There's an old saying about putting feet to your actions. Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons point guard Rasheed Bello took that to a whole new level Wednesday night during a game against the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.
Midway through the second half, Bello lost his right shoe while on defense. Most players would have stopped to put it back on and interrupt the flow of play.
Not Bello. The junior transfer from UW-Parkside picked up his size 12 shoe and got back in the play just as USI's Jack Campion attempted a shot in front of Bello just inside the three-point line.
Still holding his shoe, Bello used it to block Campion's shot.
Rasheed Bello. The first player to ever record a block with a shoe? Send this shoe to Springfield, Mass.#FeelTheRumble #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/BF44qmdpPY
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) December 7, 2023
It's a legal move, as long as you don't throw the shoe, off-duty referee and USI public address announcer Zane Clodfelter told the Evansville Courier & Press.
The Mastodons' official X (formerly known as Twitter) account suggested Bello's shoe be sent to Springfield, Massachusetts, home of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
"We talk about 'Whatever It Takes' to get a stop," Mastodons head coach Jon Coffman posted on social media, praising Bello for his quick thinking.
We talk about ?Whatever It Takes? to get a stop! ??? https://t.co/l9o3Q9FlRX
— Jon Coffman (@coachcoffman) December 7, 2023
"I've never seen that before in my life, and even the referee said he's never seen it before, Screaming Eagles head coach Stan Gouard said. "A first in my 25 years of coaching. Never saw it before."
Unfortunately for Gouard and his team, the historic play sparked Purdue Fort Wayne. The Mastodons went on to outscore the Screaming Eagles 14-7 in the final 8 minutes and 45 seconds after the shoe block en route to a 70-57 victory. The Mastodons increased their record to 9-1 on the season. Bello finished the night with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block, courtesy of a shoe.
Southern Indiana, meanwhile, entered Wednesday as one of 22 teams without a win over a Division I opponent. Thanks to Bello, that streak remains intact.
Wonder how long it will take the NCAA Rules Committee to ban shoe-blocking.
