Video: Cancer Survivor Nick Herrmann Hits Buzzer-Beater to Win Division Title Game

Nick Herrmann never stopped dreaming of hitting a dramatic buzzer-beater even after he was diagnosed with cancer.

His dreams became a reality Saturday.

"I've dreamed of this moment my whole life," he said after hitting a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section championship. "Every day that I was in the hospital I dreamed of this very moment taking that very shot."

Joshua Doering of Sports Spectrum noted the shot improved Torrey Pines High School's record to 29-0 heading into the CIF Southern Section championships.

In January, John Maffei of the San Diego Union-Tribune profiled Herrmann, who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a cancerous tumor in his left leg, in September 2018. Herrmann initially thought the pain he felt was shin splints during a tournament in Las Vegas, but X-rays and an MRI revealed that he suffered a broken tibia because of a tumor on the bone.

He spent 70 days in the hospital, faced the possibility of losing his leg, underwent four surgeries and was told he would likely never play basketball again.

Herrmann also required a special orthotic designed for his left shoe as he dealt with nerve damage in his foot that prevented him from raising his limb for six months. He missed last basketball season and had a straight-leg cast that went from hip to toe.

Herrmann's mother Nicole was also diagnosed with cancer in January 2019. She eventually returned to work in October 2019 following 10 months of treatment for ovarian cancer.

After all that, Herrmann got to play the role of hero for his undefeated team.

Torrey Pines will be the No. 1 seed in the CIF Southern California Open Division championship tournament. Herrmann and his teammates will play in the regional semifinals on Thursday.