Watch: Middletown basketball staff supervisor with Down syndrome scores first shot of senior night time sport – WCPO 9 Cincinnati

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MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Luke Atkinson instructed WCPO 9 that Tuesday night time was the “finest night time of [his] life.”
The Middletown Excessive Faculty senior has served as supervisor of the Middletown Excessive Faculty boys basketball staff for 4 years, and, together with the opposite three seniors and cheerleaders, was honored over the last house sport of the season.
It was organized between Middletown and Mason coaches to permit Atkinson, who has Down syndrome, to begin the sport, then rating the primary basket. After that, a Mason participant was allowed to attain with out being guarded.
It took Atkinson 5 photographs at shut vary, however with 7:34 left within the first quarter, he made a basket and the big crowd at Wade E. Miller Gymnasium gave him a standing ovation as he walked off the court docket.
Watch the scoring shot:
Late within the fourth quarter, with the Middies main 63-53, Coach Invoice Edwards Jr. put Atkinson again into the sport. He took 5 extra photographs — from 3-point vary — however all missed. He completed the sport one for 10 from the sector for 2 factors.
Atkinson, 19, was launched earlier than the sport, accompanied by his dad and mom, Mark and Jennifer, and older brother, Jake. After the sport, Edwards Jr. offered all seniors with framed jersey, together with Atkinson with a No. 10 jersey.
Atkinson flashed a smile and instructed the gang and his teammates that he “had enjoyable” with them through the sport. Edwards Jr. mentioned Atkinson shall be a “Middie for all times.”
Atkinson additionally had some followers within the crowd, together with the daddy of Memphis Grizzlies guard and Middletown native Luke Kennard, who went to Franklin Excessive Faculty.
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