It was a scene Central Michigan fans saw so many times during Marcus Keene's legendary season in Mount Pleasant.
Keene attacking across half court. Keene crossing over to his left hand. Keene stopping on a dime and rising like an eagle, his 5-foot-9 frame hanging in the air as he released the ball over the outstretched arms of former Wisconsin basketball star Ethan Happ.
Like so many times before, this scene ended with the ball sinking through the net. Keene's teammates raced with outstretched arms toward their hero as Team Sideline Cancer reached the Elam Ending margin of 92 to knock off Team Hines in Sunday's "The Basketball Tournament" first round matchup.
Keene, who joined Team Sideline Cancer after spending the season in Taiwan playing for the Yulon Luxgen Dinos, scored 29 points. He became a household name in his one season at Central Michigan, where he averaged 30 points a game and rewrote the Chippewas' single season record book.
He delivered a vintage performance Sunday afternoon, knocking down jumpers and exhibiting phenomenal ball-handling skills as he tore through the Team Hines defense, which was led by Happ and former Illinois star Brandon Paul.
Keene netted his first bucket on a step-back triple against a defender with a seven inch height advantage. After refusing a screen, Keene crossed to his left and pushed off his plant foot to create separation, leaving defender Marcus Thornton helplessly watching as the ball snapped through the net.
He was weaving through defenders all afternoon, slicing and dicing his way to the rim. There was the occasional pull-up, such as his stop and pop triple from just inside the half-court stripe. He finished 5-of-13 from beyond the arc and 12-of-22 overall.
Then there was the game-winner - Keene using his sharp crossover and quickness to get a shot off against a defender who stands a foot taller than him. The taller Happ could only clap in dismay and walk off the court at Keene's momentum took him into his team's bench and the horn sounded to conclude the game.
It was an ending all too predictable for those familiar with Keene.
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