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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Everything was going well for Aubrey Dawkins.
BJ Taylor drove from the right side and missed a float, and Dawkins came to fly for the last second tip – one that would have sent home the legendary Hall of Fame coach who recruited and fell in love with his father as a player and then, as an assistant coach, he simultaneously sent his father and his coach and their team, UCF, to Sweet 16.
Johnny Dawkins' son had exploded in the shadow of Zion Williamson's match with the 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, had single handedly the UCF Knights at that time, scored 32 points, just like Zion … and now this his right hand would give UCF a shocking 78-77 surprise against Duke.
The ball could not decide. The gods of basketball could not decide. It was in … and then that was not it.
As Zion, the Blue Devils and their fans began celebrating their 77-76 win, Aubrey Dawkins was lying on his back with his head in his hands.
"It breaks your heart," he said.
He was asked how long it seemed that the ball and a game made for March Madness hung on the rim.
"An eternity," he says. "It was up there forever, I felt idle."
Duke's Twitter basketball wire reminded us, "Aubrey Dawkins grew up shooting in gyms."
Yes he did it. From 4 years old.
"Almost ten years to be shot, to mess. Good memories, "Dawkins said.
His father had served alongside Mike Krzyzewski for a decade.
If there was a dream, the coach K did not want to break, that was good Johnny Dawkins: a great player, a great man.
"I love Johnny Dawkins," said Krzyzewski, on the verge of tears. "They are family. I feel bad that they have lost. I am so proud that these kids played at the level of their coach. "
There was then a warm, gentle and emotional embrace between the teacher and the student in the field.
"I love this man," Dawkins said. "This man, without him, I would not be where I am today."
The next coach K attempted to raise Dawkins' son.
"Aubrey was the best player on the field today," coach K. said. "You see him growing up as a little guy."
And Johnny Dawkins was so proud of his little guy, who would grow up to 6 feet 6 inches.
"He's able to have moments like this," said Dawkins, "and he had one tonight on one of the biggest scenes you can play on." He could not have picked a better time for this to us. "
The Knights were relegated to the goal after Zion dropped 14 minutes before the fall. He missed an opportunity to convert the game to three points before the resumption of RJ Barrett 11 seconds from the end.
Dawkins called the remaining time with 7.7 seconds.
"We had the shot we wanted," Taylor said. "I've been shooting since I played for the coach.
"It kills me that it did not fall, but I guess that's how it happens sometimes."
A few minutes earlier, Aubrey Dawkins had let an easy lane through his hands.
"The hands were a little moist. … It's a play I should have played, "Dawkins said. "Things are going on, you will not be perfect, so …"
The lessons that Johnny Dawkins gave his son were revealed in the UCF locker room, when the boy answered each question as a man, a class act.
And the lessons that coach K gave to Dawkins were not lost to Aubrey's father when he told his son, "You win, you lose." You have done everything you can do. You control what you can control. And you have to live with the result sometimes.
Even when your heart breaks.
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