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The story made national headlines and warmed hearts around the country. Jason McElwain, a 17-year-old senior student manager with autism who had never played in a varsity game, scored 20 points in the final four minutes of Greece Athena High School’s victory over Spencerport High. The images of Jason sinking shot after shot were broadcast on network news across the nation and featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter. But there were two teams on the court that night – and Greece Athena and Spencerport showed everyone what is important about sports and the meaning of sportsmanship. The story actually began one month before the game and featured the team’s coaches – Jim Johnson of Greece Athena and Joshua Harter of Spencerport. Johnson called Harter to ask about allowing Jason to suit up and play during the school’s senior night. Harter agreed and shared the news with his team, who were more than receptive to the idea. Harter asked his team to “respect Jason and his moment” – and the team did just that. “I think it was awesome the way his kids embraced it with such dignity and class that night,” Johnson told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “They didn’t allow it to become a situation where we were making a mockery of the game. They forced Jason to make long shots. My hats off to all of them for realizing the uniqueness of the moment.” Harter said it was “a game we will never forget. Our players truly embraced the moment.”
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