Shaquielle McKissic matched his season-high with 13 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer.
20 on a 10 scale: McKissic thrilled by winning score
Olympiacos Piraeus’s exciting 75-73 victory over AS Monaco was effectively sealed with 22 seconds remaining when Shaquielle McKissic netted a nerveless three-pointer to give the Reds a lead they would protect through free-throw shooting the rest of the way.
And it was also the crowning moment of a dynamic performance from McKissic, who has endured a largely frustrating season including nearly two months on the sidelines through injury and a longer-than-hoped return to full fitness.
But McKissic’s modest statistical contribution – averaging just 5 points per game so far this season – do not tell the story of his importance to the team, with his energy and endless optimism always helping to lift his teammates and, when playing in Piraeus, offering a big dose of energy for the fans to feed off.
He did exactly that in the second quarter, pulling his team back from an 8-point deficit with a three-pointer, a fierce slam in transition and another eye-catching dunk off a backdoor cut – all in less than 5 minutes.
He saved the best for the last, however. The game had been tied at 69-69 for nearly 2 minutes when Olympiacos looked to break the deadlock inside the final 30 seconds. After a dribble from Isaiah Canaan, the ball was handed to Alec Peters who drove menacingly to the basket before kicking it out to McKissic, waiting patiently near the right corner.
How did McKissic feel in that moment, with the game on the line and the ball heading into his hands? Pretty good, he said after the game.
“From 1 to 10, it was a 20!” he beamed. "I knew it was coming to me and I knew it was going in! I’m here before practice every single day, putting the reps in, and hard work is always rewarded.”
It was certainly rewarded on Thursday night and now, after a tough first half of the season, we can say it without any doubt: Shaq is Back.