College Hoops Player Slams Face Into Backboard While Airborne Blocking A Shot

Division III basketball player Meredith Blaise is a locally well-known athlete from North Central College. But after a gut-wrenching incident that occurred in a recent game, everyone around the world now knows who he is.

Chrishawn Orange from Augustana College was booking down the court, dribbling toward the hoop with Blaise in hot pursuit. As the Augustana athlete charges the lane to toss up the ball and hopefully make his shot, the 6’4 Blaise, a guard, leaps into the air to try and block the ball.

The problem is that as Blaise became airborne, Orange slowed his roll, causing Blaise to hit his hip on Orange’s shoulder, essentially propelling him even further upward. This player definitely can get air with or without the extra boost.

While Blaise tried to knock the ball out of the way, but he also almost knocked his teeth out when he slammed his face full speed into the bottom of the basketball backboard. This NBA hopeful, who is eligible for the draft in 2021, had literally no time to react as he smashed his face against the underside of that backboard.

After he whacks his face on the backboard – you can even hear the thud — he crash lands onto his back on the court. Presumably dazed and confused, Meredith lays there for a moment. Shockingly, he cautiously stands up and with a bit of assistance, Blaise walks off the court to be further checked out by trainers.

The crowd goes wild applauding for this tough cookie. Even the players stand around him in disbelief at what just happened in this freak accident. KWQC-TV reported that Meredith even returned to the game a short time later.

Despite his best efforts, Blaise’s team lost 76 to 59. Still, people everyone praised Meredith on Twitter.

“Oh my. Serious respect for North Central’s Meredith Blaise – doing hard on defense and clearly insanely athletic. Honestly surprised I haven’t seen this before,” one person tweeted.

Sports Illustrated described it as “brutal.” Jeff Spencer commented that “And I get excited when I can jump up and touch the bottom of the net.”

Jonathan Kummer summed it up perfectly.

“Defying the laws of gravity,” he wrote.

Kory Kuffler testified that seeing that was a first for him.

“I’ve shot basketball for almost 22 years and have never seen this happen,” he tweeted.

Sports Nation shared the video on Facebook, too, which drew a slew of comments. Derek Yamamoto testified that he hit his head on the backboard once…

“I was climbing the ladder to put the net up,” he jokingly commented.

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