Catholic League final buzzer-beater makes ‘SportsCenter,’ gets love from Jay Wright and others
It wasn't just a celebration of Roman Catholic’s win over Archbishop Ryan, but a reminder that basketball is "second to none" in Philly.
The ending of Monday’s Catholic League boys’ championship game was one for the ages.
Archbishop Ryan’s Ryan Everett hit a three-pointer to give his team a one-point lead with just seconds to play in overtime, but Roman Catholic’s Kabe Goss made the game-winner at the buzzer to give Roman its 34th PCL title.
The game’s end was so electric that it garnered national attention, including a shout-out from Scott Van Pelt on the midnight edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter as the “Best Thing I Saw Today.”
“The Palestra goes berserk, just an incredible scene,” Van Pelt said. “Ryan Everett’s going to be a hero forever, and instead, [it’s] Kabe Goss. … What a night. Everyone goes to Wawa.”
The raucous Palestra atmosphere in those final seconds capped off an incredible night of basketball, first with Archbishop Wood topping Archbishop Carroll in double overtime in the girls’ final. That was followed by an even crazier finish in the boys’ final, putting the nation back on notice about the Catholic League.
The two teams also got a shout-out from former Villanova coaching legend Jay Wright, and a lot of others.
Palestra security also got a few shout-outs for its ability to contain the crowd after Roman Catholic fans attempted to storm the court — something that’s been a major topic of debate since Duke’s Kyle Filipowski was injured on Saturday during a court storming after a loss at Wake Forest.