By Josh Adams

@NCAAHoopsDigest

We all dream of it, don’t we? To hit the game winning shot. Anyone who’s held a basketball in their hands has counted down the seconds in their head and hoisted a jumper with dreams of glory of making it.

Tonight it happened to a former walk-on. One of us. Not a guy with God-given talent like a Zion Williamson but a gym rat. His name is Shavar Reynolds. A walk-on last year that earned a scholarship with his work ethic and attitude. When he got the pass in the final moments he wasn’t afraid, he didn’t hesitate and he took the game winner.

It goes in. Pure. 10,000 people go nuts. Seton Hall 76 St. John’s 74

The circumstances that got us to this point are almost as unlikely. St. John’s had Seton Hall on the ropes the entire game. It took the Red Storm going ice cold in the final minutes, a 10-0 run for Seton Hall and a controversial call that negated a Pirates turnover before we even got to the point of this happening.

Reynolds was mobbed after the game by his teammates. He was mobbed by the reporters in the press room after the game. After cheerfully responding to a million questions about his game winner, Reynolds found him alone at a table while his other teammates finished up answering questions. He had a look to him. His eyes flashed and he had a million dollar smile. I believe in that moment it all sunk in. The hard work in practice, the games where he knew he would never get in. It led to this moment. His moment.

We all live a little vicariously through sports and as much as we all enjoy watching the best talent in the world, there’s a special place in our hearts for the guy who’s not the biggest or fastest. He (or she) is us, an “average Joe” who got on the team through hard work and perseverance. Those players are the ones usually at the end of the bench in situations like tonight. Not so for Reynolds.

Tonight, he shined. Tonight, he was the star and because it was a player like Reynolds, we all could see ourselves in that moment too.

Keep practicing….