High School Sophomore Scores 8 Points in 19 Seconds to Secure Improbable Semi-Final Win

A high school basketball player is being celebrated for scoring an unbelievable 8 points in 19 seconds during a game on Thursday.
Published: 3/7/2026, 3:31:26 AM EST

A high school basketball player is being celebrated for scoring an unbelievable 8 points in 19 seconds during a game on Thursday.

Ava Smid is a five-eleven sophomore forward who plays for Dallas Center-Grimes in Des Moines, Iowa. Her team was battling it out against Norwalk on Thursday in the 4-A semi-finals. They were down 42-36 with 40 seconds left in the game when Smid took the ball.

First, she scored a layup. With 32 seconds left, she scored on an inbounds play after Norwalk turned over the ball. With 22 seconds left, she stole an inbounds pass and scored, and with a tie game, she stole another inbounds pass and scored again—for a wildly impressive 8 points in 19 seconds of game-play to win the game.

The game has now been dubbed “The Ava Smid Game.” Smid and her teammates next take on Carlisle in the 4-A title game on Saturday.