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GARLAND COUNTY, Arkansas — Senior night for the Lake Hamilton basketball team will go down as one of the most meaningful games the high school has ever seen. Not because of the final score, but because of one of the seniors.
Andy Tolleson, who has special needs, has been a team manager for four years. It's a job that he's always taken seriously, and his mom told KNWA News that he's "so dedicated to the team."
Head coach Scotty Pennington decided that senior night was the perfect time to have Andy swap his manager role for a jersey. Despite some understandable nervousness, the newest player on the Lake Hamilton team knocked down a trio of three-pointers.
This video from ESPN highlights the end of the game:
I love how both teams worked together to set Andy up for success. And you've got to give him credit — that first shot was as smooth as butter.
My favorite part of the video comes in the final moments as both teams surround Andy in celebration. It's understandable that the Lake Hamilton team is also invested in him, having known him for so long and grown to love him, but the opposing players look equally thrilled by the outcome.
Andy's mom summed it up perfectly: "It makes you want to cry, to see your boy be treated in such a loving way."
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