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Ryan McCarthy was raining murder in Spokane this weekend.

When Ryan McCarthy’s Green Mountain Construction team lost their opening game of Hoopfest, it looked like McCarthy’s first appearance in the massive three-on-three tournament was for naught. But the double-elimination structure of the event kept hope alive. That, and McCarthy’s red-hot shooting touch.

The 26-year old who came from Nampa, Idaho, and plays professionally in Germany with his Green Mountain teammate Wade “The Human Band-Aid” Joseph, needed to be just about perfect to make it out of the loser’s bracket. Because of their early loss, Green Mountain had to play the maximum number of games in order to get to the championship game in their section.

Despite the 95-plus degree heat, McCarthy, Joseph, Jordan Mayer, and sharpshooter Chris Allen played, and won nine consecutive games. In perhaps the best game of the day, they took down a loaded team, stacked with former Gonzaga standout David Pendergraft and Mr. Hoopfest Shann Ferch. Ferch, who has won the event multiple times, nearly brought his squad back from being down big, but McCarthy’s marksmanship sent Green Mountain onto the next round at Nike Center Court. And when they got there – where the mercury touched 160-degrees on the linoleum-like surface – they made the most of it.

Head-to-head in the championship game of the elite division against Team Numerica, McCarthy knocked down a two-pointer (beyond the three-point line) with the score tied 16-16 to send Green Mountain within two points of the title. After chasing down a loose ball, he was fouled by Numerica’s Gunner Olson and sunk the game-winning free throw. Deservingly, McCarthy was named MVP of the weekend.