Herron’s Buzzer Beater Earns PNC Some ESPN Attention
Video Credit: James Ziegler
Stephanie Duff, PNN Staff
January 31, 2012
Filed under PNC Athletics, Sports, Top Stories, Video
It’s not every day a Purdue North Central student-athlete turns on the TV, turns to ESPN, and finds himself included in the top ten plays of the day alongside with professional athletes. But that is just the astonishment freshman point guard Mario Herron (Hammond, IN) encountered after his stunning game-winning performance Wednesday evening at the La Porte Civic Auditorium. Herron eagerly threw up a no-look shot just seconds before the buzzer to give the PNC Panthers (5-18, 4-5 CCAC) a striking 62-60 win over the visiting Trojans of Trinity International University (3-20, 2-7 CCAC).
After taking time off the clock to attempt the final shot of the game, senior point guard Nick Neal (Detroit, MI) dished the ball off to teammate Kyle Sanders who attempted a 3-point with four seconds remaining on the clock. After Sanders’ missed the mark, the Trojans rebounded the ball which was immediately stolen by Herron as he desperately tossed up a no-look shot over his shoulder and was pleased to see it go in right before the sound of the buzzer.
“Man, I’m just throwin’ this ball up and I don’t think it’s going to go in and I turned around, and it was in!” said Herron, speaking of his thought process at the time.
The morning following the outstanding buzzer beater shot by Herron, members of the Panther News Network cut and edited the video and sent it to ESPN. During the first segment of ESPN’s Thursday Top Ten Plays, PNC landed the number four spot!
“It feels like a dream come true. Even as I was growing up, I always wanted to say that I made some type of big shot that all my friends and family, who usually couldn’t make it to my games, could see and it happened that night,” said Herron of the exciting finish.
The glory in the eyes of the PNC men’s basketball team was clear as they spilled onto the court to celebrate the victory.
“I didn’t think we were going to lose. I knew we were not going to lose and it was cool when my roommate (Herron) made the shot,” said freshman forward David Kelly (Indianapolis, IN) on his reaction to the win.
PNC was led in scoring by Panther freshman Nick Lafty (Hammond, IN) with 15 points, making five of seven three point attempts. Sanders led the team in rebounding with 11 and scored 8 points. Freshman David Kelly had 14 points on seven of 10 shooting from the field while also grabbing four rebounds. Herron ended the game with seven assists, six points, six rebounds, and two steals. Nick Neal contributed 11 points.
The Panthers’ win was their second victory of the year over the Trojans, and after a huge win Saturday (76-75) over rival school, Purdue Calumet University, brings the Panther’s CCAC Conference record to 4-5, and overall record to 5-18. The Panthers will host Calumet College of St. Joseph (9-12, 5-4) on Wednesday, February 1st at 7:00pm CST at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.
