Albany’s Peter Hooley Tells The Inspirational Story Of His Late Mother And Miracle Buzzer-Beater

By now you’ve probably seen Peter Hooley’s shot to send Albany to the NCAA Tournament in the team’s 51-50 win over Stony Brook last week. On its own, it’s one of those crazy buzzer beaters that only seem to multiply in March. But when coupled with Hooley’s story, it becomes even more surreal.

Hooley’s mother Sue died of cancer on Jan. 30, and he left the team to be with her in her final days. He told Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports after his miracle shot that he made a promise to her he’d come back and play, and play he did. After missing about half the conference season, Hooley returned to the team on Feb. 13 against NJIT.

In the final eight games, the Great Danes senior averaged 12.1 points and led his team to the Big Dance, where they’re taking on No. 3 Oklahoma.

Hooley wrote a first-person essay for the New York Post on Thursday, detailing the journey he’s been on this season. It’s a remarkable look behind the curtain at a student-athlete, especially one who has dealt with the ups and downs he has this year.

From the Post:

After Mum had passed away in late January, I often found myself sitting outside, just gazing at the sky. No words. Just thoughts. How was I going to get back on the court, knowing my mum wouldn’t be watching? She never missed a game. She was always the first message I got, reminding me to hold my follow-through when I shot, telling me how proud she was, and to, most importantly, keep flying. How was I going to get back out there, knowing those messages would no longer appear?

[…]

I started to get endless messages from people saying how that single shot had inspired them, and it made me start to realize just how incredible this miracle was. From radio interviews, to newspapers, I then found myself on the way to the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., to appear live on SportsCenter. A dream of mine as a kid became a reality as I sat in the studio alongside John Buccigross and Steve Levy on live national TV. A chance for me to tell my story to the world, in hopes to inspire some people to keep flying through the tough times. Never would I have ever thought this would happen, and as hectic as the journey it has been, it’s been incredible and something I will never forget.

After Hooley hit the shot, he told Forde “With angels watching over you, you can do anything.” With angels on Albany’s side, the Great Danes just might be able to pull the upset over the Sooners. Even if they don’t, Hooley’s story still will go down in March lore.

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