As far as Kris Fadness was concerned, it had just been one of those nights for Oman Oman.
The Austin High boys basketball forward was having a tough time getting much to go in the basket Tuesday as his Packers played fellow tough Big Nine Conference team Northfield, in the Raiders gym.
"Oman had gone 0-for-6 shooting 3-pointers," said Fadness, Austin's coach. "He was having an off night shooting the ball."
Turned out that the 6-foot-3 junior had much better luck when he literally threw it at the basket. In fact, Oman had so much luck with his one and only heave that Austin High School held a special press conference Wednesday afternoon to explain Oman's "shot."
The shot — the video of which by this morning has surpassed 500,000 views on YouTube — was amazing.
ADVERTISEMENT
It came after Oman had rebounded a Northfield missed free throw directly under his own basket. Oman then spun and sailed the ball 85 feet. The ball left his right hand with 1.6 seconds left in regulation and his team trailing Northfield by two points. Miraculously, the ball swished through the net at the far end of the floor , leaving Austin a 56-55 winner.
One of those nights, indeed.
"With 1.6 seconds left, couldn't really do much, just had to chuck it and see if it could go in," Oman said.
"I got to say it was luck... I was shocked myself. I couldn't believe I made that shot. Everything just went so slow."
Upon seeing the ball sail through the net, Oman was mobbed by his teammates and coaches. Among them was deliriously happy Fadness himself, who spent much of Thursday answering calls from reporters from all over Minnesota and as far away as New York.
All were wondering the same thing: How did Oman do that?
"It was a fluky, lucky thing," Fadness said, though admitting that Oman does possess a strong throwing arm. "But as I watched it, I thought, 'OK, it's long enough, it's straight enough,' and then it goes in. It was a wacky deal."
Oman said he has practiced half-court shots, but full-court?
ADVERTISEMENT
"Never that," he said.
