AfterShocks deliver again for third straight TBT regional championship at Wichita State

When nothing was falling for Tyrus McGee in his latest high-stakes game with the AfterShocks on Sunday, his mind raced back to his childhood when he was first being taught the game.

“I was always told that a good shooter has a bad memory,” McGee said, “and if you get another opportunity, take it.”

Shooters shoot and McGee’s brash confidence paid off with his first 3-pointer made for the game-ending shot during the Elam Ending to seal a 63-59 win over Team Arkansas and secure the AfterShocks’ third straight regional championship in The Basketball Tournament.

McGee had missed all eight of his 3-point attempts before stepping into the game-winner in front of 5,032 fans, the fourth-largest crowd in TBT history, which positions the Wichita State alumni team three wins away from the $1 million prize.

The AfterShocks have now won 10 straight games in the Roundhouse entering Tuesday’s 8 p.m. showdown against Heartfire, 73-60 winners over KU’s Mass Street, with a Final Four spot in Philadelphia on the line.

“It’s such a great feeling man,” said McGee, who was mobbed by teammates on the court after the make. “Especially when you know that these guys got your back. It’s a great feeling, man.”

McGee’s swagger came in a clutch moment, as Don Robinson had just drilled a 3-pointer of his own to cut the AfterShocks’ lead to 60-59 with the target score set at 63. Robinson even chirped at McGee after making the shot, which lit a fuse in McGee.

It’s not outrageous for McGee to have confidence in his shot. He led the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (46.4%) during his senior year in the 2012-13 season at Iowa State and has been a sharpshooter as a pro, including 40% accuracy beyond the arc this past season in Turkey.

So it didn’t matter he was 1-for-11 in the game. As soon as he came off a solid screen set by Marcus Lee, McGee was open and didn’t think twice about firing.

“He’s either got big nuts or he’s a little dumb,” AfterShocks coach Zach Bush joked about McGee’s confidence to take the shot. “I’m pretty sure it’s the first one.”

It was yet another thrilling summer basketball game in the Roundhouse from start to finish, as neither side could gain much separation.

Wichita State fans were probably having traumatic flashbacks to recent seasons watching the Shockers brick away beyond the 3-point line, as the AfterShocks were a paltry 1-for-19 on 3-pointers entering the Elam Ending. Fortunately for the WSU alumni squad, the Shocker DNA of playing hard-nosed defense has translated to this level and allowed the AfterShocks to cling to a 55-53 lead entering the Elam Ending.

When the game was on the line, the AfterShocks finally snapped out of their ice-cold funk.

Hutchinson native Caleb Walker, who scored a team-high 14 points, drilled a step-back triple to break a 55-all tie. After Lee scored for a 60-55 lead, McGee ended the game with a three of his own to send Koch Arena into hysterics one more time.

“These guys care about each other and they want to win really badly and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to do that,” Bush said. “On the defensive end, they just lock in. It takes a ton of maturity to do that when shots aren’t falling. It shows they’re still interested in playing at the other end. Anybody who has played high-level basketball knows that it drains your energy when you don’t see one drop.”

Despite what Bush labeled as “abhorrent” outside shooting, the AfterShocks survived and advanced because they out-scored Arkansas, 36-20, in points in the paint and shot 60% on 2-pointers, while limiting Arkansas to 40% shooting from the field.

A well-balanced scoring attack saw Lee finish with a tournament-high 10 points and five rebounds, while former Shockers Markis McDuffie (nine points), Darral Willis (eight points, six rebounds), Conner Frankamp (seven points, three assists) and Trey Wade (four points, seven rebounds) chip in.

The WSU alumni team was once again supported by several prominent former players like Cleanthony Early, Joe Ragland and Rashard Kelly.

One more win at Koch Arena would send the AfterShocks to the TBT semifinals, which will be played in Philadelphia on August 2.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence with this crowd behind us,” McGee said. “They give us that extra push, that extra lift. The fans have a lot to do with our success, I don’t know if they know it or not.”