This is the time of year for players at smaller college basketball schools to dream of NCAA Tournament glory, but Norbertas Giga already had his One Shining Moment.
Giga, Jacksonville State’s 7-foot Lithuanian center, was surprised by coaches who knew his mom was waiting. He had not seen his mother since 2013 when he left Europe to chase his hoops dream here, the team said.
According to CBS Sports, Giga spent a year each at St. Benedict’s Prep, Tallahassee Community College and Midland College before becoming a two-year starter for the Gamecocks.
Jacksonville State’s team is in Evansville, Ind. for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, where they are the No. 4 seed trying to make a surprising run to the NCAA Tournament. Giga was told by coaches that he was needed for a film session. Instead, he was put on film to catch the inspiring moment.
Jacksonville State will play the winner of the Tennessee Tech-SIU Edwardsville game on Thursday night. The Gamecocks made the NCAA Tournament last season as a No. 15 seed and lost to Louisville in the first round.