Cameron Boozer faces March Madness hero whose dad intercepted Peyton Manning in NFL Playoff shutout

Mar 27, 2026 - 17:30

Dylan Darling sent potential No. 1 pick Darryn Peterson home from March Madness.

The St John’s star hit a game-winning layup as time expired in a 67-65 triumph over No. 4 seed Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Second Round on Sunday.

Darling’s layup at the death was a thing of beauty

Darling fired the Red Storm into a Sweet 16 clash with first-seed Duke on Friday and out himself in the national spotlight.

It is the first time St John’s has made this stage since 1999 and the guard was the hero as he called his own name with 3.9 seconds remaining in a tie game and drove to the hoop.

It turns out clutch performances run in the family as the redshirt junior’s dad James once picked off Peyton Manning in a playoff game.

James spent 10 years in the NFL as a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.

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He played college ball at Washington State and was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection, as well as being named a second-team All-American selection by The Sporting News in his senior season.

The Eagles swooped in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft, but Darling’s best season came with the Cardinals in 2004, where he recorded 93 total tackles (75 solo, 18 assists), two forced fumbles, a sack, and an interception.

He finished with career with finished with 398 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, six interceptions, and four forced fumbles.

One of those picks came in the 2002 AFC Wild Card.

Up 41-0 in the final minutes, the Jets were trying to secure a shutout but Peyton Manning drove down the field for the Indianapolis Colts and reached the 20.

Manning threw for a touchdown but Darling came up with the ball and New York saw the game out.

He is now firmly in his son’s corner as he looks for NCAA Tournament glory

Unfortunately, Gang Green lost 30-10 to the Oakland Raiders team that ended up falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.

Now it is Dylan going for glory after the Johnnies reached 30 wins for the second straight year and the fourth time in the program’s 118-year history.

Darling Jr. went just 1-of-5 shooting and his only two points of the night came to clinch victory and show why his nickname is Church Bells

“Here’s the amazing thing and it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever been involved with. So we’re going to run a play — but they’ve got fouls to give,” head coach Rick Pitino said via Yahoo Sports. “And Bells comes up to me and says, ‘Run power’ which is a high back-screen pick and roll.

“So I walk away and I say, ‘OK, power.’ I walk away and said, ‘Wait a second, he hasn’t scored a bucket and he wants to run a play for himself.’ And I’m thinking as I’m walking, ‘But he’s Bells.’

“And not only did he do it, but he went with his right hand. So real proud of him. Because to want the ball when you haven’t made a shot is unbelievable.”

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The moniker comes from Pitino saying he “has balls as big as church bells” after Darling scored five points in the final minute and a half of a win.

Peterson had a game-high 21 points but the Jayhawks’ 16 turnovers proved costly and the future superstar will now turn his attention to the NBA Draft.

Up next is Duke and another phenom in Cameron Boozer who is considered one of the three blue-chip prospects alongside Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.

He is also the last one standing after BYU’s First Round loss.

Church Bells is looking to claim another huge scalp

Pitino compared him to NBA great Charles Barkley.

“Well what they’re doing is they are playing him a lot at the point guard,” Pitino said. “And they have the guard set a screen, trying to cause a switch.

“Then you are stuck with a one or a two, trying to defend him. And that’s not easy to do. Picture Charles Barkley coming down the lane on you.”

Pitino may need more magic from Darling, who has proved he is ready to come alive just when the final bell is about to sound.

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