Coach Jim Johnson says that the final four minutes of his team's last home game were like a scene from a movie. With 10 seconds left in the game, the other team scored. Then Jason McElwain, a senior who had spent the season on the bench, shot the ball with four seconds to go. His basket helped cement a 79-43 victory. "The crowd just erupted," Johnson told TFK. "When the game ended, the students put him on their shoulders."
Jason, 17, is the manager of the varsity basketball team at Greece Athena High School, in Rochester, New York. At 5 foot 6 inches, Jason was too small to play, so he poured his love of the game into other tasks. He kept the statistics and led practice drills. "Basketball is one of the greatest sports in the world," Jason says.
As a reward for his dedication, Johnson put Jason in the game on February 15. Jason's parting shot was "the greatest moment I ever had" in 25 years as a coach, Johnson says.
In all, Jason scored 20 points. ESPN aired a story on him. Sports Illustrated magazine features him in its March 6 issue. Filmmakers have even talked to his parents about turning his story into a movie.
Jason has autism, a condition that affects social and com-munication skills. He did not begin speaking until he was 5. But basketball has helped him make friends.
His final game was a shining example of sportsmanship, friendship and courage. As he played, Jason's teammates passed him the ball time and again, and Jason delivered. "I ended my career on the right note," he says.