AfterShocks | 7/20/2021 11:34:00 PM
Rising out of the bumping and the grabbing, the blood and the mess of fouls called and not called, came
Conner Frankamp for a jump shot.
That is what the AfterShocks wanted, what the crazed crowd of 6,510 wanted and the fitting end to a frantic, physical basketball game. Frankamp, of course, made the three-pointer and the AfterShocks defeated Team Challenge ALS 69-65 on Tuesday at Koch Arena in the third round of The Basketball Tournament.
"This dude hits big shot after big shot after big shot," AfterShocks coach
Zach Bush said. "The game plan is to get the ball in his hands. He is going to make something happen."
Frankamp won Sunday's game over Omaha Blue Crew with a layup. In Friday's opener, he scored 15 points, 14 in the second half in a 60-53 win over Ex-Pats. His three gave AfterShocks a 58-51 lead on their way to the target score of 60.
His ball-handling and shooting is made for TBT and Frankamp is enjoying the big moments with a big smile. While he generally plays the game with a solemn expression, the drama of TBT is bringing out Frankamp's celebration chops – hugs, three goggles, victory laps and more. The crowd – second largest behind the 2019 Koch Arena crowd of 7,184 – loved it.
"It was super loud in there," Frankamp said. "I have to give all the credit to Tyrus (McGee), he drove at the end, and I was open. He made a great pass and I was able to knock that shot down."
The win sends the AfterShocks to the quarterfinals beginning July 31 in Dayton. In their second TBT appearance, they are 3-0 after knocking off one of the tournament's top programs and confident their mix of tough-guy defense, shooting and playmaking can play in the final eight.
Markis McDuffie led the AfterShocks with 13 points. David DiLeo added 11, making 3 of three-pointers.
"We've got guys that buy in and compete and it makes it so fun to be a part of this," Bush said. "In this kind of tournament, there's too many pretty boys. We've got some dogs on this team. We've got dudes that fight and battle."
The AfterShocks needed all of that toughness to knock off Team Challenge ALS, which played for the TBT title in 2017 and advanced to a regional final in 2019. Team Challenge ALS led 60-58 when the Elam Ending activated with a target score of 68. A basket by Marvelle Harris, who scored 24 points, made it 62-58.
Team Challenge ALS went up 65-62 and had six possessions with a chance to win. With Zach Brown and
Rashard Kelly leading a desperate defense, the AfterShocks forced three turnovers – one a shot clock violation when Brown swarmed Justin Dentmon – and three missed shots.
Clevin Hannah gave the AfterShocks a lift early in the Elam Ending with their first five points and by taking a charge from Harris that kept the score at 62-60. On the possession, Hannah's three gave AfterShocks a one-point lead.
MGee's three gave the AfterShocks a 66-65 lead after an ALS turnover. After a miss by Dentmon, Frankamp appeared to win it with a shot near the basket. A charging call wiped away the basket.
A steal by McGee led to two foul shots for McDuffie and another chance to win. He missed both.
The teams traded turnovers and missed shots. Then Brown deflected an off-balance shot by Dentmon and McGee grabbed the loose ball near the baseline. He drove all the way into the lane, jumped, and found Frankamp open – helped by teammates running to the basket to draw defenders – for the winning basket.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
