to win – and all ended with a turnover, two on steals by McDuffie.
McDuffie,
Rashard Kelly and Zach Brown did most of the damage. Their length and speed and ability to rush ball-handlers and switch on screens frustrated the Blue Crew in the final moments. Down 73-71, the AfterShocks forced a shot-clock violation. After a free throw by Frankamp cut the lead to one point, Kelly stole the ball. McDuffie's free throws gave the AfterShocks a 74-73 lead and he forced a jump ball that gave his team possession.
The Blue Crew forced a turnover by Clevin Hannah. But after that turnover, McDuffie and Frankamp swarmed Deverall Biggs. When he tried to split the trap, McDuffie poked the ball free, grabbed it and passed to Frankamp for the game-winner.
"In this situation – the desperation was crazy," McDuffie said. "Once he lost the ball, my eyes just lit up."
Frankamp's shooting provided the other piece to the rally. He finished with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting. The AfterShocks trailed 67-63, eight points from elimination, when he took over. He juked Jahenns Manigat to free himself for a three-pointer to cut the lead to one and immediately change momentum. Another three tied it at 69-all. After the Blue Crew went up by four, Frankamp's basket made it 73-71. He added a free throw and then the final basket after McDuffie's steal.
"We stayed together after we had that turnover and got one more stop," Frankamp said. "Both teams were putting their heart into. We don't want this week to end."
McDuffie finished with 12 points, 11 in the second half. Kelly added 13 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Center Damonte Dodd, who played at Maryland, scored eight points off the bench and blocked four shots.
Admon Gilder, who played at Gonzaga, led the Blue Crew with 27 points and made all four of his three-pointers. Smith, who played at Colorado State, added 13.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
