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12:00 am by chicagocollegebasketball.com in Historic Teams,Valparaiso
On the outskirts of Chicago, in Valparaiso, IN, the year 1998 stands out in distinct memory from years before after. “Oh, you’re from Valparaiso?” residents are commonly asked. “like the basketball team?” or some other vague variation soon follows. Valparaiso University, or the town of Valparaiso for that matter, doesn’t get a lot of recognition on a national level. But, for one fleeting moment of fame, the Valpo Crusaders were icons, giant-killers and improbable Cinderellas. An otherwise relatively anonymous program in terms of history, though the school’s basketball days do date back to 1917, for a stretch between 1996 and 2004, Valparaiso was a regular qualifier for the NCAA Tournament, snatching an invite to the Big Dance in every year, save for 2001. One year, however, the Crusaders danced later into the evening than they would in each of their other appearances, capturing the heart and eyes of the nation has they twirled across the floor.Entering the 1998 Tourney as a 13 seed, little was expected out of the Crusaders, with the 4th-seeded Ole Miss Rebels expected to send the squad swiftly into the off-season. Starring Coach Scott Drew’s son, Bryce Drew, the Crusaders would put their best foot forward in a hotly contested match, going back and forth with the Rebels until the final buzzer. Down 69 to 67 with just 2.5 seconds left to play, Valparaiso was forced to inbound the ball the length of the court where Jenkins caught the long pass amidst a heap of players. He then found a streaking Drew on a quick outlet, affording the sharp-shooter to take one step forward (still 5 feet beyond the arc), before letting go a leaning 3-pointer. As the prayer was answered by the back of the net and time expired, fans and players alike erupted with an unbridled combination of exuberance and astonishment. To this day, the exchange is simply known as “The Shot.” (more…)
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