'March is for the dreamers': Alvaro Folgueiras on his mom, Iowa
Alvaro Folgueiras hit the shot of his life and was lucky enough to have his mother in attendance. He spoke on what it meant and her resiliency.
Alvaro Folgueiras hit arguably the greatest shot in the history of Iowa Hawkeyes basketball last night during their stunning upset of the No. 1-seeded Florida Gators. As the clock dwindled under five seconds left in the game, with Iowa trailing by two, Folgueiras received a bounce pass from Bennett Stirtz, took a step behind the three-point line, and released a game-winning shot that will live on in Iowa lore forever.
The shot by itself is one of the most special moments in the history of Iowa athletics, but Folgueiras' specific circumstances have added an entirely new layer to what this moment means. Folgueiras, a native of Spain, points to the sky after each basket he makes in honor of his father, who passed when he was nine. With that, his mother is incredibly special to him and was in attendance for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
This year's NCAA Tournament is just the second time she has been to the United States to see him play, and the first time his mother has seen him play for Iowa. After the win last night, Alvaro Folgueiras spoke about what she means to him and how she has been so strong and resilient for him growing up. "Sometimes when I struggle through basketball, I think of my mom as an example of resilience, and that really inspires me and gives me confidence.
Because she's not just a fighter, she's a super special person. I'm so lucky to have her as a mom," Alvaro Folgueiras said. Alvaro after last night's win: "Sometimes when I struggle through basketball, I think of my mom as an example of resilience, and that really inspires me and gives me confidence.