Mario McKinney made first impression in the season opener for John A. Logan last week when he scored a career-high 21 points.
That performance paled in comparison to what the St. Louis Vashon High School product and Mizzou transfer did on Thursday night.
McKinney had a pedestrian 12 points at halftime and then exploded, dropping bombs from deep and breaking ankles en route to layups, scoring 52 points and helping the No. 1 ranked Vols dispose of Three Rivers Community College 121-117 in double overtime.
If nothing else, McKinney calls it all a blessing.
"For my teammates to put that much trust in me and for me to be able to put this team on my back in a blessing. I've had my doubters and that's what fuels me. That's what comes with it, but I'm not really worried about it. As far as me being able to come out and help this team get a win -- in any fashion -- is a blessing."
In the two overtime periods, McKinney had 16 points and finished going 15-of-23 from the free throw line, while knocking down three triples.
Isaiah Ervin, another St. Louis product, caught fire early had a run for JALC (2-0) burying four consecutive 3-pointers, finishing with a total of six and scoring 22 points. Jamarion Sharp also notched double digits as the 7-footer threw down 20 points.
It was a back-and-forth affair all night. Logan led 47-42 at halftime and then 92-all at the end of regulation.
Dre Boyd and Cam Alford each added eight points for the Vols, while Xavier Ball scored seven, five of which we huge points in the second overtime stanza. Romon Douglas-Watkins tacked on three points and Dawson Yates put in a free throw.
Smithpeters took a moment afterwards to explain to his club this was the same game his Vols faced a year ago against Three Rivers. The difference a year ago was that John A. Logan had a NBA draft pick in Jay Scrubb, this year's team found a way to win.
"I think that resiliency in how this year has been and is going to go for us was very important and continue to find their identity and get better. That's what our guys need to experience … seeing how good teams can be if we don't do some things we need to do, but Three Rivers is a good basketball team. You don't shoot the ball like that and make plays like that if you're not a good basketball team. We got to watch a special performance by a player tonight, we had some guys that maybe didn't have their best game, but they had some special moments in that game."
John A. Logan returns to the hardwood Saturday against Mineral Area College at 3 p.m.
Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.