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By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Greenwood junior Aminu Mohammed played like a star.
Or, as Christ the King coach Joe Arbritello described it, a pro.
Mohammed went for 38 points and 23 rebounds – setting several tournament records in the process – but it was Christ the King coming out with the victory.
The hot-shooting Royals got 44 combined points from Ryan Myers and Sterling Jones in a 71-67 overtime win over Greenwood in Saturday’s Bass Pro Tournament of Champions 5th place game at JQH Arena.
Christ the King made 14 of its 30 3-point attempts. Four Royals made two or more 3s.
“They (Christ the King) shot it extremely hot and I thought, ‘Well, eventually they’ll cool off,’” said Greenwood coach Darren Taylor. “I was wrong. They didn’t.”
Mohammed stole the show with a performance that put him into the Tournament of Champions record books:
• Single-game rebounding record (23)
• Tournament rebounding record (52)
• Tied for fourth-most points in a tournament (100)
• Top 12 most points in a single game (38)
Current NBA player Malcom Brogdon previously held the rebounding records.
“It’s good. I tried to put forth the effort to help my team win,” Mohammed said. “That’s just the individual stuff. It matters, but it doesn’t matter without my team. I couldn’t get my team that win that it deserves.
“But I thank God and appreciate (the records).”
The 6’5” Mohammed shot 16-for-30 from the field and grabbed nine offensive rebounds.
“(Mohammed’s) a pro,” Arbitello said. “He makes pro shots. The game slows down for him.”
The Royals, from Middle Village, N.Y., led by 11 midway through the second quarter. The teams went back-and-forth in an entertaining second half. In all, there were nine lead changes.
Tommy Pinegar’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer from well beyond NBA range gave Greenwood (13-3 overall) a 46-44 lead entering the fourth.
Greenwood freshman Nic Burri tied the game, 58-all, on a pair of free throws with 1:01 remaining in regulation. The Royals held the ball for the final shot, but missed.
Christ the King (5-7 overall) took the lead for good in overtime, 65-60, on a 3-pointer by Nicolas Molina.
“Tonight was the first time I felt all year that we battled through something,” Arbitello said.
Grant Harper scored 13 and Pinegar added 12 points for the Blue Jays.
With a win, Greenwood would’ve made team history. No local team has won two or more games in a single Tournament of Champions event since Springfield Central in 2009.
Taylor said this weekend reaffirmed what he already knew about his team.
“I knew (we) were tough and (our players) believed they could win,” Taylor said. “And I know they don’t give up.”
Christ the King 71, Greenwood 67 (OT)
Greenwood 12 13 21 12 9 — 67
CTK 17 18 9 14 13 — 71
Greenwood – Aminu Mohammed 38, Grant Harper 13, Tommy Pinegar 12, Kayden Stuckey 2, Nic Burri 2
CTK – Ryan Myers 23, Sterling Jones 21, Nicolas Molina 11, Lovell Smith 9, Jahlil Bethea 5, Brandon Williams 2
