It will forever more be known simply as The Shot.
Or maybe "The Shots."
First North Carolina's Marcus Paige hit an impossible three-pointer to pull North Carolina even with Villanova in last night's unreal NCAA Championship game.
But there were 4.7 seconds left.
Just enough time for a little more drama.
And history.
After a timeout, Villanova calmly inbounded the ball. Kris Jenkins gave the ball to Mr. Ice Water, Ryan Arcidiacano, who brings it over the half-court line as if he has all the time in the world. All the world actually thinks Arcidiacano is going to take the shot. He has another thought.
Jenkins has been trailing the play. And nobody from Carolina picked him up. Arcidiacano flips him the ball and your heart goes into your throat as you scream, "What are you doing, there's not enough time."
Actually there is. As usual, Arcidiacano knows exactly what he's doing.
There is in fact just enough time for Jenkins to rise up and sink the dagger in the heart of Tobacco Road.
And just like that we are winners again.
It's been awhile.
Thirty-one years to be precise. That's the last time Villanova won, with Rollie Massimino's decided underdogs shocking the world in slaying Goliath, the Georgetown Hoyas.
This one was not necessarily a surprise, but it was a moment that will forever be frozen in time.
Villanova spent three weeks ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. This was no fluke.
Still, as there always seems to be with these 'Cats from the Main Line, there were questions. Those got louder after Villanova fell to Seton Hall in the Big East Tournament.
That's right, remember that the Wildcats did not win the Big East. Instead, they went home, licked their wounds, and then recoiled when they saw the path set before them by the czars at the NCAA.
It was not exactly the Yellow Brick Road. A No. 2 seed in the South Region. A potential early match against Kansas.
They beat them all, including UNC-Asheville, an Iowa team that was once No. 3 in the nation, a blowout win over a very good Miami team, a barn-burner against the No. 1 seed Kansas, the obliteration of Oklahoma, and finally a showdown with North Carolina.
At the end, Villanova stands alone, the best team in the nation.
We are winners.
Again.
It's been awhile.
Philly Proud.
Delco Proud.
It feels pretty damn good.
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