Texas Tech’s Davide Moretti received this big surprise before his Sweet 16 game
Texas Tech’s blowout victory against Michigan, which secured back-to-back Elite Eight berths for the Red Raiders, saw a suffocating defense that forced the Wolverines into their lowest first half point total (16) in an NCAA Tournament game.
Michigan’s equally stout defense flustered the Red Raiders for most of the first half, before they began separating themselves namely through Big 12 player of the year Jarrett Culver’s play.
The team mentality, though, carried beyond the basketball court for one Red Raider.
Davide Moretti, a native of Bologna, Italy, received the biggest surprise of this March Madness when his parents and brother arrived to see him play against Michigan at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on Thursday.
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard set the surprise in motion Wednesday in the the team’s meeting when he asked Moretti to stand in front of the team to share who he was playing for.
“I’m playing for everybody in this room and for my family,” Moretti said in the video. “Oh my gosh.”
Moretti was surprised to see his mother and brother in the room.
The video went viral on social media, garnering more than 200,000 views on Twitter as of Friday.
Moretti put on a show for his family, nailing 5 of 7 shots, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, to finish with 15 points. He also had four assists in the 63-44 victory that sends Tech to the Elite Eight against West Region top seed Gonzaga on Saturday.
This story was originally published March 29, 2019 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Texas Tech’s Davide Moretti received this big surprise before his Sweet 16 game."
