Hurricane High Principal Daniel McKeehan took to Instagram to issue a challenge to local Mountain Mike’s Pizza owner, Nic Lauritzen. The challenge: If he was able to sink a backward, half-court basketball shot then Mountain Mike’s Pizza would provide pizza to the entire student section at the next Tigers home boys’ basketball game.

ORIGINAL STORY: Hurricane High principal scores free Mountain Mike’s Pizza for students

Lauritzen watched in disbelief as McKeehan took and sunk the half-court backward shot, then issued his own challenge. If McKeehan could do it again he would bring Mountain Mike’s Pizza to the next Girl’s home basketball game.

McKeehan took the court Friday night during the boys’ basketball game to answer the challenge. Rock Adams of Rock Shots Photography posted a video on Instagram where the announcer during halftime can be heard announcing shot number one. There was no need for any other shots, though, because McKeehan is seen mid-court, again, lining up and sinking a perfect, nothing but net, backward shot. Adams says the shot is amazing and he hopes everyone sees it.

Hurricane High Students stormed the court after the shot and the announcer can be heard yelling, “Are you kidding me?” It’s hard to tell if the students are more excited about the shot or the free pizza. One thing for sure is their principal could have had an alternate career in basketball but seems to be pretty happy winning pizza for his student body.

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HURRICANE — Too bad Hurricane High School principal Daniel McKeehan can’t suit up for the Tigers.

For the second time this year, McKeehan sank a half-court, backwards shot and earned his student section some free pizza.

The scene Friday night during halftime of the Tigers game against Virgin Valley turned bedlam when McKeehan stepped to half-court and calmly tossed a two-handed, backwards heave that sailed smoothly through the rim.

It all started when Mountain Mike’s Pizza Hurricane franchisee Nic Lauritzen accepted an Instagram challenge from McKeehan.

McKeehan challenged that if he nailed the half-court backwards bomb, Mountain Mike’s would provide pizza for the Tigers student section before the game. And down it went on the first attempt.

Lauritzen ponied up 40 large pizzas for the Hurricane students before the boys game against Virgin Valley. The pie was still being served when McKeehan sank his miracle shot a second time Friday night, earning another round of Mountain Mike’s Pizza for the student section before the next home girls game.

See the attached video for McKeehan’s reaction.

Hurricane fans were equally delighted by the play of their Tigers, who overcame an eight-point deficit at halftime and rallied to beat their I-15 neighbors from Mesquite, Nevada 69-66.

“Fortunately we were able to get a few shots to fall,” first-year Hurricane head coach Adam Stout told St. George News. “Feels like they were all in and out. Then our guys finally started to rebound a little bit and that allowed us to sneak out the win.”

Hurricane senior Cayleb Jackman ignited for 26 points to lead the Tigers, most of them seemingly in the fourth quarter. He sank a 3-pointer, had one block and one steal and posted eight rebounds for the winners.

“He didn’t seem very locked in at the beginning but he turned it on when he needed to, and I could tell when he did,” Stout said about Jackman. “Had some energy to him. That was great, came in and obviously won the game for us.”

Other Tigers playing key roles in the victory were RJ Hurst (19 points including five 3-pointers), Houston Homer (eight points) and do-it-all point guard Quinn Gubler, who finished with seven points, a 3-pointer, three rebounds and three assists.

Off to a 3-4 start to the season, Hurricane next plays 3A Delta in the Tigers Den Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

“We got a long ways to go, but yeah, they feel like they can compete in every game,” Stout said. “Some things we got to get better at to make that happen.”