In a few hours, the hoops community will witness the much awaited climax of the March Madness action. The San Diego State Aztecs will lock horns with the Connecticut Huskies in this year’s NCAA Men’s final. Among the two sides, SDSU is the side that has an underdog story to tell. Until this year’s March Madness, the Aztecs had not even made it to the Final Four. Their first ever Final Four game will go down as the most important episode in the SDSU’s basketball legacy. At the heart of the Aztecs’ Final Four triumph is their point guard Lamont Butler’s unreal display and a heartbreaking story.
The game had seven seconds left. The Florida Atlantic was still leading. Lamont Butler stepped in and shot a 17-foot buzzer beater into immortality. The game-winning shot elevated Butler to a hero of surreal stature. However, during this moment of mirth, the Aztecs hero had a painful tale to tell.
SDSU’s Messiah tells a heart wrenching tale
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Earlier last year, a horrible tragedy befell Lamont Butler and his family. Butler’s sister Asasha Lache Hall was shot and killed in January 2022. The 30-year-old was fatally shot during an argument. The SDSU star could not fathom his beloved sister’s tragic demise.
“It was a crazy moment in my life to even hear that my sister had passed. But my teammates and my coaches, they gave me time to just decide what I wanted to do. They said if I didn’t want to come back and play, they were fine with that as well. So they just made me comfortable, and they’re also like my second family,” Butler told ESPN.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Basketball was the only solace for the young point guard who lost his sister. Butler chose to stay with his second family. He channelized all his emotions into the game. The young hooper played every game as if his sister were watching those games and cheering for him. After redeeming the Aztecs with his iconic shot, Butler revealed that he felt his sister’s presence during the game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“I think about her every day,” Butler said. “Ever since she passed. She was one of my biggest supporters, and I know she’s up there happy right now, watching me play the game that I love. And I think she was with me with that shot. She probably guided the ball in a little bit. I miss her, and I’m just happy I’m able to do this for her,” Lamont Butler said. The SDSU star’s sister was with him before the huge final. Now, the fans will be waiting to see Butler deliver something special for the Aztecs and his sister again.
WATCH THIS STORY: “Twitter verse rallies around NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal following hospitalization”