A resourceful cheerleading duo in Indiana came to the rescue when a basketball got lodged atop the basketball hoop's backboard and in between the backboard and shock clock during a game.
The triumphant save occurred during the second half of the Hoosiers' NCAA men's tournament game against St. Mary's in Portland Oregon on Thursday night.
It was too risky for any of the players to dislodge the ball, and they would not have been tall enough the reach the ball on their own.
After a referee unsuccessfully reached the ball by standing on a chair and using a mop, the game crowd and commentators called upon the Hoosier's cheerleaders to save the day.
Cassidy Cerny and her teammate Nathan Paris stepped up to the task. Paris hoisted Cerny up with her feet firmly planted on his hand palms, and she was able to knock the ball from its perch.
TBS commentator Andrew Catalon was heard shouting in the viral video, "Yes, get the cheerleader up, get her up there! This is how you do it!"
As Cerny was brought back down, the crowd cheered over the exciting display and Catalon commented:
"What a play! 'The cheerleader saves the day! And that is her one shining moment!"
March Madness 365 podcast creator Andy Katz interviewed the duo, who unexpectedly became a highlight of the game.
"At what point did you realize you needed to do something?" Katz asked, about the cheerleading team's decision to get the ball.
An enthusiastic Cerny responded with her March Madness moment.
"We were like maybe they should throw us up this time, maybe put us up in there," she said.
"But then it actually happened. I didn't think it was going to happen, though!"
Paris weighed in, saying, "They had the chair out there but they couldn't put the player on the chair, and I said, ' we lift them up all the time, so why not try that?'"
You can watch their interview here.
Speaking with NBC's Today Show on Friday, Paris also said:
“They kept trying different ways and nothing really was working. And so all of us kind of looked at each other and our captain, Ethan, (said), ‘We need the tallest guy to lift somebody up to see if we can get to the top of the backboard.'
He added:
“So, I’m one of the tallest on the team, so I grabbed Cassidy and said, ‘Maybe this’ll work.'"
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