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Hardwood Paroxysm: The greatest things we’ve ever seen on a basketball court

By HP Basketball Network

Nov 5, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) drives to the basket past Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) during the fourth quarter at the Barclays Center. The Timberwolves defeated the Nets 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) drives to the basket past Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) during the fourth quarter at the Barclays Center. The Timberwolves defeated the Nets 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Brigham Young Cougars player Craig Cusick (2) and Rico Gathers (2) of the Baylor Bears collide while going after a rebound during the first half of the NIT Tournament Semi-Final at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Brigham Young Cougars player Craig Cusick (2) and Rico Gathers (2) of the Baylor Bears collide while going after a rebound during the first half of the NIT Tournament Semi-Final at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

The greatest moments in basketball are amplified on the biggest stages: the Finals, March Madness, state championships. Often that’s where we see the shots, the steals, the plays that get etched into our memories for all-time. But those moments can also come for no reason at all, or for a complex set of reasons we can’t completely understand but nevertheless feel, especially when we’re there to experience them in person. This week, the Hardwood Paroxysm crew recalls the greatest things they ever saw on a basketball court live and in the flesh.

The greatest thing I ever saw in person was Craig Cusick’s game-winner
By Dan Lewis (@minutemandan)

Who?

Craig Cusick will never play in the NBA. By all regards, he probably shouldn’t have played that much for Brigham Young University, but he took care of the ball, shot well from the perimeter, and made hustle plays, so he was in the game late.

Two days before the game, Craig’s father had collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Hours before the game, the family learned that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

So Craig did what he was supposed to, and went to the Marriott Center for one of the biggest games of the season, an in-state rivalry game against Utah State.

His final stat line was, like most nights, unimpressive. He missed six shots, and only made his final attempt. His only other points came on two free throws. Brandon Davies, Tyler Haws and Matt Carlino were the key players that season, and Cusick was never the main option on offense.

But he was in the right place at the right time, grabbed the offensive rebound, and put the ball back in the hoop to win the game. The place went bonkers.

While 20,000 fans erupted in joy after his made basket, just a short drive down the road from the arena, his Dad was able to watch the game from his hospital room. What a special moment for a father to have, to watch his son make the game winning basket. Years of sacrifice and hard work, juxtaposed against the bleak surroundings of a hospital ward, probably put a few tears of joy in the eyes of those gathered together.

I’ve only been to five or six NBA games, fifty or so college games, and never a high school game, but this one has been the most special game of them all.

You can see me in the video too, — I’m sitting at the end of the table behind the BYU bench. I was working for the broadcast company that night, otherwise I would have been jumping up and down like a maniac.

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