The Texas high school basketball state tournament produced a massive upset Tuesday night as
McKinney knocked off national No. 1
Richardson 54-52 on a game-winning basket from SMU signee
Alex Anamekwe with 1.3 seconds remaining.
In a back-and-forth Class 6A regional quarterfinal contest played at the Culwell Center in Garland, McKinney sealed the win over top-ranked Richardson after four-star junior
Ja'Kobe Walter stole the inbound pass following the go-ahead basket from Anamekwe.
In the final seconds, Walter attempted the game-winner but was blocked by Kentucky signee
Cason Wallace of Richardson. Anamekwe collected the ball in mid-air after after it was tipped and laid it off the glass.
See the final sequence below.
Prior to the game-winning basket, Alabama signee
Rylan Griffen knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie things up at 52-52 with one minute remaining.
McKinney led 18-16 after the first quarter before Richardson took a 32-29 advantage into the half and a 41-40 edge entering the fourth quarter. A balanced fourth-quarter effort saw five different players score baskets for the Lions as they outscored Richardson 14-11 in the final frame.
Griffen finished with a game-high 25 points, including nine points in the fourth quarter, while Wallace chipped in 20 points in the loss for Richardson (32-2).
McKinney (31-5), which advances to face North Crowley in the regional semifinals Friday, received a team-high 15 points from
Thatcher McClure while Anamekwe had 14.
Four-star junior Ja'Kobe Walter (4) and McKinney knock off top-ranked Richardson.
File Photo by Eddie Kelly
