Down by 5 with 2.8 seconds remaining, USC Pulls Off Miracle Basketball Comeback
6 points in Final Ticks Shocks Oregon; January 7 1999
We pick up the action as the announcer on Fox says, “Well, it would be one of the great miracles in basketball if SC could come back in 2.8 seconds.” The second announcer agrees, “Yes it would.” he says. Then the first guy ratchets it up and says, “It would be eligible for the play of the century.” Again the second guy agrees.
USC calls a 20-second timeout, trailing Oregon, 84-79. The announcers are giving the scores for all the other schools in the PAC-10. Not a word about this game, it’s a done deal.
Trojans inbound from underneath their own basket. Adam Spanich catches the ball from behind the three point line. He fires up a quick jump shot, swish! Now USC trails by a deuce.
With .8 seconds left, Oregon’s A.D. Smith lobs a pass from the baseline. Spanich intercepts it and heaves a shot from half court. SCORRRRRR! It’s his second 3 pointer in less than three seconds, USC wins.
After the game Spanich says “”I saw him throw it up, intercepted it, aimed and just shot it, Honestly, I thought it was going to be right on, but short.”
USC coach Henry Bibby says “All I can say is that he had a big shot. I have probably coached over 800 games, and that was probably the best shot I have ever seen. The game is never over until the very last second.”