Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and St. Thomas High School put aside their age old rivalry to co-host the first Challenger Basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 8.
Since Challenger Baseball hit the fields of the community in 2005 followed by Challenger Football and Cheer in 2006, interest in a Challenger Basketball league was communicated and because of these two varsity basketball teams, became a reality.
With a crowd of family and friends filling the bleachers and the Crusader in green and Eagles in red dribbling and shooting up and down the court with Challengers by their sides, “warm-ups” began.
The group paused for a few moments and the invocation was given by Father Favio Bravo, SJ and the National Anthem was sung by Stake Jesuit cheerleader Alex Vaio, a senior at St. Agnes Academy.
Tip off was at 11 a.m. Honorary coaches were Wayne Jones from Strake Jesuit and Danny Evans from St. Thomas.
With varsity basketball players towering over the Challengers, these special children learned to handle the ball and scored basket after basket. Sometimes on the shoulders of a 6’5” Crusader or Eagle, Challenger boys and girls flew through the air, dunking the ball for two points and hung from the rim.
The footwork and tricky ball handling of the point guards fascinated the Challengers as they ran with their own ball in hand down the court right behind them to attempt three pointers. One young Challenger, without assistance, swooshed the ball through the net from the three point line, time after time. The coaches watched and yelled, “sign him up!” and the boy smiled from ear to ear.
With megaphones and pom pons, spirited cheerleaders taught the little ones to shout, cheer, and shake courtside.
After the game, all of the participants enjoyed a hot dog lunch.
Next year’s game will be held at St. Thomas High School.
Facebook Comments