Dynamic duo

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: January 16, 2017

McGuirk, Carr combine for 50 as White Plains swamps Jacksonville Christian in county tournament, face No. 4 Saks next

Michael McGuirk (L) and Macey Carr typically have combined for most of White Plains’ points in a game; they had 50 between them Monday. On the cover, Carr drives to the basket. (Photos by Kristen Stringer/KrispPics Photography)

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

JACKSONVILLE — There are a lot of ways to describe the two-headed scoring monster that is White Plains’ dynamic duo of Michael McGuirk and Macey Carr, but Wildcats coach Chris Randall just might have reduced it to its simplest form.

“One of them has it — whatever ‘it’ is — and the other is grabbing at it, he’s about to get it,” Randall said.

The M&M boys were at it again Monday, this time scoring 30 and 20, respectively, in about 2 1/2 quarters of work in a 75-52 win over JCA in the Calhoun County Tournament. The fifth-seeded Wildcats next play No. 4 Saks at 5:30 Tuesday.

“They’re the best two scorers that we’ve had together at White Plains that I can remember,” said Randall, now in his 16th season with the Wildcats. “Mike’s just always had ‘it,’ whatever ‘it’ is, and Macey has got ‘it’ — the bigger the game the better he plays. But Mike is not afraid of nothing. He can miss the last shot, he’s fine; he can handle it. Macey’s the same way.

“They just have that mentality. They’re both very confident without being cocky – you’re not going to be cocky because I’m going to bust you up if you are – and that confidence without arrogance is a special trait.”

McGuirk and Carr retired from Monday’s game with 2:35 left in the third quarter and the Wildcats leading 57-35. It doesn’t take a math whiz to figure they had scored almost all of White Plains’ points. They had all of them in the first quarter and all but four of them in the first half.

McGuirk scored 10 in the first quarter, 12 in the second and eight in the third. Carr had 11 in the first, six in the second and three in the third.

When both are on like that there aren’t many better feelings in a basketball game.

“It was wonderful,” Carr said. “If we’re hitting, then we’re good. We have our on and off days, but we have days we go off and help the team go where they want to go. This was pretty fun. I enjoy playing games like that.”

As much as both scorers flourish in their roles with the Wildcats, both are equally adept at passing along praise to their teammates for the success they have enjoyed.

“Our teammates just do a great job of getting us to the ball,” McGuirk said. “We’re the two main scorers and then we have Brett (Beaver); he’s really starting to come along. We have great chemistry. Sometimes (opponents) try to take me and Macey out of the game and try to make other people score, but we do such a good job of passing, cutting and moving without the ball and getting open, our teammates do a better job of finding us. All these guys are making us so much better in practice.”

The Wildcats didn’t stop scoring Monday when McGuirk and Macey left the game. Peyton Morgan scored a career-high nine for White Plains — all in the third quarter.

Reed Murphy led JCA with 19; he was 9-for-12 from the foul line. Walker Messer had 14 points.

White Plains 72, Jacksonville Christian 52
JCA – Justin Tignor 0 0-0 0, Johnny Alford 0 0-0 0, Elijah McCormack 0 4-5 4, Walker Messer 4 6-11 14, Nash Messer 1 0-0 2, Jayden Mitchell 1 2-4 5, Chase Cobb 1 0-0 2, Kobe Messer 3 0-0 6, Reed Murphy 5 9-12 19, Austin Dowdy 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 21-32 52.

WHITE PLAINS – Jaylen Jackson 0 0-0 0, Peyton Morgan 3 3-4 9, Dylan McCareeth 0 0-0 0, Justin Foster 2 0-1 4, Austin Bussey 0 0-0 0, Andrew MCCarter 0 0-0 0, Michael McGuirk 13 0-1 30, Drake Preston 1 0-0 2, Macey Carr 8 3-4 20, Gavin Burrage 1 0-0 2, Brett Beaver 4 0-0 8. Totals 32 6-10 75.

JCA 11 13 12 16 — 52
White Plains 21 22 22 10 — 75

3-point goals: JCA 1 (Mitchell); White Plains 5 (McGuirk 4, Carr). Total fouls: JCA 14, White Plains 20. Officials: Nick Madsen, Dwight Simmons, Kevin Holston.