After celebrating the greatest debuts in local sports history to kick off our #WNSTSweet16 discussion topics in 2014, it’s time to look back at the greatest local sports playoff moments that continue to stay with us no matter how long ago they occurred.
From the Colts, Orioles, and Ravens to the University of Maryland and local college lacrosse, there’s no shortage of playoff moments to consider as we look back at more than 60 years of big-league sports as well as other professional teams, collegiate history, and high school athletics in the area that go back even longer in some cases. Trying to narrow the list to just 16 was a daunting task itself with no disrespect intended to a slew of local playoff moments that didn’t make the cut.
In trying to pare down the list, two questions kept ringing in my mind: How did this moment make you feel? Did this moment resonate with most sports fans in the area? Admittedly, these questions make it extremely difficult for local college and high school moments to crack the list as even a number of memorable Colts, Orioles, and Ravens playoff moments failed to make the cut.
Some moments are centered around individual late-game heroics while others are the culmination of a dominating performance by a team on their way to championship glory.
We’ve been discussing the topic on AM 1570 WNST and on social media for the last couple days and will continue to do so.
Here’s the list of the WNST Sweet 16 Best Local Sports Playoff Moments:
16. Coppin State knocks off No. 2 seed South Carolina in the 1997 NCAA Tournament
You probably can’t name a single player from Fang Mitchell’s 1997 squad that became just the third No. 15 seed to win an NCAA tournament game, but it’s a moment worth including as Coppin State knocked off heavily-favored South Carolina in a convincing 78-65 final in Pittsburgh.
The 30-point underdogs were led by Danny Singletary and Antoine Brockington, who combined to score 42 points to outplay the Gamecocks’ formidable trio of BJ McKie, Larry Davis, and Melvin Watson. The Eagles would go on to fall by a single point to Texas in the second round of the tournament.
With college basketball possessing arguably the greatest playoff tournament of them all, Coppin State garnered national attention as one of the best examples of a true underdog triumphing in the history of Baltimore sports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSMuXaQe-T0
Continue to next page for No. 15
