Hoosier Cassidy Cerny, with a big lift from teammate Nathan Paris, has become the March Madness Hero that we did not know we would get.
As the legend will be retold: With less than two minutes gone in the second half of Indiana’s loss to St. Mary’s, an errant ball became wedged between the backboard and the shot clock — let’s be honest, it was the closest an Indiana shot came to the rim for long stretches — but that is when Cerny and Paris came to the rescue.
YOU’VE BEEN TRAINING YOUR WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS!
To the tape (which features Gus Johnson, so turn it up):
Seriously, don’t scroll down. Go back and click that blue play button… play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon was amazing on the call… and Gus Johnson is his usual, perfect self, building up the drama.
“Get the cheerleader up!”
The crowd rose to their feet and a buzz swelled…
“Get her up there. This is how you do it,” shouted Catalon.
The roof could barely contain the excitement that was building.
“…Now she’s got it,” screamed Catalon. “Ohhh, what a play! The cheerleader saves the day, and it’s her one shining moment. This place is on its feet!”
You would have thought someone hit a buzzerbeater with the energy delivered.
Commitment is on 100!
As for the game, Indiana got their butt kicked, marking a memorable day of blue blood losers.
But that cheerleader team won the day.
