Ayo Dosunmu blamed himself for letting the ball slip through his fingers at the most inopportune of times, but he did not worry.
Morgan Park’s highly regarded junior guard simply took it right back.
In a dramatic end to an exciting Proviso West Holiday Tournament semifinal, Dosunmu gave Uplift the ball underneath its own basket with three seconds left, then came up with a steal on the inbounds play to secure the No. 3 Mustangs’ 66-64 victory over No. 7 Uplift on Thursday night in Hillside.
Dosunmu scored a game-high 29 points, and Melo Burrell added 10 points and 15 rebounds. The defending tourney champion Mustangs (9-1) built a 13-point halftime lead and survived 23 points and 15 rebounds by Uplift junior Toraze Dobbs.
“I wasn’t worried,” Dosunmu said. “I should have caught the ball, but I knew we’d get a stop. Don’t panic. I’ve been through that before. We had to keep our composure.”
The Division I-bound Jacobs brothers, senior Demarius (Southern Illinois) and sophomore Markese (Kansas) combined for 25 points for the Titans (10-3), but Dobbs led the comeback.
His third 3-pointer cut Morgan Park’s lead to 50-42 after three quarters, and his next one made it 53-51 with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left. After a three-point play by Burrell made it 62-56 with 2:12 left, Dobbs responded with his fifth 3 the next time down.
Demarius Jacobs made it 65-64 on a 3 with five seconds left, then Dosunmu, standing right next to Burrell on the other side of the baseline, fumbled his pass and gave Uplift an extra chance.
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Dosunmu said he expected Uplift to run some pick action going to the basket. He deflected the inbounds pass, came up with the loose ball and made one of two anticlimactic free throws with half a second left.
His lack of concern is a Morgan Park thing.
“When you have the best player in the world, you’re not nervous,” Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. “He’s our closer.”
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
Player of the game: Ayo Dosunmu, Morgan Park, 29 points, 9 rebounds.
Key performers: Uplift — Toraze Dobbs, 23 points, 15 rebounds, 5 3-pointers; Demarius Jacobs, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals. Morgan Park — Melo Burrell, 10 points, 15 rebounds.