The Buzzer Beater
January 6, 2019 11:45PM EST
How many times have you been in your backyard shooting baskets when you did the count down 5-4-3-2-1 shoot. The buzzer beater shot. Did it go in? I beat that more times than not it went in, because we control so many of the elements of taking that last shot.
In basketball , a buzzer beater is a shot that is taken before the game clock hits zero at the end of a quarter, a half, or overtime period. We have witness some great buzzer beater shots while covering games.
Based off of several statistical websites the odds of hitting a buzzer beater is 1-100 or an exciting 1% of the time.
This past weekend Dan Belford and myself saw a great game as Jackson knocked off McKinley 52-50. It was a game with 13 lead changes, and tied 8 different times. Neither team lead by more than 8 points. These numbers created what was to be a fantastic finish.
Jackson had the ball with 7 seconds down by 1 and found Trent Jones for a 3 point shot that was nothing by net. (Side note, Trent Jones had 15 points, hitting 5-9 shots. All his points game from behind the arc)
McKinley, with 4 seconds left took timeout to draw up a play for that buzzer beater attempt. Unfortunately, the inbound pass went through the hands of the McKinley player as time expired.
Let’s remember the odds of hitting that buzzer beater was just 1-100 or 1%.