From Underdogs to Viral Sensations: The Journey of Two High Point Student Broadcasters
Jimmy Rosselli and Griffin Wright were determined to make it to the Big South tournament, no matter the cost. After calculating expenses for gas, food, and a budget-friendly Airbnb, they concluded that a three-day, two-night stay in Johnson City, Tennessee, would set them back $300 to $500 each—not exactly ideal.
Nevertheless, these High Point University student broadcasters couldn’t pass up the opportunity. At best, they might narrate a historic moment. At worst, the duo of 19-year-old Rosselli and his 21-year-old best friend, Wright, could create cherished memories and gather new highlights for their reels.
Little did they know the excitement that awaited them.
In a thrilling conference championship game during March Madness, High Point staged an incredible comeback, overcoming a 15-point deficit in the second half to defeat Winthrop 81-69 and secure their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
While the game was exhilarating, Rosselli and Wright’s commentary was described by Mid-Major Madness as an “absolute electric factory.”
Eyes wide, hearts pounding, and voices climbing, the pair experienced every emotion imaginable during the Panthers’ epic run, even clinging to each other courtside as their excitement peaked. In a viral clip that captures the essence of March Madness and student media, they introduced themselves to over a million viewers across TikTok, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
“For it to go viral is just the craziest thing that’s ever happened to us,” Rosselli exclaimed.
“We’re just two idiots who love sports, and we love doing it together,” Wright quipped. “It’s kind of like ‘Dumb and Dumber’ here, but we have a blast.”
Rosselli, a sophomore from Huntington, New York, and Wright, a junior from Richmond, Virginia, decided to record the championship game after noticing strong streaming numbers for their broadcasts of High Point’s earlier games.
Lacking a camera—a “college budget,” Rosselli quipped—they knew their phones couldn’t hold an hour of uninterrupted footage. So, they opted to go live on Instagram, allowing Rosselli’s friends and family to watch in real-time, while also archiving the footage.
When Wright made a playful TikTok the morning they got back to campus, showing their perspective of the game, he didn’t expect it to go viral.
“It was just meant as a fun piece for High Point alumni and maybe a few other people,” he said. “But it just caught fire.”
ESPN’s social media team, “The Mark Titus Show,” and other outlets caught on to Wright’s post, which perfectly captured the whirlwind the friends experienced during the match’s second-half surge.
“When the Panthers fell behind by 15, the video shows Rosselli and Wright grimacing, almost pained by the spectacle before them.”
Recently, Pettiford, the team’s third-leading scorer, recognized Wright as “the dude” from the video, which has High Point buzzing with excitement.