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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Perfect score unfolds for Amador
12/10/2024 3:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
GCU walk-on guard notched memorable 1st Division I bucket
After the late-night basketball euphoria, Grand Canyon walk-on guard Jason Amador held up a white board in the Lopes locker room with "2" written on it.
Rarely has two points meant so much to so many, prompting a throwback reference to Wilt Chamberlain's "100" sign that he held for a historic photo after his 100-point game in 1962.
Amador's moment was built with the suspense of two prior opportunities slipping away. It was the anticipation of the Havocs, GCU's student section, starting chants calling for the headband-toting, long-haired fan favorite to enter the game with nearly 18 minutes remaining in the blowout win. It is the backstory of a basketball journey that began on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation and nearly ended when his previous college, Saint Katherine, closed in April during his final semester.
Amador found his opportunity for a graduate walk-on season at GCU, just as the chance to score found him when freshman guard Styles Phipps snatched a backcourt steal and fed Amador cutting to the basket for a layup that sent the Havocs into delirium Saturday night.
Facing an NAIA opponent, Amador had circled the Saturday night game on his calendar as a likely chance to play after previously logging one minute this season. With 10 friends and relatives making the three-hour trek from his hometown of Parker in western Arizona, Amador's chance at scoring his first Division I points looked to be slipping away when he missed a 3-point shot and two free throws.
"Hands were a little cold," Amador said. "A little anxiety set in. But I always had faith."
Amador credited GCU assistant coach Jermaine Kimbrough's "faith over fear" pregame chapel theme for sticking with him through those agonizing moments that led up to the joyous one, when Phipps' steal set up Amador's layup with 58 seconds remaining in the game.
"Thankfully for my best friend, Styles, who made an incredible steal to get the ball," Amador said. "As soon as I saw that, I took off downhill and got the layup. The whole crowd went crazy and getting the 100th point for Coach Drew's 100th win, I felt like everything lined up. That's the way it was supposed to go. It was truly incredible."
Just the opportunity to be at GCU as a graduate transfer is incredible for Amador, who first met GCU head coach Bryce Drew at a summer 2023 basketball camp and mentioned his desire to be a walk-on player in pursuit of a coaching career. When his final NAIA season ended in March, the Saint Katherine students in San Marcos, California, received an e-mail that the university was closing immediately.
Amador's diploma in kinesiology arrived in the mail two weeks later. In the interim, he already was seeking the next step and reached out to GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs to start the walk-on conversation. He participated in practices and helped with the scout team since the semester began.
With a 100-52 blowout of an NAIA opponent, Life Pacific, in progress, Drew walked to the end of the GCU bench with about four minutes to go as the Havcos' chants of "We want Jason" boomed louder.
"All right, Jason, you ready?" Drew asked.
"Yes sir," Amador said.
Upon entry, Amador immediately missed a 3-point shot. With 1:12 to go, he drew a foul on a drive but missed both free throws in an eerily quiet arena. Life Pacific secured the second miss, but Phipps sneaked behind the rebounder for the steal.
"When I saw Jason, he was already smiling, so I knew to pass it to him and he got it," Phipps said. "He's just a joyful person. He appreciates being here, just like everybody else does, but he definitely appreciates it a lot more."
It is the continuation of a memorable time for Amador, who was impacted by the Christian-based program to ask to be baptized last month. The entire team and staff attended when GCU assistant coach Casey Shaw baptized Amador at a campus pool before the Lopes left for a trip that resulted in beating Stanford.
Amador said his father had a dream three years ago about him making a shot like he did Saturday night in an arena environment like that. The way the crowd responded to Amador checking into the game already was something he said he would remember for the rest of his life. That memory was topped minutes later.
"The most simple shot in basketball got me the most incredible shot that I'll remember for the rest of my life," Amador said.
Read more about how Amador joined GCU here.
Rarely has two points meant so much to so many, prompting a throwback reference to Wilt Chamberlain's "100" sign that he held for a historic photo after his 100-point game in 1962.Amador's moment was built with the suspense of two prior opportunities slipping away. It was the anticipation of the Havocs, GCU's student section, starting chants calling for the headband-toting, long-haired fan favorite to enter the game with nearly 18 minutes remaining in the blowout win. It is the backstory of a basketball journey that began on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation and nearly ended when his previous college, Saint Katherine, closed in April during his final semester.
Amador found his opportunity for a graduate walk-on season at GCU, just as the chance to score found him when freshman guard Styles Phipps snatched a backcourt steal and fed Amador cutting to the basket for a layup that sent the Havocs into delirium Saturday night.
Facing an NAIA opponent, Amador had circled the Saturday night game on his calendar as a likely chance to play after previously logging one minute this season. With 10 friends and relatives making the three-hour trek from his hometown of Parker in western Arizona, Amador's chance at scoring his first Division I points looked to be slipping away when he missed a 3-point shot and two free throws.
"Hands were a little cold," Amador said. "A little anxiety set in. But I always had faith."
Amador credited GCU assistant coach Jermaine Kimbrough's "faith over fear" pregame chapel theme for sticking with him through those agonizing moments that led up to the joyous one, when Phipps' steal set up Amador's layup with 58 seconds remaining in the game."Thankfully for my best friend, Styles, who made an incredible steal to get the ball," Amador said. "As soon as I saw that, I took off downhill and got the layup. The whole crowd went crazy and getting the 100th point for Coach Drew's 100th win, I felt like everything lined up. That's the way it was supposed to go. It was truly incredible."
Just the opportunity to be at GCU as a graduate transfer is incredible for Amador, who first met GCU head coach Bryce Drew at a summer 2023 basketball camp and mentioned his desire to be a walk-on player in pursuit of a coaching career. When his final NAIA season ended in March, the Saint Katherine students in San Marcos, California, received an e-mail that the university was closing immediately.
Amador's diploma in kinesiology arrived in the mail two weeks later. In the interim, he already was seeking the next step and reached out to GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs to start the walk-on conversation. He participated in practices and helped with the scout team since the semester began.
With a 100-52 blowout of an NAIA opponent, Life Pacific, in progress, Drew walked to the end of the GCU bench with about four minutes to go as the Havcos' chants of "We want Jason" boomed louder.
"All right, Jason, you ready?" Drew asked.
"Yes sir," Amador said.
Upon entry, Amador immediately missed a 3-point shot. With 1:12 to go, he drew a foul on a drive but missed both free throws in an eerily quiet arena. Life Pacific secured the second miss, but Phipps sneaked behind the rebounder for the steal.
"When I saw Jason, he was already smiling, so I knew to pass it to him and he got it," Phipps said. "He's just a joyful person. He appreciates being here, just like everybody else does, but he definitely appreciates it a lot more."
It is the continuation of a memorable time for Amador, who was impacted by the Christian-based program to ask to be baptized last month. The entire team and staff attended when GCU assistant coach Casey Shaw baptized Amador at a campus pool before the Lopes left for a trip that resulted in beating Stanford.Amador said his father had a dream three years ago about him making a shot like he did Saturday night in an arena environment like that. The way the crowd responded to Amador checking into the game already was something he said he would remember for the rest of his life. That memory was topped minutes later.
"The most simple shot in basketball got me the most incredible shot that I'll remember for the rest of my life," Amador said.
Read more about how Amador joined GCU here.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballMidnight Madness 2025
Monday, October 06
Makaih Williams | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04