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The Shot Heard 'Round the Big East

Halldan1

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Jan 1, 2003
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by JP Pelzman


Preparation for Seton Hall’s game versus Butler began with plenty of yelling. There was even more screaming immediately after it ended Wednesday night, only of a much different type.

Sandro Mamukelashvili’s contested, left-handed shot-put from the left side of the lane as time expired broke a two-game skid and lifted The Hall (19-7, 11-3) to a 74-72 win over the Bulldogs (19-8, 7-7 Big East), who refused to quit even after blowing a six-point halftime lead.

It was especially fitting that Mamukelashvili delivered the game-winner on Seton Hall vs. Cancer Night, in which players wore pink warm-up shirts that were to be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. Mamukelashili's father, Jurab, is visiting his son from their home country of Georgia, and Jurab is a survivor of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

And his son, along with almost everyone else, was one of the targets of coach Kevin Willard’s wrath after a 74-71 loss at Providence on Saturday in which the Pirates trailed by 25 points in the first half before an eventually fruitless rally.

“My anger and my frustration, everybody got it,” Willard said. “It wasn’t one person. ... The only guy that didn’t get it was Tyrese (Samuel) because he’s a freshman, but everybody got it. The staff got it, I got it — I yelled at myself, I did.”

So how exactly did the Pirates go from that low to Wednesday’s high of Mamu’s game-winner? Here is an instant oral history, if you will, of a moment that could become a part of Seton Hall lore if it serves as a springboard for more heroics the rest of the season.


SETTING THE SCENE

Quincy McKnight missed a tough contested shot, and official Bill Covington ruled the rebound went off Butler and out of bounds, as Bulldog players and Seton Hall’s Shavar Reynolds pointed in opposite directions, of course. Replays appeared inconclusive, so the original call stood, with .4 seconds showing on the clock and the score tied at 72.

But the Big East preseason player of the year wanted the officials to check something else, too.

McKnight: Myles (Powell) was like, is there more time on the clock? If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if the refs would’ve put the .2 (seconds) back on. … It gives you a little bit more hope (for) a shot knowing you have a little more time.

Powell (smiling): I said can you check the clock too and Mike (Stephens, lead official) said, ‘I can do that.’

And yes, the time remaining was changed to .06. The two-tenths of a second did not change the Xs and Os of either coach, but it did have an effect. More on that later.


DRAWING IT UP

Willard: The Sacramento Kings ran that play about two months ago. … I watch a lot of Synergy (Sports Technology, a basketball analytics service) at night and I’m always looking for ways to get Myles shots, late-clock situations, and they ran a really good (one). They brought Buddy Hield off a triple just like we brought Myles off, and they stepped him out and they lobbed it. … That’s kind of where I saw it, and we put it in about a month ago.

Butler coach LaVall Jordan: We’re anticipating them getting it up to (Romaro) Gill who can stand there and tip it in without even jumping.

Thus, Jordan inserted seldom-used 6-10 freshman John-Michael Mulloy (62 minutes total this season) to help clog the lane, and had 6-6 Sean McDermott pressuring inbounder McKnight, listed as 6-4.

McKnight: We knew they were all going to focus on Myles. Everybody focuses on Myles. In a tie game like that, everyone thinks Myles is getting the ball.

And maybe that is why, much like a quarterback, McKnight used the equivalent of a brief pump fake to get McDermott to briefly lean to his right, as the senior Seton Hall point guard faked a pass to his left, to a spot where Powell had yet to arrive. But McDermott could not have known that, and the split-second of indecision on his part made McKnight’s lob to Mamukelashvili (15 points) just a tad easier.

Mamukelashvili then had to work around some jostling from Mulloy before putting up the one-hander. Made easier as Mamu is left handed enhancing his ability to get the shot off in one motion.



THE SHOT

Mamukelashvili: We ran that play a couple days ago in practice. It worked out really good, so it was in the back of my mind and Coach's mind that if we ran it right, it would work out. Quincy threw a great pass, so I just caught it, threw it up, and it went in.

Powell: I gave him a big hug and told him enjoy the moment.

McKnight: It was a great play (by Willard), a great cut by Sandro, a good pass and an amazing finish.

In more ways than one.

Willard: I thought Q threw a good pass, and I thought they executed it great, I thought the timing was really good. We waited for Myles to come off, everybody (on Butler) kind of turned their head looking at Myles, and then (we) executed really well.

Jordan: It was a great play by Kevin. I thought John-Michael had a good body on (Mamu) and made it a tough finish. He just made a tough shot. … That’s life in the Big East.



THE AFTERMATH

Mamukelashvili: I had past experiences where I couldn't score the game winner, so I was kind of a little nervous. But I was ready when he called my name. … It means a lot. It's a big day for (my father).

Willard: I know his father was happy. He came over and gave me a hug.

Powell: The best coach in the country drew up something on the fly and it worked.
 
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