Dallas County High School basketball coach Willie Moore didn’t get to watch Thursday when former Hornets’ star William Lee led UAB past Iowa State for the first upset of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. 

Moore, who also serves as the school’s softball coach, was driving a school bus to Demopolis game for a key area showdown, but he was listening intently as assistant coaches gave him updates on how the UAB game was going.

When Lee made a jump shot to put UAB on top for good in the final minute, Moore celebrated the only way he knew how.

“I screamed and the kids thought something was wrong,” Moore said with a laugh.

“They thought I ran over a dog or something but I was just so happy for him that as a freshmen that UAB trusts him enough for him to make big plays and hit the big shot.”

Moore probably knows Lee’s game as well, if not better, than anyone considering he coached him well before the 6-foot-9 Blazers freshmen became a NCAA Tournament hero.

Just last year, Moore watched Lee hit a shot that reminded him of Thursday’s game deciding bucket in the 4A state championship game.

“He’s been clutch his whole career,” Moore said. “His freshman year he hits a bucket in a regional to send the game into overtime. He’s been a big game performer and he has a knack for making key plays.”

Among many others, Lee owns the Alabama High School Athletic Association record for blocked shots in a career.

He also owns the National Federation of High Schools record for blocked shots in a game with 26.

Throughout much of his career, Moore said critics thought Lee’s numbers were impossible and not realistic. He said nobody should be questioning them now.

“People questioned his stats on the rebounds and the blocks and him averaging a triple-double … and now all of that is being validated,” Moore said. “He’s putting up double-doubles against the cream of the crop of Division I.”

Moore will be among the thousands in attendance Saturday in Louisville, Ky. when UAB takes on UCLA for the right to move on to the Sweet 16. He planned to leave following Dallas County’s softball game against Demopolis Friday night.

Saturday’s game is at 11:10 a.m. on CBS.