THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 20, 1995 TAG: 9503200123
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Georgetown's Allen Iverson streaked downcourt and lofted a 3-pointer to beat the buzzer, and Weber State. Everybody watched, almost frozen. Everybody but the Hoyas' Don Reid.
Reid, sailing in from the right side, plucked Iverson's miss out of the air short of the rim, and in one motion turned and banked in a layup as the horn sounded. With that, an NCAA tournament already packed with stunning games and moments added one more incredible ending.
Reid's heads-up basket gave Georgetown, sixth-seeded in the Southeast Regional, a 53-51 victory and entry into the tournament's round of 16 for the first time since 1989.
As well, it ended the fantastic dreams of the Wildcats, 14th-seeded out of the Big Sky Conference, who had sent Michigan State's Jud Heathcote into retirement Friday.
``I knew we only had seven seconds from the other end. I knew I had to get it up while I was in the air,'' said Reid, whose shot was reminiscent of Lorenzo Charles' famous follow that won the 1983 national championship for North Carolina State.
``I think I saw that play last night on ESPN,'' Reid said. ``They were showing some of the greatest wins.''
Reid, a 6-foot-8 senior who finished with eight points, prevented overtime after Weber State's best player, Ruben Nembhard missed the front end of a one-and-one with 7.4 seconds left. Jerome Williams rebounded for Georgetown and gave the ball quickly to Iverson, who shot off-balance from the left side.
Iverson, the freshman point guard from Hampton, led Georgetown with 16 points, but he shot only 6 for 21 from the floor and 4 for 9 from the foul line. That mirrored the ragged effort of both teams - the Hoyas shot 38 percent and had 18 turnovers. Weber State made 35.3 percent of its shots and coughed it up 22 times.
Still, Iverson fueled the Hoyas (21-9) early in the second half by scoring nine of his team's 11 points for a 42-40 lead with 11:28 left. Georgetown still led, 50-47, with 3:27 to go. But after Iverson was called for a charge, Lewis Lofton hit two free throws to bring the Wildcats (21-9) within one.
Then Iverson missed a layup following a steal and Nembhard hit a jumper, Weber State's first field goal in five minutes, to put his team ahead, 51-50, with 46 seconds left.
Iverson shot two free throws with 32.5 seconds remaining but made just the second for the 51-51 tie. A half-minute later, he missed again - the airball that Reid read so right. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgetown's Don Reid puts up the winning shot after grabbing an
airball rebound with less than a second left in the Hoyas' 53-51
win.
by CNB