When you think of cheerleaders at basketball games, most people picture them doing coordinated dances during brief intermissions, and providing another source of energy with their incredible chants. However, during 2022 NCAA March Madness a cheerleader proved they can be an integral part of saving basketballs that are stuck in places most people can’t reach.
Hoosiers Cheerleader Saves Basketball Stuck in Backboard During Saint Mary’s vs Indiana NCAA March Madness Game
The Indiana Hoosiers vs St. Mary’s Gaels was largely one sided affair. The outcome of the game was never really in doubt as St. Mary’s won easily by 29 points. This wasn’t surprising considering one team was ranked 5th, while the other was ranked 12th.
Despite the game itself lacking any unpredictable excitement, the cheerleaders stole the show with one brave heroic act that saved the night.
Around the 18:25 mark of the second half the ball got stuck between the backboard and shot clock. From there the brainstorming began on how they could quickly rectify the situation, and get the game going again. They tried using a broom while standing on a chair, but that didn’t work. After some more thinking a genius plan was hatched.
An Indiana Hoosiers cheerleader got the basketball stuck on the backboard after being hoisted into the air using the palm handstand technique. The players and crowd cheered on as the cheerleader became the unlikely hero of the night.
It might sound cliché to say there were no losers in this game, but with a feel good moment like that it’s tough to say otherwise.
In that moment in time everyone on the basketball forgot about the competition, and were genuinely enjoying the hilarious situation with each other.
Although they lost the game by a lot of points, Indiana Hoosiers’ cheerleader saving the basketball stuck in backboard was the performance of the night. Someone give that lady an award for her efforts, because she is an internet legend now.