(Photo by Steve Woltmann)
Murray State’s Jonathan Stark, put on quite the show and came home with a runner-up finish Thursday in the 3-point portion of the 2018 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships San Antonio, Texas.
If some of the packed crowd at Bill Greehey Arena and the national audience watching on ESPN2 didn’t know about the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year before the contest, they sure did when he posted the highest combined score after the first two rounds to reach the finals.
Wearing the Racer uniform for the last time and wearing the navy blues, Stark hit 21-of-25 shots in the opening round, including 4-of-5 money ball shots (the last ball in each of the five racks is worth two points) and finished with a score of 23 points out of a possible 30 points. After all 24 contestants got their chance, the top-4 scores advanced to the semifinals and Stark was in second place.
He was the third semifinalist to shoot after Dakota Mathias of Purdue and Connor Birtchfield of William and Mary. Stark brought the arena to its feet when he hit a streak of nine-straight to start his 25 shots. When it was over, Stark had hit 21-of-25 and scored 24 points. Birtchfield was second with 21 points and met Stark in the final.
In the championship round, Birtchfield went first and scored 21 points. Stark wasn’t able to get going and came in with 14 points.
What it thrill it was for Racer Nation to watch one of their own in such a fun contest at the Final Four in San Antonio. Stark represented Murray State so well in the last two seasons and he did so in San Antonio.
The fun for the Racers in Texas isn’t over, because Friday MSU’s Terrell Miller represents his school and the OVC in the first Dos Equis 3X3 National Championship. Miller will team with some that he competed against during the Racers 16-2 OVC title run including: Belmont’s Austin Luke and Amanze Egekeze and Austin Peay forward Averyl Ugba.
(FROM MURRAY STATE ATHLETICS)
