25 years later, James Forrest’s March Madness moment still magic

James Forrest battles for position in a 1994 game against Virginia. Two years earlier, his buzzer-beater against Southern California became an instant Tech tournament classic.

James Forrest battles for position in a 1994 game against Virginia. Two years earlier, his buzzer-beater against Southern California became an instant Tech tournament classic.

The play that defined James Forrest’s Georgia Tech career has lived a full 25 years. The man who made it is doing pretty well, too.

The Tech great’s desperation 3-pointer that beat USC in the second round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament turned 25 on Tuesday.

“The play was designed for a catch-and-shoot,” Forrest, 44, said. “I knew whatever I did, I had to catch and shoot. When I caught it, you look at the shot, it’s almost like I meant to shoot it with form and everything. Here it is, 25 years later, we’re still talking about it.”

Forrest, a Southside High graduate, remains in metro Atlanta and can be spotted at Tech games. He never went far from basketball. He runs his own AAU team, Team Forrest, and also operates a personal-training and skill-development business. He lives in Ellenwood, married with three children.

Every March, all he has to do to be reminded of his buzzer-beater is flip on the television and watch the NCAA Tournament. Chances are, he’ll see himself in a highlight montage, rising over Harold “Baby Jordan” Miner to swish a 3-pointer, a shot that ranks among the most memorable in tournament history.

Forrest’s AAU players, who were years from being born when he made history, are amazed to learn their coach is a major piece of tournament.

“Coach, I just saw you on TV, I just saw your shot,” Forrest said, paraphrasing their comments. “I didn’t know you shot 3’s. Just joking with me, saying little stuff like that.”

In March 1992, Forrest was an oversized small forward, a 6-foot-8 thumper playing out of position to accommodate center Matt Geiger and power forward Malcolm Mackey. As a freshman, he averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds for a Tech team that tied for fourth in the ACC and earned a No. 7 seed in the Midwest region. After beating Houston in the first round, Tech advanced to a Saturday afternoon matchup with No. 2-seed USC at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center.

The game wound down to the final seconds. After Forrest was beaten off the dribble by USC point guard Rodney Chatman, who tied the score with a short jumper for a 78-76 lead, only 2.2 seconds remained. Tech called its last timeout. On the inbounds play from the baseline, Geiger sent a bounce pass to Jon Barry near midcourt, but it was deflected out of bounds. Now only .8 seconds remained. From the bench, coach Bobby Cremins argued that more time should be put on the clock, but to no avail.

Speaking Sunday with the AJC, Forrest recalled that the play was not designed for him to get the ball from Geiger, who was inbounding just past half-court. Barry was the first option, followed by Travis Best. Without a timeout, the inbounds play lacked much design. Barry was out near midcourt, practically next to Mackey, allowing one USC player to defend both.

“Coach told us to run something … I don’t know,” Barry said after the game.

Cremins described it as “complete chaos.”

Best was at the top of the 3-point arc, but cut off by the Trojan guarding the inbounds pass. That left Forrest, who was outside the NBA 3-point arc when Geiger delivered him the pass down the sideline with the referee counting the fourth of the allotted five seconds.

To that point that season, Forrest had attempted three 3-pointers and made none. Cremins said he turned to shake hands with USC coach George Raveling when he saw the play went to Forrest. The next thing Forrest knew, Geiger, who had the presence of mind to follow the shot, was celebrating at the basket.

Pandemonium broke out. Cremins dubbed it the “Miracle in Milwaukee.” The play is remembered fondly for color analyst Al McGuire bellowing, “Holy mackerel!”

And, 25 years later, Forrest has a moment he can share with his children — who saw their father’s shot commemorated in a display when the Final Four came to Atlanta in 2013 — and even members of the USC team. Chatman is among former Trojans players who live in Atlanta and continue to express their disgust at Forrest.

“Anytime I see (Raveling), he goes, ‘There’s my career killer,’” Forrest said. “’You cost me, career killer.’”

Ironically, Tech was ousted a week later in the Sweet 16 by Memphis State, in part because the Jackets botched a last-second attempt in regulation, losing 83-79 in overtime.

“That was probably my worst loss ever, in my professional, college, high school (career),” he said. “That one was taken from me.”

Forrest has a 21-year-old daughter, Kiarah, who works in Home Depot’s corporate office. His elder son Justin is a senior at Greenforest Christian Academy and, a basketball player, holds a number of mid-major offers. Jalen is in seventh grade at the same school.

“It’s most likely always going to be talked about,” Forrest said. “It’s just great to be a part of NCAA history.”