Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Purdue Fort Wayne’s ‘shoe-block’ goes viral on social media
By DYLAN LUTEY
Wednesday’s game between Purdue Fort Wayne and Southern Indiana saw a once-in-a-lifetime play from Purdue Fort Wayne guard Rasheed Bello.
Bello lost his shoe in the middle of a defensive possession and picked it up, but didn’t have time to put it back on. When Southern Indiana’s guard Jack Champion put up a midrange jumper, Bello reached up with his right hand with his shoe in hand and blocked Champion’s shot.
The play was deemed legal because Bello did not throw the shoe, he simply used it as an extension of his arm.
“I’ve never seen that before in my life, and even the referee said he’s never seen it before, “Southern Indiana head coach Stan Gouard told Anthony Kristensen of The Courier & Press. “A first in my 25 years of coaching. Never saw it before.”
