Thanks to an all-around team effort, Renaissance Granite & Quartz took home the 2016 YMCA Capital City League (YCCL) Championship, full game recaps can be found below.
Semifinal 1: Arogundade Brothers lead Lions Club in double-digit comeback
Des Moines Outreach Lions Club 96, Hannah Homes 95
Deonte Burton came ready to play on Sunday for Hannah Homes to try and lead the Cinderella charge for the 2nd playoff game in a row. However, Burton’s 37 points were not enough to keep the Lions Club from making a double-digit comeback. Ore and Ola Arogundade lead the charge with 53 combined points (27 from Ore and 26 from Ola) for Lions Club.
Burton knocked down a three pointer to tie the game with 30 seconds to go. With 0.8 to play on the other end of the court, Tajen Ross was called for a (controversial) foul on Jakolby Long, sending the soon-to-be Cyclone to the line.
Long made 1 of 2 and the Lions Club advanced to the Championship.
Semifinal 2: McMurray Steps up in OT for Renaissance Granite
Renaissance Granite & Quartz 103, Tim Vorland Photography 99
After going down by three to start overtime, Detae McMurray stepped up for Renaissance Granite & Quartz, and nailed a big 3-pointer to tie the game. Renaissance Granite went on to take the win. McMurray finished with 28 points. Monte Morris added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Matt Thomas, Billy Wampler, and Simeon Carter had 27, 26, and 22 points respectively in a losing effort.
Seasonal MVP Awards
Defensive MVP – Malachi Canada (SWCC) Canada showed a brilliant effort all over the floor this season, at one point leading Phoenix Renewable Resources in scoring, earning himself the defensive MVP Award.
High School MVP – Daric Lang (NW Missouri State) The Bearcats will get one of the smoothest shooters of the YCCL in 2016 in Daric Lang, as he averaged 16.5 points per game. It was not hard to tell when he was on.
Small School MVP – Luke TerHark (Wayne State) TerHark became the first small school player in YCCL history to lead the league in three pointers, as he went 42-87, a whopping 48% to earn him the small school MVP award.
Overall MVP – Monte Morris (Iowa State) Morris lead his team to the championship and averaged 34.6 points per game, shooting 47.6% from the floor.
Morris leads Renaissance Granite to Championship
The spotlight was on for Monte Morris to shine in the YCCL Championship at Valley Southwoods on Sunday, as the former Cyclone scored 24 points for Renaissance Granite in a the Championship game. The team knocked off #2 seed DM Outreach Lions Club by a blowout score of 114-102.
Before setting foot on the floor for his final half Morris said, “It’s my last half of Cap City, I’m about to cry,” and Morris might have shed a tear of joy after winning it.
Head Coach Jason Swanson earned his first YCCL playoff win just last Friday Night, on Sunday he earned two more on to take the 2016 YCCL CChampionship.
“It feels good. I mean no matter where you win a championship at, a championship is a championship, its big time,” Morris said. “I’m just happy I was blessed with a good team and a good coach.”
