Mitchell Marcus, a special-needs student and senior at El Paso (Tex.) Coronado High, had his dreams come true when he not only got to dress out for the final basketball game of the regular season, but also hit the final shot for his team as the time expired thanks to a classy act of kindness from a rival team’s player.
Marcus has served as the manager for the boy’s basketball team, but was allowed to dress out on senior night for Coronado High’s final game of the regular season against rival El Paso (Tex.) Franklin High, and it was a game that will be remembered for a long time. Not for the final score or a monster dunk, but for a turnover. When Coronado High took a 10-point lead with 1:30 left in the game, Marcus’ number was called and he checked in. The crowd immediately rose to their feet and began cheering him on.
Marcus was given multiple chances to shoot, but missed several shots and it looked like his special night was going to end without him scoring. That was until Franklin High’s Jon Montanez inbounded the ball right to Marcus and directed him towards Coronado’s hoop, telling him, “shoot it. It’s your time.”
Without hesitation, Marcus took his final shot of the night and it went straight in. The clock expired as Marcus’ final two points helped Coronado earn a 55-40 victory over their rival. The crowd erupted and students rushed the court to congratulate Marcus. “Tears immediately came to my eyes, and it was just pure emotion,” Clement Marcus, Marcus’ father, told the Times. “I’ll take it to my grave. It was a community coming together. Forget the high school rivalry.”
A truly heartwarming moment and a very classy move by Montanez that Marcus and his family will remember forever.
Here is another look at Mitchell Marcus’ special shot.
[PepRally]
