After finally overcoming a lingering groin injury, junior guard Naz Long returned to the YMCA Capital City League on July 11 just in time for both the 3-point shootout and the first round of the league playoffs. He made the most of his opportunities.

“[My injury] was only supposed to be a week and a half process, but I could not stay out of the gym and I kind of prolonged it, so that is all on me,” Long said.

The groin did not appear to be a problem as Long said he came right from the car without taking a warm-up shot and qualified for the finals of the league’s first annual 3-point shootout contest.

Long, who shot last in the 3-point finals, calmly stepped up and scored 24 out of a possible 30 points to post the night’s highest total, blowing away his competition and claiming the title.

“I am not sure if I was the fan favorite, but in my mind [I was],” Long said. “That is how I think. I play things to win. It was a great time, we had a bunch of great shooters. I am just a little too competitive.”

Long carried that competitive ferocity with him to the court in the first playoff game of the evening when he and senior Daniel Edozie suited up for Phoenix Renewable Resources to take on Renaissance Granite & Quartz.

Energetic play defined Long’s return to the court, as he pulled up effectively from long-range and used his ever-present shooting threat to keep defenders off balance, penetrating the paint looking to finish or deal easy buckets to his teammates.

Long tallied 11 assists to go along with his 31 points, many of those assists coming on dishes to Edozie on the block after Long directed court traffic to open his teammate up for easy looks.

Edozie made the most of his chances, scoring a team-high 32 points and nabbing 12 boards. Edozie said the effort he displayed is something he has been using the summer league to cultivate specifically.

“The first game of this whole thing, I had like three points and four or five rebounds,” Edozie said. “The next day, [an assistant] gave me that motivational talk that this [is my] last year and I have to go out with a bang and do better than that. I have been preparing myself to be at my best ever since.”

Long and Edozie’s bests were enough to put Phoenix over the top of a Granite squad that played without junior Georges Niang, who is currently attending a Lebron James Skills Camp in Las Vegas, Nev.

In Niang’s stead, junior Kourtlin Jackson stepped up for Granite in a big way, scoring 50 points and keeping the game tight throughout the evening.

“Scoring 50 feels great. I was out there and just feeling comfortable with it,” Jackson said. “The summer league has helped me a lot. I am feeling great about my play. Whatever role Coach has me playing this season, I am for it. A couple minutes [a game], I am fine with that. I just want to be a part of the team and part of the program.”

Jackson’s 50 was the most stellar stat line of the evening, but Granite ultimately fell to Phoenix 122-118 despite Jackson’s efforts.

The second playoff game of the night featured the league’s first dunk contest champion, senior Dustin Hogue, who got the crowd revved up early in the evening with high-flying, authoritative spectacles.

Hogue’s first dunk earned him a perfect 50, but after his two first-round dunks were averaged, he finished in third place out of five competitors, falling one spot short of a finals appearance.

However, the crowd got involved and after a brief discussion, officials made an exception to the rules, allowing Hogue to be the third competitor in the dunk competition finals.

“Me and the crowd, we get along,” Hogue said. “I have always been a guy to joke around and give the crowd a little entertainment. They helped me get to the next round. If it was not for the crowd, I would not be here, so I have to thank them.”

Hogue joined Jackson in the final round, who said he harbored no ill will that an exception was made for the well-known ISU senior, even though Jackson may have won the contest were the original rules adhered to.

Hogue went on to score a second perfect 50 in the one-dunk finals, exclaiming his victory with an alley-oop off the side of the backboard leading into an emphatic baseline slam.

The energy Hogue mustered in himself and the crowd during the festivities translated to the second playoff game of the night, where Hogue and redshirt sophomore Sherron-Dorsey Walker teamed up for Coca Cola Bottling Company of Atlantic against Capital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.

Hogue battled against redshirt junior Abdel Nader, who had missed numerous league games but came back with a bounce in his step and a versatile offensive game. Nader spotted up from deep and put the ball on the floor effectively on his way to 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Nader also appeared to bother Hogue somewhat in the paint, blocking and changing a few shots. His defensive efforts helped Capital get out on the fast break, which created transition layups and open 3s for trailers like freshman Clayton Custer, who dropped in 24 points.

Capital stretched an early lead to double digits, but Hogue and company came roaring back to close the gap, surpass Capital and take a 10-point lead into halftime.

Hogue and Dorsey-Walker proved to be too much for Capital in the second half, holding off all of Capital’s charges and ending its season on the strength of a 120-113 win.

After a slow start, Hogue netted 33 points and hauled in 14 rebounds, while Dorsey-Walker had a 22 point, 20 rebound and eight assist performance.

Hogue talked about the level of intensity and the importance of the game.

“This is definitely the same level as an actual [regular season] game,” Hogue said. “Nobody wants to lose, especially to people on your team. You go back home and have all these people talking crap. Bragging rights are a big thing on our team too and knocking off one of your own guys is a big deal.”

While no one enjoys losing, Capital and Granite each fell short, and now the semifinals are set.

Long, Edozie and the rest of Phoenix Renewable Resources will take on Adio Chiropractic, led by sophomores Matt Thomas and Monte Morris, at 4:30 p.m. July 13.

That game will be followed by Hogue and Dorsey-Walker’s Coca Cola Bottling Company of Atlantic squaring off against Walnut Creek YMCA, which features transfer guard Hallice Cooke and redshirt junior Jameel McKay.

The winners will meet in the championship game following the second semifinal matchup. All games are played at Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines. Admission is free to the public.