The best part about it was the look in his eyes as he went to the foul line. There was no doubt in my mind he was going to make the free throw. There were times later in the tourney where he looked like a deer in headlights going to the line, but there was no question on the one that mattered most.
When he made the hook shot, I had a good feeling he would make the free throw. Then Verne made a comment as Brimah stepped to the line... "He only shoots 57% from the line, this is not his strength". I was surprised to hear he shot only 57% from the line because his stroke looks MUCH better than that of a 57% shooter. Once Verne said that and I saw Amida at the line, I absolutely KNEW deep in my bones there was no way he was missing.
Sometimes there are small signs from Freshmen players, a subtle terrific play here or there, that may go overlooked simply because they are Freshmen and maybe not contributing as much to the team as other, more important upper-classmen studs. But when you look back, at the end of their career, you wonder how you missed the blatant signs back early in their careers as freshmen, that they were going to be special.
-Kemba showed up big time in the E8 game against Mizzou in 2009 as a frosh, you knew he would be really good then, despite being overshadowed by a team full of seniors, but he went on to be very special.
-Same scenario in 2011 with Bazz hitting his 2 FT vs UK to ice the game. Just a small sign of how clutch he would become later in his career at UConn. Again, overshadowed by Kemba's fantastic year.
-You can throw KEA's freshman year in there too, again overshadowed by other great players, but no singular defining moment. He was a different type of special.
This was Amida's play... if it wasn't SO crucial to winning that game and sparkng the title run... or even if they lost a round or two later, it would have been a forgotten play. But I think we will look back in a few years and say THIS was Amida's defining moment... a glimpse of how special he will be.
As a side note, I think we saw some glimpses from T-Sam as well. He made some really huge buckets in the tourney when we needed them most. Both of these guys are going to be special.
Anyway, if you go by pure emotion during the game it is a different perspective. The Kemba shot against McGhee, while my third favorite, was over too quickly and decisively to be the best. We knew for almost certain he was taking it so there wasn't a lot of question with it. But what a shot. As my avatar suggests, KW is my favorite Husky. 
