HS basketball player sinks 85-foot winning shot

BOSTON (WHDH) -- An East Boston basketball player made a hot shot with only seconds left in the game. Pat Santos took the rebound and threw the ball 85-feet down the court, making the game winning basket.

7News spoke to the young athlete whose big score is making national headlines.

It all came down to the final seconds, and on Tuesday night, that once in a lifetime shot went in, winning the game for East Boston.

“When it went in, I was getting choked, everybody was hugging me, going crazy,” said Santos.

High school senior Pat Santos says he never thought the shot would go in, but his coach says if anyone could make it, Santos could.

“If there’s one kid who’s going to take that shot and can deal with the consequences of make or miss, it’s definitely Pat,” said Shawn Brown, coach.

If making the winning shot wasn't enough, Santos learned the next day that his play was named the top play by ESPN's "Sportcenter."

“I was pretty excited, but I wasn’t trying to let it go to my head. I was trying to stay humble about it,” Santos said.

But despite the big win and his new-found fame, Santos says he's just trying to focus on his next game.

“’L-I-G; let it go,’ That’s the motto of our team. So yeah I’m letting that go. It’s over already. focus on this next game we're about to have right now,” Santos said.

Santos said he plans to play college basketball.