'Guys rose to the challenge': Deer Creek topples Edmond Santa Fe to win McGuinness Classic
Clyde Davis Jr. planted his feet at the free-throw line as the Edmond Santa Fe student section screamed.
The noise didn’t distract the Deer Creek sophomore guard.
“I was just worried about getting the win for my team,” Davis said.
Mission accomplished.
When the basketball swished through the net, the Santa Fe cheers faded as an “I believe that we have won” chant arose from the opposite side of the gym. Then Davis attempted his second shot, and it bobbled before falling through the hoop, too.
The young Deer Creek boys basketball team held on for a 59-50 win against Edmond Santa Fe on Saturday night to capture the 63rd annual McGuinness Classic title. Davis led the Antlers with 15 points, and junior guard Hudson Linsenmeyer, the tournament MVP, followed with 14.
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“We wanted to come and find out who we were,” said Deer Creek coach Mike Donnelly. “We’ve had some strong games so far this season, and we knew this would provide us an opportunity to find out who we were. I thought the guys rose to the challenge really well against some great competition.”
Deer Creek sophomore @Clyde_Davis4 had a game-high 15 points to lead the Antlers past Edmond Santa Fe. Davis talked about what it means to win the McGuinness Classic and how he stayed composed as the Wolves tried to come back. #OKPreps pic.twitter.com/XLQILlsQPB
— Hallie Hart (@halliehart) January 8, 2023
No. 20 Class 6A Deer Creek had slipped past the Wolves, 59-58, for a non-tournament win in early December, and the same result happened in a higher-stakes environment.
Just as they did in the McGuinness Classic semifinals against Del City, the Antlers (6-4) rolled into the first quarter with undeniable energy, using a 12-0 run to build an early lead.
Junior forward Jeremiah Deering threw down a two-handed dunk. Then he returned to the rim for a one-handed slam, sending the gym into a frenzy as Davis practically leapt across the court.
Deering just grinned before directing an emphatic “Let’s go!” toward his bench.
“I don’t really get one-handed dunks off people,” Deering said. “It was my first one, so it felt good.”
The dunks didn’t make the Wolves (3-8) back down. Drelen Nero, who finished with 14 points, powered Santa Fe’s 9-0 third-quarter run. In the fourth, the Wolves narrowed their deficit to one point, but the Antlers overcame a scoring drought to seal the win as Davis ended the game with four straight free throws.
“It’s probably one of my favorite feelings all season, really,” Linsenmeyer said. “Just the most fun that we’ve had in the locker room or in the gym in a while.”
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Del City defeats Southeast for third place
Jamouri McCalister drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key, extending Del City’s second-quarter run.
After taking the lead before halftime, the Eagles stayed ahead for a 60-49 win against Southeast, finishing third in the McGuinness Classic.
Class 5A No. 3 Del City had ended its Friday semifinal game with an 18-0 run, but there wasn’t enough time to come back from the deficit against Deer Creek.
This time, the Eagles (7-5) shifted the momentum earlier, and it worked. Although Class 5A No. 5 Southeast led 9-7 at the end of the first quarter, Del City erased that advantage with a 16-0 second-quarter run.
The Spartans (6-2) continued to challenge the Eagles. After McCalister’s 3-pointer, Micheal Graham Jr. made the pair of free throws that extinguished Del City’s run. The Southeast junior guard had 22 points to lead all scorers, and LaDainian Fields added 11 for the Spartans.
But four Eagles finished in double figures: Brandon Garrison (17), Percy Green (12), Jaedon Foreman (12) and Damarious Vealy (10).
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Tip-ins
No. 6 Class 6A Choctaw edged Norman North, 50-47, for the consolation championship. The Yellowjackets (10-2) lost their first-round game against Edmond Santa Fe before winning the rest of the way. Class 6A Norman North fell to 3-8.
In the first game of the day, Edmond Memorial slipped past McGuinness, 57-56. The No. 14 Class 6A Bulldogs improved to 5-5, while the 4A Fighting Irish dropped to 3-8.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma HS basketball: Deer Creek wins Bishop McGuinness Classic
