Former Illini Marcus Domask Hits Game-Winner for Windy City Bulls

The former Illinois guard came through in the closing moments Saturday, delivering a dagger to beat the Texas Legends

Windy City Bulls guard Marcus Domask (3) elevates for a shot in a G-League matchup earlier this season. On Saturday, Domask's hooking runner in the final minute provided the decisive score in an 89-88 Bulls win over the Texas Legends at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. / Windy City Bulls

Marcus Domask's first season of professional basketball has been a series of highs intermixed with lows better characterized as learning lessons, and Saturday's matchup of Domask's Windy City Bulls and the Texas Legends seemed to encapsulate that entire vibe in one 48-hour stretch.

Only one night before, Domask endured a 1-for-5 shooting performance and a minus-10 plus-minus rating in a loss to the Legends. But that only made the final minute of Saturday's game worth the struggle.

With the Bulls down by one and only 43 seconds remaining, Domask sank a clutch, hooking runner off the glass to provide the Bulls with the decisive score in an 89-88 win in the closer of the teams' back-to-back at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Marcus. Domask. Clutch.@marcusdomask | #WindyCityNation pic.twitter.com/69Vm8ZB8de

— Windy City Bulls (@windycitybulls) January 5, 2025

On the play, Domask took advantage of a defensive switch to catch his man on a teammate's screen, dribbling from the left wing into the lane, probing and elevating off his inside foot at the low block to launch a hybrid hook-floater off the backboard that spun home.

It may have been a G-League regular-season matchup with time left on the clock, but the sequence sure felt like shades of Magic Johnson's running baby sky hook to beat the Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals. Too much? Hey, you've gotta enjoy the high moments.

Domask finished the game with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists, bouncing back from the stinker against the Legends on Friday.

An All-Big Ten selection who helped lead the Illini to an Elite Eight appearance in the 2023-24 season, Domask is now averaging 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in G-League play.

Saturday's win lifted Windy City to 2-3 in the regular season, and Domask and the Bulls will hit the floor again Monday (1 p.m.) against the Grand Rapids Gold in Hoffman Estates.

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