Cole McCormick has spent so much time in the gym, the 6-foot-5 junior knows when he releases the ball if the shot is going in the basket or not.
On Friday night, it went in often as Notre Dame’s versatile shooting guard scored a game-high 26 points in a jam-packed Phifer Gymnasium, and the Fighting Irish beat visiting Chattanooga Christian School 67-59 in a matchup of nonregion rivals.
McCormick’s patience in his shot selection paid off. On the right wing and in front of his bench with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter, he was given enough room to pull up for his fourth 3-pointer on seven attempts behind the arc. Only the bottom of the net moved as the ball swished through for a 57-55 lead the Irish would not relinquish.
“I shoot so many shots in the gym,” McCormick said. “When you give me that little bit of space, and as soon as it goes out of my hand, I know if it is in or not. To beat a tough rival feels great. They have some great guards in Dre (Jackson) and Reid (Conley). We knew it was going to be a challenge, and we stepped up.”