"Welcome to the Q Show."
So said TMU Head Coach Kelvin Starr after The Master's pulled off the most improbable win of the season, coming back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to win the GSAC Men's Basketball Championship 77-74 in The MacArthur Center.
It was the third consecutive appearance for the Mustangs in the conference championship game, but their first GSAC title since defeating William Jessup University on March 9, 2019.
"I'm just super happy for the guys," said TMU Head Coach Kelvin Starr. "This team has come a long way from the beginning of the year. We had a slow start (at the beginning of the season), and then to go on the road and beat Hope (International) and then come back here and beat a 24-win Benedictine team is really good. They are good. They are really good. They were well prepared, they took us out of our game, and it took a monumental performance from Q to carry us to the finish line. That was one of the best performances I've seen in the 10 years I've been here."
Quincy Phillips, aka "Q", scored 26 of his game-high 28 points in the second half to lead TMU back from being down 13 points at the half.
He shot 10 of 17 over the final 20 minutes, including 4 of 7 from behind the 3-point line. He also dished three assists and had a pair of steals.
"He was in foul trouble (in the first half) and we didn't play him, which may have been the right choice," Coach Starr said. "And again, he played one of the best halves of basketball I've ever seen. And he was unselfish and made good decisions too. It wasn't just all about scoring, but it was still the Q show."
"I was just doing whatever it takes for us to get the win," Phillips said. "It's not an individual sport, it's a team sport, so whatever the team needed me to do I was willing to buy into that role. But I did it all through Christ."
After the opening tip-off, the first half gradually got worse and worse for The Master's. With 8:51 to play in the half, BenU had gone up 21-14. But after TMU went on a 7-0 run to tie it at 21-21, the Redhawks went on an 8-0 run to go up 29-21. The team from Arizona then closed out the first 20 minutes on an 11-4 run to go up 40-27 at halftime.
"(In the locker room) I talked specifically about the things we didn't do well, like our transition defense and not making the extra pass," Coach Starr said. "I felt like if we did those things better it would be just a one- or two-possession game. So if we can make those adjustments and play hard enough, I knew we could get right back in this game. This team is good at not quitting. We've come back before and won some close games. So let's go flip it."
One of the guys who had already started putting this team on his back during that first half was Tiago Soares, the fifth-year senior playing his final game in The MacArthur Center. He had seven points and four rebounds in the first half, but it was the way he was playing that became inspiring for his team.
"Tiago's passion all year has led us," said Coach Starr. "He is such a passionate kid and you can see it. He's juggling working, being a husband, school and basketball, and he's done it like a champ all year. He showed his character, his work ethic, his desire and his heart out there."
Soares added five more points and five more rebounds with three assists in the second half, but it was the way he worked with Phillips and the rest of the team that led to The Master's overcoming what became a 17-point difference in the second half into a 3-point win.
"In the first minute or so we had a couple of turnovers, and for me it became a mentality of 'We cannot lose this game,'" Soares said. "Coach Jordan (Starr) was telling us in the locker room at halftime, 'This is your last time playing in this gym." That really motivated me in that moment. And with Q I told him, 'I'm with you, man. Let's play together.' I love playing with him, and he's really embraced the role where he can see me and he can trust me and we can play off each other. I'm just so happy we were able to have that mentality and just keep fighting."
When reminded that he gets to go out as GSAC champion in his final game in The MacArthur Center, Soares got a little emotional.
"Thinking about being with (Coach Starr), and where we started... I mean we didn't think we would be in this position. And to have the guys just stick together... I mean it's just so big. I'm so happy and satisfied right now, and I can't wait to move on to the national tournament and keep fighting with them."
Phillips finished his night with four assists and four steals to go with his 28 total points. Soares scored 12 and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, with Avery Jackson adding 10 points.
Now the team awaits their next destination, which will be revealed Thursday at 4 p.m. PT during the NAIA Men's Basketball Selection Show on the NAIA's YouTube channel.
