Rain or Shine veteran Gabe Norwood took part in one of the most memorable Cinderella stories in the history of the US NCAA Tournament when George Mason earned a trip to the Final Four exactly 15 years ago.
The Patriots continued their magical run when they held off the highly-touted University of Connecticut Huskies with an 86-84 overtime win, becoming the lowest-seeded team to reach the Final Four.
Norwood was on the bench for the final seconds when UConn’s Denham Brown missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer, triggering a dramatic celebration for a team that came into the East Regional seeded 11th and a long shot to make a serious run at the National Championship.
“I honestly didn't see it,” Norwood recalled in a 2016 interview with GoMason.com, George Mason’s official athletics website.
“I had my head down, just praying he missed. When he did, I followed the lead of everyone and celebrated. Ran to the opposite corner of the arena and tried to spot my family in the stands,” added Norwood.
Jai Lewis, who eventually reunited with Norwood as Rain or Shine import in the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference, Tony Skinn, Lamar Butler and Will Thomas were key in George Mason’s stunning upset of UConn, the top seed in the East Regional and among the favorites to go all the way.
Norwood had a vital role in the first two rounds of the tournament when George Mason stunned Michigan State and University of North Carolina, which won the NCAA title the previous year.
He filled the starting point guard position from Skinn, who suspended one game for fighting in the Colonial Athletic Association tourney, and helped George Mason defeat Michigan State, 75-65. Norwood finished with seven points, four rebounds and two steals.
“I think I played in every game dating back to my freshman year, but to come in and start? Everybody put a lot of confidence in me, probably more confidence than I had in myself, to be honest,” Norwood told the Washington Post in 2016.
Norwood started the next game against North Carolina, posting two points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 65-60 comeback win that ended the Tar Heels’ title reign. The Patriots rallied after being down 18-2 at the start.
He was back to his role as a reserve the following game, playing 21 minutes in the Patriots’ 63-55 win over the Wichita State Shockers in the Sweet 16, setting up a date with the Huskies who at the time had future NBA veteran Rudy Gay.
Norwood played 19 minutes against UConn, then spent the crucial moments cheering on the bench as the Patriots booked a trip to Indianapolis to face University of Florida in the National Semifinals.
The run ended the following week as Florida, which eventually won the National Championship with a squad led by future Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, beat George Mason, 73-58, in the Final Four. Norwood had two points with three assists and two steals in 25 minutes off the bench.
Norwood has since been considered as the player from that George Mason team who had a successful career after college, as evident with his current PBA campaign with Rain or Shine and international stints with Gilas Pilipinas.
But Norwood attests that those won't be possible without experiencing the magic of March Madness.