Dillon Brooks played the role of hero for the Oregon Ducks as he punctuated a comeback against Cal with a game-winning 3-pointer
One year ago, Dillon Brooks was the leader on the floor for the Oregon Ducks. Deep into March Madness, Brooks and Co. looked like they were poised to compete for a National Championship. They ultimately fell short, but the star forward returned for his junior season along with many other key contributors. As such, they figured to be in the mix again and have been all season. For most of Wednesday night, however, they didn’t look it.
Playing on the road in a Pac-12 matchup against the Cal Golden Bears, the Ducks were trailing for most of the game. They scored a meager 16 points and trailed by 14 at halftime. They would need something both miraculous and heroic to come back. Luckily, they got that from their team, led of course by Brooks.
Oregon stormed back and, with seconds left on the clock, they were tied with Cal and had possession. In that kind of moment, there’s only one Duck that should’ve had the ball and he got it. Brooks dribbled to his right from the top of the key, then crossed back over between the elbow and top. He pulled up as time wound down and, wouldn’t you know it, buried it with just 0.2 seconds left on the clock:
Brooks’ junior year didn’t start off as he’d hoped as he began the season dealing with a foot injury. Since returning, though, he hasn’t missed a beat and has Oregon looking the part of a top-10 team in the country.
Next: 28 Most Memorable Buzzer Beaters in March Madness History
There’s no question that the Ducks have to be thinking about a Final Four run in the coming months. They have the talent and depth to make that kind of noise. What’s more, Dillon Brooks proved again on Wednesday night that they have a crunch-time weapon ready to rise up in big moments.