Khalil Edney, New Rochelle Hoops Hero, Takes A Bow After Unreal Buzzer-Beater
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Who says March Madness is just for college hoops?
Khalil Edney of New Rochelle High School stunned Mount Vernon with a 55-foot miracle shot as time expired to give the Huguenots a 61-60 win in the New York Section 1 Class AA final on Sunday.
But it wasn't any old long buzzer-beater.
Khalil Edney
Here's how Edney, a guest Monday on WFAN's "Boomer & Carton" show, described the final 2.9 seconds after his inbounds pass: "The pass got intercepted, and then the kid on (Mount Vernon) threw the ball up and celebrated, but the time didn't run out. So I just grabbed the ball and I just threw it."
Khalil Edney, New Rochelle Hoops Hero, Takes A Bow After Unreal Buzzer-Beater
Yep, he tossed the biscuit right in the basket. It was waved off at first, but the referees came together and eventually counted the shot.
Later, he told CBS 2's Steve Overmyer that good coaching was directly responsible for him having the opportunity to even try the shot.
"I was taught don't stop until the clock reaches zero. Coach says play 32 minutes," Edney said.
You have to see this:
"They're counting it!" MSG Varsity play-by-play announcer Keith Irizarry screamed. "Absolutely pandemonium! I have never seen a shot like that before!"
Pandemonium indeed, with both teams at one point thinking they had won.
"I didn't see (the refs' discussion) because my team was so excited that I made it, so I was at the bottom of a pile," said Edney. "One of our assistant coaches came over and said the refs didn't count (the shot). ... The next thing you know, the other team's on the floor crying, and they said it counted."
Edney lost his mother six years ago to cancer.
"That shot was answered by God and my mom," Edney told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.
New Rochelle Beats Mount Vernon With Amazing Buzzer Beater
Video of Edney's basket quickly went viral, with over 945,000 views on YouTube as of Monday morning.
"It's mind blowing. I would never thought in a million years it would happen to me," Edney told CBS 2's Overmyer.
New Rochelle grad Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens, who was in town for his Super Bowl victory rally, was at the game and couldn't contain his excitement on Twitter.
"CITY OF CHAMPIONS NEW RO STAND UP WE RULE WESTCHESTER #914," Rice tweeted.
Saturday's rally at New Rochelle City Hall was emceed by WFAN radio co-host Craig Carton -- and Edney was there.
"I didn't see (Rice) after the game," said Edney. "But I was with him that Saturday morning."
Khalil Edney, New Rochelle Hoops Hero, Takes A Bow After Unreal Buzzer-Beater
Some of that championship mojo must have rubbed off.
"I didn't think it was going to go in. But when it did, I just started running around," Edney said. "This is on the top. It beats everything we've done this year, just because we beat the No. 1 team in the state and they beat us twice in the regular season."
"Nobody thought we were gonna win the game," he added.
The 17-year-old said he is not letting his new-found celebrity go to his head.
"It's a new beginning for us now. We got Binghamton tomorrow at 4 p.m.," he told Diamond, before heading to practice.
Give it up for Edney and his New Roc team in the comments!
