Quarter century of memories: Dade’s half-court heave banks in for Thanksgiving tourney title

Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman began covering the Quincy High School boys basketball program during the 1998-99 season, and since he recently wrapped up his 25th season following the Blue Devils, he put together a list of his 25 most memorable games. Here is today’s installment:

November 28, 2015 — Quincy 49, Chicago Marshall 47

QUINCY — Mike Dade made a plea. Andy Douglas made a wish. Others said a prayer.

All were answered.

The Quincy High School boys basketball team had the opportunity to win the title of the 45th annual QHS Thanksgiving Tournament in 2015 going into Saturday night’s championship game against Chicago Marshall. Such an opportunity seemed to evaporate when the Blue Devils found themselves trailing 47-46 and 2.8 seconds remaining.

During a timeout, Douglas, then in his second season as head coach, drew up a play to get the ball in the hands of Dade, his senior point guard.

“You hope at that point,” Douglas said. “Looking back, I don’t remember anyone panicking or thinking we were out of it. Everyone in that huddle believed we could find a way to score. Some of those guys might have been saying some prayers, but we all had hope at that moment.”

Hope turned to a silent plea when the ball left Dade’s hands.

Running off a double screen, Dade caught the inbounds pass from the baseline and dribbled up the right side of the Blue Devil Gym floor. Just before he reached midcourt, he planted both feet in front of the announcer’s table and launched a half-court shot.

And he muttered to himself, “Please, please, go in.”

It did.

Dade’s shot banked in, giving the Blue Devils a 49-47 victory on November 28, 2015, and their sixth Thanksgiving Tournament championship in a seven-year span. It was also the second buzzer-beating shot in the Thanksgiving Tournament in that span as Mason Fairley hit a last-second shot to beat Poplar Bluff (Mo.) 47-45 in the title game in 2010.

Fairley banked in a 10-footer after taking two dribbles.

Dade’s was clearly more of a prayer.

“I don’t know if anyone would have ever expected a shot like that to go in,” Douglas said. “You practice late-game scenarios and guys love shooting half-court shots at the end of a practice or at the beginning of the day, but how often do you truly need a half-court shot? That time, we needed one and Mike came through.

“I can’t tell you I thought he was going to make it, but we thought he would have the best percentage chance of anyone making it. Mike was always a clutch guy shooting them in practice. That was unbelievable.”

To check out previous stories in this series, click on the links below:

Summers puts hip pain aside to leave Alleman hurting

Riled up Blue Devils run former assistant coach’s team out of gym

Medsker’s willingness to play despite days battling flu leads to epic performance

Jobe’s 3-point barrage puts in him record books

After assistant coach suffers heart attack, Blue Devils ‘had to do it for Coach Q’

Wires’ buzzer-beater sinks Kahoks in sectional semifinal

Rupert’s 3-point barrage brings QHS sideline to life

Shoot, Blue Devils rekindle Blue Devil Gym magic in comeback against Webster Groves

Douglas’ debut as QHS head coach is ‘special, truly special’

Watson’s triple-double, Bush’s all-around effort carry Blue Devils to regional championship

Forbes ties 3-point record, sets career scoring high in Blue Devil Gym

Victory No. 2,000 happening at Blue Devil Gym makes perfect sense

Fairley’s buzzer-beater results in wild ride out of Blue Devil Gym

Technicals, ejections lead to Douglas getting one-night audition as head coach

Blue Devils’ Anders teaches Panthers to show respect by going on two-minute scoring binge