Day 3: McGuinness Classic...

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

Big shot after big shot in the championship, but the defense of a familiar name paves way to victory at the McGuinness Classic.

First, the scores.

Saturday
Seventh place: NW Classen 60, Norman 57
Consolation championship: Guthrie 46, Norman North 43
Third place: Deer Creek 61, Edmond North 54
Championship: McGuinness 66, Carl Albert 58 – OT

Friday
Norman North 42, Norman 39
Guthrie 63, NW Classen 56
Carl Albert 67, Edmond North 61
McGuinness 69, Deer Creek 46

Thursday
Edmond North 63, Norman North 52
Carl Albert 64, Norman 32
McGuinness 65, Guthrie 51
Deer Creek 70, NW Classen 69 – OT

McGuinness 66, Carl Albert 58 – OT

If you saw Carl Albert’s Caleb Price’s 3 from the middle of nowhere to force overtime (at least 25 feet away), you won’t forget it anytime soon.

In.Cred.I.Ble.

But the Irish were able to gather themselves and make their free throws down the stretch in overtime for their fifth Classic title.

This game turned on one play in overtime when McGuinness senior Jameel Whitney made a thunderous block that led to a bucket and a foul for Patrick Daneshmand. The Irish got four points on the trip as CA coach Jay Price was given a technical foul.

I guess the T was the right call. I didn’t like it, but Price was pretty far on the court. It rubbed me the wrong way, though.

Offensively, it was Kevin Caruthers’ night for the Irish. He had 18 points and made four 3s, none bigger than the one that made it 52-49 before Price’s miracle bomb.

Not a lot of attention gets paid to him in the midst of all that talent, but coach Tondrell Durham knows Caruthers will have to play a big role for the team to be successful.

Fun game and the atmosphere picked up there down the stretch.

Can’t begin to explain the difference in Whitney’s game now compared to last month at the Deer Creek Festival. He looks like a basketball player again instead of a football player just trying to play.

Sophomore Joe Edmonds of McGuinness and Larry Cunningham of Carl Albert had the quietest good games you’ll see. Edmonds had 18 points and Cunningham had 16. Price had 10 points despite being blanketed almost all night.

I wrote a story about how Whitney’s block ignited the team, so look for that Sunday.

Boneman’s (and coaches) all-tournament selections: Kevin Caruthers and Joe Edmonds of McGuinness and Markell Walker and J.T. Realmuto of Carl Albert. Tournament MVP: Jameel Whitney of the Irish.

That wraps it up from Irish country. Big thanks to the McGuinness family for their great hospitality as well running an excellent tournament. Next stop: Putnam City vs. Putnam West in the PC Invitational final Monday.