Opposing Player's Kindness Becomes High School Basketball "Play of the Year"

Aimee Herd : Feb 28, 2013
Steve Hartnan, Cavan Sieczkowski – CBS, Huffingtonpost.com

"I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated." -Jonathan Montanez

(El Paso, TX)—It was Coach Peter Morales' idea to have his team manager, Mitchell Marcus—a teenage special needs student of Coronado High School—suit up and play toward the end of the team's last game of the season.

But, the opportunity he gave Mitchell became something greater than he could've imagined. It opened the door for a display of true sportsmanship and generosity from an unexpected source—the team the Coronado Thunderbirds were playing against.

The gym was filled with Coronado fans and family members who cheered when Mitchell was brought into the game. They rooted for him loudly and sighed when he missed the two shots at making a basket he was given in the game.

But when the ball was handed to opposing team member Jonathon Montanez—a senior at Franklin High School—he called out Mitchell's name and tossed him the ball.

Cheered on by both teams and the crowd, Mitchell turned and took a shot . . .

Swish!

As the ball went through the hoop, the crowd went crazy and both teams surrounded Mitchell to congratulate him.

It was a moment that CBS News correspondent Steve Hartnan called "America at its best."

When asked why he gave Mitchell the ball, Jonathon explained, "I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated," he said. "I just thought Mitchell deserved his chance, deserved his opportunity."

The video of Mitchell's basket quickly went viral, watch it at the link provided.