High school manager with cerebral palsy joins team on court

GRAND LEDGE, Mich. (AP) — Two Michigan high school basketball teams set rivalries aside so a team manager with cerebral palsy could fulfill his dream of playing.

The Lansing State Journal reports that Grand Ledge senior Michael Bryant took to the court Friday after spending two seasons on the sidelines as the team’s student manager.

Though it was the team’s last regular season game against rival Holt, Grand Ledge coach Scott Lewis challenged his players to get ahead so Bryant could comfortably have the chance to play.

Lewis says everyone in the gym, even the rival team, cheered as Bryant landed two 3-pointers late in the game.

Lewis says Holt coach Darren Zwick encouraged his players to give Bryant the chance to shoot, and that “it’s hard for us to be rivals with Holt after that.”