Dartmouth Unified Basketball Player’s Incredible Shot Makes ESPN ‘SportsCenter’
Every basketball player dreams of hitting a shot like this. Every basketball player practices for the unlikely, even though the chances of hitting it are remote, to say the least.
It's the half-court shot.
And Thursday night, there was a half-court shot in Dartmouth that was so incredible, it was highlighted on ESPN's SportsCenter.
LISTEN: Austin Santos on Michael and Maddie
At Dartmouth High School's Unified Basketball game, Austin Santos' dream came true. Time was running out in the first quarter when Austin stripped the ball from a Middleboro player, turned, dribbled the ball once and shot his shot.
Not only did Austin have incredible clock awareness, but he kept cool under pressure and chucked up the Hail Mary with barely one second left on the clock in the first quarter.
Everyone in the building held their breath.
Swish.
The crowd at the Carlin Lynch Activity Center was stunned.
Once their brains processed what their eyes just saw, the celebration began.
In typical Unified Basketball style, players, coaches and fans of the Middleboro High School team joined in the celebration.
The shot was so unbelievable it was immediately picked up by ESPN Sportcenter's Top Ten plays of the day, and Austin and his family were able to watch it together last night.
Austin's coach John Breault told Fun 107 he's never seen another shot like it.
"I just shot it," said Austin.
The miracle shot put Dartmouth ahead 20-6, but more importantly, it put a smile on the faces of everyone in the building.
"Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools activates youth with and without intellectual disabilities to come together as student leaders, athletes and agents for inclusion within their school communities," Special Olympics Massachusetts says on its website. "(It) motivates all students to create environments full of respect, dignity, and advocacy for students with intellectual disabilities."
Dartmouth's next Unified game is on Monday.
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