Prayer answered: Heave by Socastee’s Foster hits marks, changes game

Miracles don’t always happen necessarily when asked.

Many prayers have been uttered during the course of athletic events, the large share of which turn out to be desperate heaves toward the heavens to no avail.

And then you have those rare moments that simply cannot be explained.

Days after making a shot that’s easier seen than believed, Socastee’s Nijaye Foster is still being asked exactly how he did it.

With his team’s crucial contest with Carolina Forest nearing intermission, the Braves were in position for the half’s final shot. Passing it from one side of the court to the other, nothing seemed to be available.

Until it was.

“I was surprised because we were down and my coach told me we need to get a good look at a shot,” he said. “I thought (teammate Andrew Gardner) was going to shoot it but he passed it to Kendrell (Generette) and passed it to me.”

Barely able to get a mitt on the ball, the Socastee guard launched the ball toward the basket before allowing his feet to hit the ground. In a rare stroke of luck, his shot would kiss the glass and go through the net for a 3-pointer.

“(Socastee boys basketball coach Derrick Hilton) said ‘good shot,’ and told me I would’ve missed if he didn’t draw the play up,’” Foster said. “But he didn’t draw a play … he was being sarcastic.”

The miraculous shot at the time pulled the Braves to within two points of host Carolina Forest. Inevitably, the play offered the team a boost it needed, eventually downing the Panthers 45-41 to earn a playoff berth.

Footage of the shot was tweeted out by Foster this past weekend. Viewed dozens of times, many are still in disbelief the shot hit the mark.

According to Foster, he and his teammates practice such trick shots everyday at practice. Never did he expect to use any of his arsenal, though.

“In practice, we do competitions to see who make a one-hand half court shot,” he said. “I just took (his shot Friday night) as that and tried to aim it at the backboard … and it went in.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Prayer answered: Heave by Socastee’s Foster hits marks, changes game."