AfterShocks’ run for the TBT $1 million ends in semifinal with heartbreaking loss
Just one more stop, that’s all the AfterShocks needed to keep their $1 million dream alive.
Instead, a whistle and some clutch shooting at the foul line ultimately brought the end of the Wichita State alumni team’s most thrilling and successful run in The Basketball Tournament yet in Saturday’s semifinal game in Dayton.
Darryl Monroe calmly sank both free throws to give Americana For Autism the target score in a 78-75 victory, a heartbreaking sequence for an AfterShocks team that had stolen the momentum back their way and was hoping to steal the victory after falling behind early in the Elam Ending.
The Autism Army will play the winner of Blue Collar U-Red Scare in the TBT championship game in Dayton on Tuesday evening. It was the second straight summer the AfterShocks reached TBT headquarters in Dayton, both times ending in a loss.
Give the AfterShocks credit: they battled back from an 11-point, second-half deficit to briefly take a fourth-quarter lead and then nearly had a chance to potentially win the game, despite Autism Army coming two points away from the target score after its first two possessions in the Elam Ending.
The improbable comeback began with a James Dickey dunk, then a defensive stand that saw the potential game-winning shot by Autism Army roll off the rim followed by a Conner Frankamp layup to cut the deficit to 76-75. One more defensive stand would have given the AfterShocks a chance to potentially win the game with a three-pointer.
But that chance never came, as Autism Army cleared out and fed the ball to Monroe isolated against Dickey in the post. Dickey was whistled for a foul slapping down as Monroe began his shooting motion, a sequence the AfterShocks coaching staff believed should have been called on the floor with no free throws awarded. Instead, Monroe was given two free throws and the opportunity to end the game at the foul line, which he did.
Frankamp led the way with a team-high 15 points, while Dickey (10 points, eight rebounds, three assists) nearly finished with a double-double. Samajae Haynes-Jones provided a second-half spark with his 10 points off the bench, while Markis McDuffie scored 12, Tyrus McGee added eight in his return to the team and Rashard Kelly provided his typical all-around game with nine points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.
Once the AfterShocks fell behind by 11 points in the third quarter, coach Zach Bush had the players apply full-court pressure which helped swing the game. A scoring flurry by Haynes-Jones helped whittle the 11-point deficit, which was completely erased just 22 seconds into the fourth quarter when Kelly came up with a steal on the press and threw ahead to Frankamp for a layup to tie the score at 63.
The AfterShocks even briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter, as Haynes-Jones’ rainbow triple from the top of the key splashed through the net for a 68-65 lead with 6:35 remaining. But empty possessions down the stretch haunted the AfterShocks, as Americana For Autism rallied to take a 70-68 lead entering the Elam Ending.
The AfterShocks were in control of the game midway through the second quarter, up 29-25, but a technical foul assessed to McDuffie seemingly swung the game. Autism Army reeled off a 12-0 run immediately following the technical, which helped them take a 43-36 advantage into halftime.
McDuffie did help the team climb out of its hole in the third quarter with seven points, but the AfterShocks were never able to consistently finish with defensive stops as Autism Army finished the game with 55.3% shooting.
While it was the second straight loss in Dayton for the AfterShocks, Saturday’s showing was much more competitive than the 29-point loss they took against Florida TNT last summer.
This story was originally published July 30, 2022 at 5:00 PM.
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