Career 3-Point Field Goal

Sportsmanship Steals Show In Midst Of Basketball Rivalry

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington center Mac Spears (far left) raises a hand signal in anticipation as McKay Gregson’s 3-point shot travels toward the goal. Cardinal Jeremy Mueller (right) rebounded a miss of McKay’s first shot and in a show of sportsmanship threw the ball back to him. McKay, a special needs player, made the 3-point shot on Valentine’s Day during a rivalry game.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington center Mac Spears (far left) raises a hand signal in anticipation as McKay Gregson’s 3-point shot travels toward the goal. Cardinal Jeremy Mueller (right) rebounded a miss of McKay’s first shot and in a show of sportsmanship threw the ball back to him. McKay, a special needs player, made the 3-point shot on Valentine’s Day during a rivalry game.

PRAIRIE GROVE -- McKay Gregson is like many boys thrilled with playing basketball although the game came harder for him than most while living with 22-Q-11 Deletion Syndrome.

The syndrome termed 22-Q for short results from a deficiency in the 22nd chromosome which may lead to a wide variety of health disorders and makes learning and social interaction difficult. McKay never allowed those types of challenges to diminish his interest in basketball or keep him from preparing for a moment he always dreamed about -- hitting a 3-pointer in a high school game.

When the demands of practicing with the team became too much for him McKay shifted gears and served as manager for his high school team, the Prairie Grove Tigers but he never stopped practicing his 3-point shot. Prairie Grove girls basketball coach Kevin Froud, who was perpetually juggling practice times around boys schedules confirmed McKay's dedication.

"McKay, he shoots all the time so his form is pretty much perfect," Froud said.

On senior night the last home game of his high school career, McKay got to dress out with the team as they took on neighboring Farmington, six miles away, in an intense rivalry. Prairie Grove was looking to improve their seeding going into the district tournament one week away but the Tigers knew they wouldn't have an easy time with the visiting Cardinals, who were locked in a battle for first place and a bye into the Regional tournament.

Still head boys coach Steve Edmiston assured McKay if an opportunity arose he would get to play but nearly forgot his promise in the heat of battle.

Prairie Grove evened the score at 44-all with five straight points from senior guard Ty Tice with 6:16 left in the fourth quarter and stayed within, 52-50, at the 2:52 mark when Jacob Storlie fed Dylan Soehner in the low post. Farmington responded with Blaise Albright's driving lay-in. Then Cardinal freshman Matt Thomas stole an in-bounds pass playing the ball off a Tiger while falling out-of-bounds.

Prairie Grove would not back off and Parker Galligan's 3-pointer narrowed the Cardinal lead to 58-53 with 54 seconds left but Skyler Barnes' steal and 3-point play helped Farmington extend the margin and Jeremy Mueller's free throws made it, 64-55, with 6.7 seconds to go.

"We just kind of threw the Xs and Os out the window in the fourth quarter," said Farmington coach Beau Thompson. "Jeremy Mueller gets a steal and a lay-up and Skyler Barnes gets a lay-up, that was the difference in the game."

At that juncture a Prairie Grove cheerleader boldly approached Edmiston on the bench and asked him to put McKay in. When McKay came to the scorer's table to check in the arena went wild with anticipation. McKay's presence on the court was not lost on Farmington. All five defenders backed off not contesting an in-bounds pass which Galligan rolled carefully on the floor to Tice at mid court outrunning the ball to get in on the play.

Tice, Prairie Grove's floor general, had already positioned McKay at his favorite spot near the top-of-the-key on the right wing and in a single motion scooped the ball up and tossed it to McKay, who fired up a 3-pointer which came off the rim and into the hands of Farmington junior guard Jeremy Mueller. Mueller immediately threw the ball back to McKay, who had taken a couple of steps backward and was now in NBA 3-point range.

McKay squared up to launch another shot and this one was true like as the building rocked. Players from both teams mobbed McKay, who couldn't stop smiling and the referees walked off smiling. For a moment the final score of Farmington, 64, Prairie Grove, 58; was not as important as celebrating McKay's triumph.

Thompson praised Mueller's character saying he didn't have to tell him to throw the ball back to McKay that a sense of sportsmanship prompted him to make an uncommon play.

"I was thrilled for him and the reaction of our student body. They loved it, too," Edmiston said. "There's not a bigger fan of Prairie Grove basketball than McKay is. I want to thank Farmington and their players. Some things in life are more important than wins and losses."

"It's just a very special moment," said McKay's father, Lynn Gregson. "These two communities have a great rivalry but they have a lot of respect for each other. Even the kids from Farmington I could hear them cheering, 'Put McKay in, put McKay in.'"

"He's been dreaming about it for years about making a 3-point shot at the buzzer," said McKay's younger sister, Marie Gregson. "Farmington was really, really classy tonight for giving him a moment he'll never forget. I'm just really grateful for the community and their support. My heart is just really full."

"That's something you see on ESPN that they talk about," Froud said. "It's just sportsmanship. It puts the score and games and everything in perspective."

As a salute to his dedication and determination as an overcomer, McKay Gregson has been named Inspirational Athlete of the Year for Prairie Grove by the ENTERPRISE-LEADER.

Farmington 64, Prairie Grove 58

Farmington 11 14 19 20 - 64

Prairie Grove 12 19 9 18 - 58

Farmington (14-10, 11-3)

Matt Thomas 17, Skyler Barnes 16, Blaise Albright 11, Michael Ryan 8, Jeremy Mueller 7, Mac Spears 3, Evan O'Dell 2.

Prairie Grove (13-11), 8-6)

Ty Tice 15, Dylan Soehner 15, Weston Fitts 7, Tanner Pursell 6, Parker Galligan 6, Derek Arguello 4, McKay Gregson 3, Leighton Smith 2.

Sports on 12/24/2014