It has been more than 20 years since Christian Laettner’s buzzer beater against Kentucky stunned the Bluegrass State and helped reinforce the start of an annual campaign of national Schadenfreude that coincides with any struggles in Duke’s basketball campaign. Now Laettner’s miraculous final second heave has been duplicated in near step-by-step fashion by a high school squad with one of the nation’s best mascots.
As noted by the Charleston Gazette, Poca (W.Va.) High topped area rival Scott (W.Va.) High, 40-39, when Poca Dots -- yes, the school’s mascot is the Dots -- star Noah Frampton completed a Laettner-esque back-to-the-hoop, dribble, turn around jump shot after receiving a three-quarter court length inbounds pass.
The shot sailed through the net as time expired, sending Poca into delirium and Scott’s players slumping off the floor in abject shock.
"That was the first option," Matt Chandler, who threw the inbounds pass, told the Gazette. "After they called that timeout, we thought they were going to double-team Noah on the baseline on the other side of the court. Coach said either throw it to somebody at halfcourt, or throw it down. No one was guarding him, I threw the ball, probably one of the best passes I've ever made. As soon as it left my hand, I knew he was going to make the shot."
Naturally, the shot wasn't as significant as Laettner’s heroics in 1992, at least in national terms, but it was just as shocking, even to Frampton himself, who dedicated his shot to his father, who missed the game.
"What was going through my head is I prayed before I shot the ball and I said, 'Lord, help me make this shot,' " he said. "And I made it, and that's for my dad."
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