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Jason Terry and A.J. Bramlett celebrate with Miles Simon after Simon banked in a 65-foot shot to beat Cincinnati 19 years ago today (YouTube video screen shot)
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Today marks the 19th anniversary of Miles Simon’s 65-foot bank shot at the buzzer that beat Cincinnati in the 7-Up Classic at Phoenix.
It’s a fitting day that we announce the winner of Arizona’s Best Play Bracket — Simon’s miraculous heave that enabled Lute Olson to win his 500th game as a head coach.
The play topped that of Derrick Williams’ game saving blocked shot in 2011 against Washington in a vote among readers. The matchup came about as part of a 26-play bracket published at this site before this season started.
Simon was only three for 11 from the field until his circus shot, which followed a Cincinnati inbounds pass with 3.8 seconds left that Danny Fortson couldn’t handle. Simon got credit for a steal when he picked up the loose ball at the top of the Bearcats’ free-throw circle, took one dribble and heaved it with two hands.
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“I’m not lying. When the shot went up, I sat down and put my hands in the air — I knew it was going in,” teammate Ben Davis told reporters after the game.
“I shot it off one foot, but I was on balance,” Simon was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times afterward. “I didn’t just heave it up; I tried to make the shot.”
Simon, now an ESPN college basketball analyst, was a commentator during the West Virginia-Oklahoma game last week. This Twitter conversation followed between me and Simon:
@JavierJMorales he reminds me everytime I see him. Literally always talk about it.
— Miles Simon (@milessimon) February 4, 2015
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ARIZONA’S TOP PLAYS LISTED IN THE BEST PLAY BRACKET
— Derrick Williams’ no-look, three-point play beats Texas in 2011 NCAA tourney
— Determined Jason Terry upsets No. 3 Stanford with shot in the lane in waning seconds of 1999 thriller at McKale Center.
— Mark Lyons’ driving, one-handed shot in the waning seconds against No. 5 Florida in 2012 gives Sean Miller a signature victory.
— Nic Wise’s game-winning last-second shot in double-overtime against USC in 2010 puts satisfying cap to tumultuous career.
— Richard Jefferson’s tap-in at the buzzer off Jason Terry’s missed three-pointer beats Washington in 1999.
— Loren Woods’ three blocked shots in succession — like rapid fire, one after the other within a five-second span — against Oregon in 2000.
— Michael Wright’s shot in the lane with three seconds left topples No. 1 Stanford at Maples Pavilion in 2001.
— Eddie Smith’s game-winning three-point play with two seconds left caps a furious last-minute rally at ASU in 1985.
— Eddie Smith’s bank shot at the buzzer beats ASU 65-64 in Tempe in 1984 and sets Lute Olson’s dominant program in motion.
— Salim Stoudamire’s jumper with six-tenths of a second left beats ASU in Tempe in 2005.
— Nick Johnson gives Arizona fans Christmas Day gift with game-saving blocked shot against San Diego State in 2012.
— MoMo Jones’ 16-foot bank shot at the buzzer in 2010 adds to New York flavor of Arizona winning shots at Stanford’s Maples Pavilion.
— Chris Mills’ buzzer-beating jumper in regulation gives Arizona life in its 105-94 overtime victory over UCLA in 1991.
— Kenny Lofton’s behind-the-back, double-pump dunk caps rout of Oregon in 1988, ranks as one of college hoops’ best dunks of that season.
— Salim Stoudamire’s game-winning long-distance three-pointer downs UCLA in 2005.
— Derrick Williams’ emphatic blocked shot against Washington in 2011 saves game for Arizona.
— Khalid Reeves’ coast-to-coast game-winner with less the five seconds left beats Stanford at Maples Pavilion in 1992.
— Steve Kerr’s first shot after father’s assassination in 1984, a 25-foot jumper against ASU, gives him hero status in Tucson and contributes to Arizona’s emergence in the Pac-10.
— Sean Rooks’ last-second bank shot at Stanford in 1991 gives the Wildcats a 78-76 victory.
— Salim Stoudamire’s game-winning jumper against Oklahoma State in the 2005 Sweet 16.
— Sean Elliott’s free throw breaks Lew Alcindor’s conference scoring record in 1989.
— Craig McMillan’s McClutch shot at the buzzer from full-court pass from Steve Kerr against Oregon State in 1986.
— Arizona 6-10 center Bob Elliott’s 35-foot jumper at the buzzer beats Kansas State in 1973.
— Sean Elliott downs Duke with three-pointer over Danny Ferry in last minute in 1989.
— Miles Simon’s 65-foot bank shot as time expired to beat Cincinnati in Phoenix in 1996.
— Tom Tolbert’s no-look, twisting shot against North Carolina in the 1988 Elite Eight.
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
