McKinney North outlasts Mansfield Legacy in low-scoring tussle

Special to the Star-Telegram

COPPELL — McKinney North beat Mansfield Legacy 23-21 in overtime Tuesday night in their Class 4A regional quarterfinal playoff meeting at Coppell High School. It will likely be a game remembered as much for how it was played as for how it ended.

The game started with Legacy (28-9) jumping out to a quick 9-2 lead and holding an 11-7 advantage after the first quarter when Derrick Hall scored a put-back at the buzzer. North (23-11) went on an 8-0 run in the second quarter for a 15-11 lead. From there, the game slowed dramatically — at times to a halt — as both teams started holding the ball and neither defense seemed intent on forcing the issue.

“It was a cat-and-mouse game,” Legacy coach Marchie Murdock said. “Yeah, it was probably the weirdest game I’ve ever been associated with.”

North took possession with more than two minutes remaining in the first half but held for the final shot. The Bulldogs led 15-13 at halftime.

The Broncos turned the ball over on their first possession of the second half, and North answered with a 3-pointer. Legacy finally ended North’s 16-4 run with Deon Bryant’s basket. Brooks Bacchus then hit a 3-pointer and Marchie Murdock, the coach’s son, made a layup to give the Broncos a 20-18 lead. Trey Edwards hit a free throw to cap Legacy’s 8-0 run and the Broncos led 21-18 after three quarters.

Midway through the fourth, North’s Jola Otubu scored, was fouled, and made the free throw for the only points scored the entire quarter. There would be only three possessions over the final five minutes, none resulting in points.

Outgoing Legacy senior Brett Potter said he knew the pace of the game dictated that the team that made the fewest mistakes would win.

“In a game like that, you get minimum possessions, so you have to execute on every single one and value every single one,” he said.

It would, in fact, be a turnover that decided the game. Neither team scored in overtime until Colin Curran stole a pass and was fouled on his way to the basket with 5.2 seconds remaining. He hit both free throws, giving North a 23-21 lead.

Legacy would get a final look, as Murdock put up a runner at the buzzer that faded left.

Despite the loss, coach Marchie Murdock doesn’t regret how his team approached the game down the stretch.

“I think it could have [gone] either way,” Murdock said. “They got a few bounces, we got a few bounces. We just didn’t take care of the ball there at the end.”

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