Shot heard around Frisco
Facing off against District 9-5A rival Lone Star for the 3rd time in the 2018-19 season, the Redhawks and Rangers took to the court in Garland for the 5A Region II final, with the winner advancing to the state tournament. Trailing by three with seven seconds left, senior Randi Thompson hit a long 3 pointer to send the game into overtime where the Redhawks would prevail 43-39.
February 25, 2019
For the second time in four years, the girls’ basketball team heads to state with a shot heard across Frisco. In their own words, head coach Ross Reedy and senior Randi Thompson recount the moment which sent the Redhawks’ close battle against the Lone Star Rangers into overtime, a game the Redhawks would win 43-39.
Randi Thompson — insanity.
The Liberty senior drains this deep 3-pointer at the Q4 buzzer to tie the game at 35 and send this 5AII regional final to OT. @SportsDayHS @Friscoisdsports @LibertyRedhawk @LSHSRangers pic.twitter.com/LPTE4n7Ysd
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) February 23, 2019
“Obviously we had seven seconds, and we had drawn up a play which was intended for Randi in the end,” Reedy said. “We were trying to get a cheap look to start the play for Mara Casey, and they took that away, so the idea was to get the ball back around to Randi.”
“Coach Reedy knew they were paying special attention to me,” Thompson said. “But it ended up getting in my hands, and I just had to shoot it.”
“The way in which we got the ball to Randi was not drawn up or intended,” Reedy said. “It just had to go through a couple more hands than anticipated, but once it got to her, she got herself in a great position. Despite it being far away, it really was a clean look; she was probably 28-30 feet away. Truth be told, not to say she makes them more times than not, but we’ve seen her make a bunch of those.”
“My physical reaction, I went to the floor because I was just so excited and surprised,” Thompson said. “My teammates all jumped on me and we were all on the ground. I was just super excited.”
“When she shot it, I didn’t have the same confidence that she did, I was at an angle and I was like ‘wow that looks good and has a good opportunity of going in,’” Reedy said. “Retrospectively speaking, for me, watching it and seeing Randi and the girls react, it was really cool because you coach or play your whole life, and some people never experience a moment like that.”
“I knew we had all the momentum, so we were probably going to win the game,” Thompson said. “It was probably the best moment I’ve ever had in my whole basketball career because I feel like you have to have some guts to take that shot, and I had all the confidence in the world when I shot it and made it.”
