100% COTTEN
3/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2005
DUNK OF A LIFETIME
There have been many memorable moments for the Demon Deacons along the way during this special basketball season. Hopefully there will be many more.
But to me, there's one shot I'll never forget. I'm sure most of you remember it. John Buck sure does.
With sixteen seconds left in a blowout of Virginia at the Joel Coliseum, John Buck was soaring. So high in fact that he dunked the ball to finish a breakaway and complete the rout of the Cavaliers.
"Their opposing point guard was declining the ball screen on top on the other end, and I saw him fumble the ball for a split second," Buck recalls. "I thought right then that it might be a great chance for me to get a breakaway."
Buck was right. He got a long feed from walk-on teammate Brian Jessen who picked up the loose ball and heaved it toward the streaking Buck.
"At halfcourt I thought it was pretty much my one chance to dunk it," Buck remembers. "It's pretty much a walk-on dream come true. I guess my 6'-7 1/2" frame didn't hurt me getting up there. After I took one dribble I knew I was going to try it."
Buck might have known it. The rest of us were just hoping. It was Buck's one shining moment.
"It's something I'll remember my whole life."
You bet he will. What I remember more thank the dunk itself almost was the reaction of the Wake Forest bench. It literally erupted. I've never seen Taron Downey jump so high. Chris Paul's smile has never been wider. It was bedlam.
"That was definitely the best part of it all," admits Buck. "I got a kick out of their reaction to when it went down. I remember when I was in high school and when some of the guys who didn't get to play a whole lot got in I used to love watching them score. I guess the roles are reversed now - that's pretty cool."
Paul had a dunk of his own against Virginia - a first. He got upstaged. But he and his teammates were more than happy to let Buck's moment become the exclamation point in a very solid win. "I think it's just because of the kind of person John is," says Paul. "All of our walk-ons are great people, and they all just really love the game and support us so much. And to hear John Buck talk about getting a dunk - it was something I don't think any of us will ever forget."
John Buck may never score another point. The chances of another dunk are even slimmer. But that's OK. Walk-ons aren't supposed to dunk. That's not part of the deal. The role of a non-scholarship player is to mimic the team to be played and to prepare the everyday players for battle. Buck may never score again, but if the Deacs cut down the nets in St. Louis - or even if they don't - they'll have John Buck to thank for helping make this season a special one.
But the Buck dunk was a nice touch.
