McKay carries FWM to semis

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MINOT — Trayvon McKay played the final 6 minutes, 31 seconds with four fouls. He not only avoided a fifth foul, but drew one that helped advance Four Winds-Minnewaukan into the semifinals of the North Dakota Class B boys high school basketball tournament.

The Indians scored a 53-49 win against Rugby on Thursday at the Minot State Dome in the state quarterfinals. A basket that would have pulled Rugby even with five seconds remaining was negated when McKay drew an offensive foul.

With Four Winds-Minnewaukan clinging to a 51-49 lead, Kyle Lovcik drove the right baseline and hit an off-balance 10-foot shot. But he collided with McKay and was called for the charge.

“I knew they’d go to Lovcik,” McKay said. “He’s their best player. I decided to step in (front). I knew he’d go all the way. He’s an aggressive player.’”

A clear charge? “It was close,” McKay said.

“We’ll take close,” FW-M coach Rick Smith said. “That was a player playing with no fear. Trayvon took a chance. Fortunately, it went our way.”

Four Winds-Minnewaukan iced the win when McKay hit both ends of a free-throw bonus with four seconds left.

McKay was a sparkplug when he re-entered the game with 6:31 left. Rugby had scored six unanswered points to open the fourth quarter, pulling within 44-43. But McKay stretched the lead to five when he converted his own missed shot into a field goal, then drove the lane and banked in a short jump shot.

“Trayvon has no fear,” Smith said. “There’s ice in his veins. That’s what you have to have. He wants the big shots.”

Rugby rallied again, tying the game at 49 with 1:52 remaining when Bradley Heidlebaugh capped a 6-1 run when he scored a layup on a give-and-go play. But, with 46 seconds left, Four Winds-Minnewaukan took the lead for good when Austin Longie drove into the lane from the left wing and scooped in a basket in a crowd.

“He’s another kid with no fear,” Smith said. “He’s a slithering type of player. He gets into the lane and creates havoc by attacking the basket. He’s pretty creative.”

The final score was indicative of the entire game. Neither team led by more than eight points.

McKay finished with a game-high 22 points, going 3-of-5 on 3-point shots. Austin Longie added 17, including 3-of-6 on treys, as the two combined for 39 of the Indians’ 53 points.

Lovcik scored 16 and Heidlebaugh 12 to lead Rugby.

Rugby 12 20 37 49

FWM 10 24 44 53

R: Kyle Lovcik 16, Kyle Halvorson 12, Bradley Heidlebaugh 9, Joshua Michels 8, Christopher Hamilton 4. Totals: 18-51 9-18 49.

FWM: Trayvon McKay 22, Austin Longie 17, Collin Delorme 4, Jason LaRock 4, Oliver Gourd III 4, Hadley Smith 2. Totals: 19-53 9-15 53.

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