Williamston freshman Tyler Porrell
Tyler Porrell just happened to be the one to get the ball.
With two seconds remaining in last week’s freshman basketball game between Lansing Catholic and Williamston, the Hornets’ freshman quickly found the ball in his hands, with the game’s outcome resting on his shoulders.
Porrell, whose team was trailing 52-50, let the ball fly from beyond NBA 3-point range. The shot hit nothing but net, and it lifted Williamston to a 53-52 overtime victory over its rival.
The play was voted as the State Journal’s high school video of the week.
“We usually have a last-shot play, which we pass the ball five times. But coach said three (because of the time),” Porrell said. “Right when I got it, I just thought to shoot it.
“Nothing was going through my mind. I just knew to shoot it.”
It was the first game-winning shot of Porrell’s career, and it came after the Cougars missed a free throw. He said the atmosphere, along with it being a rivalry game, added to the thrill of pushing his team to victory.
It was a back-and-forth contest for most of the night, and it came down to which team would have the ball last.
“I really appreciated my teammates coming up to me and celebrating with me,” Porrell added. “It was fun.
“It went into overtime, and it was tied the whole way until they had two free throws at the end. …Hearing the crowd screaming, it just felt good.”
LSJ athlete of week: DeWitt’s Ryan Armbrustmacher
Contact James L. Edwards III at jledwards@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII.