Shorecrest School

Varsity Boys Basketball Commended for Exemplary Sportsmanship

Athletics


Flashback to Friday, January 22, and Charger fans may recall a Varsity Boys Basketball 93-63 win over Northside Christian. Big wins are not uncommon for Charger basketball. The team went 19-9 for the season, winning the Bay Conference Championship for the 5th year in a row, and was runner-up in the district. But the team’s performance in the Northside Christian game earned the boys not only a win, but also an Exemplary Sportsmanship Report from the Florida High School Athletic Association.

Among the opponents on the Northside Christian team was Davis Pardee, an eleventh grade guard who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. Late in the fourth quarter of the game, Davis got the ball.

“The ball is taken out under Northside’s basket by Shorecrest player #5 Colin H with 17 seconds left on the running clock,” writes game official Mike Buckingham, who filed the sportsmanship report. “What you don’t hear is Daryl, the Head Coach at Shorecrest and his assistant Allen Williams yelling out to the players, ‘Give him the ball!’ That’s when #5 Colin H gives the ball to Davis on the inbound pass. That was way beyond exceptional sportsmanship. Priceless!”

As Davis’ first few attempts miss the basket, the Shorecrest defense allows Northside to get the rebounds back to Davis until his last shot goes in, just before the buzzer.

Referencing a video of the game, Buckingham continues, “They are not celebrating a 30-point win 93-63. They are celebrating Davis’ scoring the basket.”

In a letter addressed to Shorecrest Athletic Director Jeff Raab, Jamie Rohrer, FHSAA Assistant Executive Director says, “I’d like to congratulate you and your program for being recipients of this fantastic sportsmanship report. Your dedication and commitment to sportsmanship shines through your student-athletes.”

 






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