Kimani Lawrence’s bobbling heave ends strong 1st half for ASU
Mar 14, 2019, 7:18 PM | Updated: 7:19 pm
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 19: Kimani Lawrence #14 of the Arizona State Sun Devils reacts after a three-point basket against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half of a semifinal game of the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Arizona State won 72-67. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
Arizona State was only up 31-29 late in the first half of a quarterfinals Pac-12 Tournament matchup with UCLA. The Bruins looked game to match ASU if they were able to hang around, and the Sun Devils’ poor perimeter shooting allowed them to do so.
Then ASU started hitting shots, five of their last six three-point attempts to be exact for a 14-0 run.
The last of which was done in style. Well, kind of.
With the last shot of the half, UCLA’s play call out of a timeout was an isolation. That shot attempt was blocked and the attempt came with far too much time left on the clock.
Sophomore big Romello White swatted the ball away and it landed with sophomore wing Kimani Lawrence.
Closing out the half in style ðŸ¤ðŸ‘Œ pic.twitter.com/IF5Hg87JAx
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) March 15, 2019
Scrambling forward while taking a quick look at the clock, Lawrence spun to create space for a final look.
That was a good idea but his execution was lacking, as he bobbled the ball while trying to bring it up for his heave.
In a heads-up play, Lawrence was then forced to shoot while still hunched over.
It sure didn’t look pretty, but you can see on the video that Lawrence knew it was in when the ball was halfway to its destination.
The bucket gave Bobby Hurley’s squad a commanding 16-point lead at the half.
