McGuinness, Tulsa Kelley face off at Paycom Center as part of Thunder's Court of Dreams program
Rachel Avedon’s eyes got big as she cascaded down the steps.
In front of she and her Tulsa Kelley teammates was a mostly empty arena. Bright lights illuminated the Oklahoma City Thunder logo at midcourt, and banners hung in the rafters. All of the players were staring at the sights inside Paycom Center, taking it all in before they tipped off a game of their own.
As part of the Thunder’s Court of Dreams, which allows local athletic programs and schools to play basketball games on the Thunder’s home court, Tulsa Kelley and McGuinness faced off in a Battle of the Bishops on Saturday afternoon at Paycom Center. Only hours later, the Thunder would take the floor to face the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Yet for a couple hours on a cold, snowy afternoon in downtown Oklahoma City, high school teams got their moment in the spotlight on the state’s biggest basketball stage.
“It was a little overwhelming at first,” said Avedon, a senior. “But once we got on the court and started playing, we settled in and were able to play well.”
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Avedon led all scorers with 17 points in the girls game, as she led the Comets to a 46-26 win against their rival.
About 2,000 fans were on hand inside Paycom Center to watch the rivals face off. The girls game tipped shortly after noon, and the boys tipped about 1:45 p.m.
In the girls game, both teams started slow, with McGuinness owning a 9-6 advantage after the first quarter. The final three quarters, however, Tulsa Kelley dominated on both ends, outsourcing the Fighting Irish 40-17.
Raegan Crisp scored 15 points to lead McGuinness. Leah Ames added 10 for Tulsa Kelley. Avedon said she and fellow seniors played at BOK Center in Tulsa when they were underclassmen, so it helped them settle in as the game went along.
There was no slow start on the boys side, however. McGuinness hit its first four shots, three of those coming from behind the NBA 3-point line. That quick start propelled the Fighting Irish to a 79-61 win.
“I actually told our guys we needed to focus on not shooting those deep 3s,” McGuinness coach Jake Brown said. “I knew these guys were going to let them fly. But I’m glad it worked out.”
The Fighting Irish hit 10 shots from beyond the arc and outscored Tulsa Kelley in every quarter. Graham Tawwater scored 18 points, Andrew Smith Added 15 and Price Bradley poured in 14.
Tulsa Kelley’s Charlie Dee led all scorers with 21 points.
Rumble the Bison, the Thunder’s mascot, even came out for both games to throw t-shirts to fans in the crowd.
It was an electric environment for two high school games, especially with the rivalry aspect involved. It’s something neither team’s players or coaches are going to forget.
“It was awesome,” Brown said. “It was so cool to be here.”
Cameron Jourdan covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Cameron? He can be reached at cjourdan@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @Cam_Jourdan. Support Cameron’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: McGuinness, Tulsa Kelley battle at Paycom Center for Court of Dreams
