Pete Brennan, who averaged a double-double during North Carolina’s 1957 championship season, died Friday after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 75.

In remembering the 6-foot-5 forward from Brooklyn, Caulton Tudor of The News & Observer wrote that he might have made the most important shot in ACC history:

Against Michigan State in the national semifinals, Carolina’s undefeated season seemed certain to end at 30-0. The Spartans led 58-56 with eight seconds left and had all-American “Jumpin’” Johnny Green at the free-throw with a one-and-one free-throw opportunity.

When Green missed his first attempt, Brennan grabbed the rebound, dribbled past half-court and hit a long jump shot that sent the game into the first of three overtime periods.

The Tar Heels eventually escaped 74-70.

Wrote Adam Lucas of TarHeelBlue:

Video of the play shows that Tom Kearns and Bob Cunningham were out ahead of Brennan, but his Brooklyn instincts took over. Both Brennan and his teammates laughed about the play when remembering it several years ago.

"I don't think there was anyone out in front with me," Brennan said with a shooter's smile. "So I just went down the court and took the shot from the right of the foul line."

"If we had been in a practice right then, Frank would have called timeout and chewed Pete out for taking a dumb shot," Cunningham said. "He would've told him to look for the men out in front of him and get the ball up the floor. But thank God Pete didn't follow that strategy. He probably should've gone deeper and tried to throw a bounce pass for a layup. But he pulls up and takes this jumper."

Cunningham passed away in 2006, Lucas added, and without Brennan, there remains only a trio of surviving members of the ‘57 starting lineup: Lennie Rosenbluth, Joe Quigg, and Kearns.

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