Aron Yohannes
oregonlive.com
The Indiana Hoosiers didn’t have the best performance Thursday night in Portland at the Moda Center. Their cheerleaders, on the other hand, had one of the best of the evening in sports.
After a basketball got wedged atop the backboard during the Hoosiers’ 82-53 loss to Saint Mary’s, two Indiana cheerleaders delivered the biggest play of the game. The fans in Portland loved it, too.
Hoosiers cheerleader Nathan Paris hoisted his teammate, Cassidy Cerny, 13 feet up into the air to retrieve the ball, saving the day and providing one of the best moments of the NCAA Tournament thus far.
The ball got stuck when Saint Mary led 45-29 in the second half. A game official stood on a chair and tried to poke the ball with a mop handle but was unsuccessful.
That’s when Paris and Cerny came in.
“They kept trying different ways and nothing really was working,” Paris said alongside Cerny while making an appearance on the TODAY Show. “And so all of us kind of looked at each other and our captain, Ethan, (said), ‘We need the tallest guy to lift somebody up to see if we can get to the top of the backboard.’
“So, I’m one of the tallest on the team, so I grabbed Cassidy and said, ‘Maybe this’ll work,’” Paris said.
After Cerny knocked the ball loose, the Moda Center erupted in cheers.
“Oh, what a play!” CBS Sports’ Andrew Catalon said on the broadcast.
“The cheerleader is the hero in Portland!” he exclaimed.
Cerny told TODAY the moment was a bit overwhelming but she’s enjoying it.
“It’s been very cool and very interesting to see how many people have seen the video and are reaching out. It’s just been really cool.”
While Paris and Cerny saved the day, they couldn’t save Indiana from a first-round tournament exit. Saint Mary’s advanced to the second round of the East Region and will play UCLA on Saturday in Portland.
— Aron Yohannes
ayohannes@oregonian.com; @aronyohannes
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