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THE ARENA — Basketball was never my sport. In fact, I'm not sure any sport was ever "my sport," but basketball is certainly not it.
I've mentioned before that I was an ogre growing up. People usually thought I was held back in school for several years due to my size, but I wasn't. I was just ginormous. This ginormity helped when it came to grabbing stuff off higher shelves at the grocery store but was a real hindrance in some other areas. One was sports.
The brother just ahead of me is 3½ years older than me, and basketball was and is his sport. When we were about 7 and 10, respectively, we were on the same basketball team. This wasn't because my 7-year-old skills matched the skills of the 10-year-olds, but because my parents didn't want to drive to two practices, and I was the same size, if not bigger than those 10-year-olds.
While it was easier for my parents, it was not easy for me. I was manhandled every game. I couldn't keep up with these older kids; remember, I was terrible even for a 7-year-old. So, I've never had great luck with basketball, except when I played solo in my driveway. Then I was the best dude on the court.
In those situations, my team was always down by 2 points, and there were three seconds left, and I'd hit the game-winning 3-pointer. I'd count down and shoot and almost always miss, but the imaginary ref would tell me that the shot didn't count because the TV cameras weren't running, and we had to do it again. Then when I missed it again, the clock operator forgot to start the game clock. Then about 17 other excuses until I finally hit the shot, and I was the hero.
While I clearly lived and still do live in a fantasy world, that's not the case for the NJCU Gothic Knights. New Jersey City University was playing Rowan University, which was ranked No. 23 in Division III.
#SCTop10 | HOLY MOLY! MADNESS AT THE JMAC!!!
— NJCUGothicKnights (@NJCUAthletics) February 9, 2023
Savoy drains a three and then Battle banks in the DEEP three-point buzzer-beater to take down #23-ranked Rowan; the Profs' first @NJACSports loss of the season!!@njcumbb@NJCUniversity@d3hoops@espn@ESPNAssignDesk@SportsCenterpic.twitter.com/xvfzubJDFM
NJCU was down 4 with 5.2 seconds left. The Gothic Knights inbounded the ball and hit a 3. They are now down by 1 with 2.8 seconds left. Then the Rowan Whoo RU's throw a terrible inbound pass that an NJCU player intercepts and then throws up a prayer at the buzzer. I guess you figured out they hit the shot, or I wouldn't share it with you.
The shot sinks, the stadium goes wild, and the play-by-play commentator loses his voice.
I may be terrible at basketball and needed 30 to 40 attempts to win the "game" in my driveway, but I love watching real athletes pull off stuff like this.
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