Bryce McGowens Hits Game-Winner in Rising Stars Semifinal, Loses in Championship Game

📍SAN FRANCISCO — Friday night’s Rising Stars event is the only part of All-Star Weekend that features any Trail Blazers players, and Bryce McGowens was responsible for one of the highlights.

McGowens’ team of G Leaguers faced off against “Team M,” featuring Toumani Camara, in a semifinal game, and he hit an off-the-dribble three to get Team G League to the target score and edge out the win 40-39.

“I would have been super pissed if it was anybody else,” Camara said afterwards. “But my boy Bryce had to make that. I told him, ‘You’d better go all the way now.’”

Unfortunately, McGowens and Team G League fell to “Team C” in the championship game, 25-14. He scored just two points in that game.

Camara and Scoot Henderson were slated to be teammates until Henderson pulled out of the event after suffering an ankle injury this week in Denver. The winner of Friday’s event will participate in a similar tournament format on Sunday against three teams of All-Stars.

That will not be the teams featuring either Camara or McGowens, meaning the Blazers’ presence at All-Star Weekend is officially over.

The NBA changed the format and added Rising Stars to the mix for Sunday in an attempt to incentivize a more competitive All-Star Game. It remains to be seen whether it will work.

“I think the format’s pretty cool,” Camara said. “I like the concept. It gives you a chip on your shoulder, especially for the younger guys. It’s going to be fun and a lot of people want to prove themselves.”