I asked point guard Ryan Kinard what happened in the huddle after York Suburban called a timeout with the score tied and 12 seconds left in Thursday's District 3 Class AAA championship game.
"We went over to the bench and Mitch goes: 'Just give me the ball, I'm going to hit the shot,'" Kinard said. "So I decided I was just going to give him the ball wherever he's at. He wasn't in the post, he came out for the 3 and I knew it was going in right when he released it. That's the kind of person he is. He wants the ball at the end of the game."
It's not the first time Kemp has hit a last-second shot to clinch a Suburban victory. I watched him sink one to beat York Catholic in a holiday tournament last season and I've read about a handful of others during his career. He said "the experience definitely helps" him.
"Being a four-year senior and playing varsity for four years, I wanted the opportunity to score," Kemp said. "It's just a great feeling."
So what sets Kemp apart? What are the characteristics that he possesses that makes him the kind of player you want taking that last shot?
Assistant coach Joe Hasenfuss, who was the head coach at Suburban for many years and won more than 500 games at the helm said it comes down to being fearless.
"It takes someone who has true confidence and has worked at it and knows that it's their responsibility and they are going to take it on," Hasenfuss said. "They're not afraid to try."
Kemp has at least one more chance to hit another game-winner for Suburban. The Trojans take on the third-place team from District 2 in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament on Friday.
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