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03-14-09
Newburg shocks Mt. Vernon with 55 foot "Hail Mary" shot with two seconds on the clock
     A Class AA state regional final game between Mount Vernon High School and Newburg High School played on Friday, March 13, at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY, will go down in history as one the most shocking, heartbreaking and unexpected losses in all of sports. With just two seconds showing on the clock, and Mount Vernon leading by two points, Newburg's William Bouton, positioned beyond the halfcourt mark, caught an inbounds pass, said a quick prayer, and threw it towards the basket as hard as he could. The thousands watching live could not tell if he had his eyes closed as well, as the ball sped in the air like a speeding bullet, hitting the backboard and slamming through the net. It all happened so quickly, that those watching who blinked just before Bouton released the ball may have missed the ball going through the net. It was just a lightning fast scenario that devastated the Knights and the large Mount Vernon crowd. The unthinkable three point shot gave the Knights the most crushing defeat a team can suffer in all of sports.
      Moments earlier, with the score tied at 68-68, Mount Vernon's Kadeem Dinham grabbed a rebound around his basket, and followed it with a quick two points, giving the Knights a two point lead and what appeared to be a 70-68 victory, prompting the crowd to rush onto the court to celebrate, and the players getting the Gatorade bucket ready to drench coach Cimino.
     What the players and the crowd did not notice was that Newburgh's Marcus Henderson pleaded for a time out as the clock was ticking down to zero and it was granted.
     The crowd reacted with anger, but many felt comfortable that they would not be denied a victory with just two seconds left too play. But very quickly, after Bouton's unconscious shot, many of the fans were seen crying in the stands as Newburg fans scrambled onto the court to celebrate and taunt Mount Vernon fans in their grief.
     Although the Knights suffered an unimaginable 71-70 lost, there is a bright spot to talk about.  Mount Vernon citizens rejected a school budget on two occasions, causing the school district to function under an austerity budget, and all sports within the district got the ax. After a valiant fundraising effort by many, including the players taking to the streets to raise money, enough money was raised to make sports a reality this year. And although the players and fans were almost traumatized by the incredible lost to Newburgh, every player and fan that attended the game felt a sense of accomplishment in defeat. Although the Knights lost on the court, they had all, as one big team, along with others not in attendance, achieved a victory off the court by overcoming incredible odds and raising enough money to make basketball a reality this year. That effort was surely more incredible than Bouton's heartbreaking shot.

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