Time and time again, Brooks comes up clutch for Ducks
Published 11:32 pm Thursday, March 9, 2017
BERKELEY, Calif. — Dillon Brooks keeps going to the same spot for a game-winning shot.
The Oregon Ducks junior has made a 3-pointer from the right side of the court to beat Tennessee, UCLA and California this season. The Ducks were tied with the Volunteers and Golden Bears and trailed the Bruins by one at the time of Brooks’ last-minute shots, but he pulled up for 3-pointers even though the Ducks only needed two points in each situation.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but I don’t feel that at all,” Brooks said after his shot with 0.2 seconds to play Wednesday night gave the Ducks a 68-65 win at Cal. “I work on those shots every day before practice, so I felt confident.”
A lot of players may say that, but Brooks has proven it.
“He wanted it, he’s hit big shots,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “Guys who want it have to have the ability to hit it, too. He has a combination of both.”
Stephen Domingo was closely guarding Brooks and got a hand up as the latest game-winner was released.
“He was pretty close,” Brooks said. “I am always confident in my shot, but it felt kind of weird, sort of contorted. I got it up high enough and it went in.”
Like the buzzer-beater against UCLA, Brooks’ shot went viral with his enthusiastic celebration and ended up as the top play on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
“Dillon is always happy, but I’m sure it is especially that way because it was an away game, his phone is going to be blowing up,” teammate Chris Boucher said. “He will be happy and we are happy for him, too.”
Oregon is 4-2 in games decided by four points or fewer this season, with Brooks making the game-winner in three of those victories.
Brooks’ first clutch shot this season came during his debut at the Maui Invitational against Georgetown when he made a 3-pointer with four seconds left to get the Ducks within 63-61 before they lost 65-61. The next day, he missed a jumper at the end of regulation against Tennessee; but in overtime, he hit his first game-winning shot with 22 seconds left to play.
Oregon trailed UCLA 87-86 in late December when Brooks made a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the game.
Last season, Brooks missed a couple of shots in the final seconds that could have tied a game the Ducks lost.
He drove to the basket before missing a shot in the closing seconds of a 74-72 loss at Boise State in December. Two months later, he missed a short jumper with Oregon trailing 74-72 and five seconds remaining at Stanford, which went on to win 76-72.