Taking the Shot: The Davidson Basketball Moment (Paperback)

~ Michael Kruse (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The basketball team from Davidson College captivated the country in the 2008 NCAA tournament. It was more than just a Cinderella story. There was a coach who preached balance and family, a boy-faced superstar shooter who wrote scripture on his sneakers and a gritty, smiling point guard who went from being little-used to leading the nation in assists. It all led to a singular moment.

In Taking the Shot, Michael Kruse, a Davidson grad and a staff writer at the St. Petersburg Times, tells the tale of hope, trust and togetherness. This is the story of that moment, and why it meant so much to so many.

Excerpted from the book: "It wasn't a feeling of imminent victory. What it was was an overwhelming feeling of opportunity. The chance. We can win this. It was, for some alums, particularly for those who had been boys during the Lefty years of the 1960s, something like a reawakening of the possibility of national success. Two days after that, late in the second half of the comeback against Georgetown, one fan turned to his left and looked down his row in Raleigh and saw a white-haired alum with a single tear running down his cheek and then turned back to his young son and asked him to please watch this game close."

From Davidson alum William Robertson: "In that moment, we had in our hearts and minds...the joy of having it go in. Before it was not in, it was as good as in. For that fraction of a second, we had that experience, and it is enough. It is well worth the journey. At least for me it is, and I guess the ultimate point of this...is that I hope it is also worth it for Jason. He took the shot. He gave us that moment. He trusted, and all we can do is be sure our reaction is worthy of that trust."

Please note that Taking the Shot is also available through the publisher's website.

About the Author

Michael Kruse has been a staff writer at the St. Petersburg Times since 2005. Before that, he was the editor of the ACC Basketball Handbook, a senior writer for Basketball America and the writer at large for the Times Herald-Record in New York. His work also has appeared in The Sporting News, ESPN The Magazine and Charlotte and Cleveland magazines, and on cbs.sportsline.com and ESPN.com. Kruse was born outside of Los Angeles and raised outside of Boston. He graduated in 2000 from Davidson College in North Carolina and now lives in Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Butler Books; First edition (December 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884532985
• ISBN-13: 978-1884532986
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #434,971 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Memorable Book About a Memorable Time, January 7, 2009

By	B.J. Rudell (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

In extraordinary fashion, Mr. Kruse describes Davidson Basketball's dream season, including the blow-by-blow of the final seconds of the final game. But more than that, he paints a complete picture of a coach and a team striving for success in a competitive environment where success is rarely attained, and is fleeting even when found.

You don't have to be a player or a coach to enjoy this book. If you can believe in something greater than yourself, then by the final page you will believe in Davidson, and all of the other "Davidsons" that will grace amateur sports for years to come.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story beautifully told, April 19, 2009

By	D. Kohn (New Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a phenomenal story: This is more than a true-to-life tale of small school's adventures among the giants of NCAA March Madness in a quest for the national championship. It is, more to the point, the story of a unique educational institution dedicated to merging academic excellence and honorable behavior and how adherence to fundamental principles translates into success both on and off the basketball court. Davidson is one of the best kept secrets; a truly great small college offering a world-class education that transcends the classroom. Kruse's crisply written tale gives the reader a sense of what the Davidson magic is all about.

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully captures Davidson's 2008 NCAA Tournament run, April 6, 2009

By	Daniel L. Ream "DanReam" (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Kruse's book does a nice job of filling in the background of how Davidson's basketball team developed to it's moment of being the 2008 NCAA Tournament sweethearts, capturing the affection of just about every fan except those who supported their opponents in each game.

Interesting analysis also about how getting to the point of Jason Richard's last (missed) shot was the triumph itself-more important than
the fact that he missed the shot and their successful run was over. Recommended for coaches, fans, and players who themselves may one day face the chance to make (or miss) that game-winning , last second shot. My only regret is that this book wasn't longer!