Moving onto the state championship game is a huge deal. Ames High School in Iowa watched the final seconds tick down with the outcome clear to everyone watching. 20 points ahead with 30 seconds to go they were going to play for the state title. Their opponent, Ankeny Centennial pulled their starters including senior captain Jaron Crews. Crews, Centennial’s best player, had a good night but it wasn’t enough. He headed to the sidelines, hugged his coach and burst into tears. This was Jaron’s last high school game. As the final buzzer went off Ames players ran onto the floor in celebration while Crews collapsed on the bench, head in hands. At that moment the sectional championship banner and trophy were both mere feet from the Ames team. They didn’t run to grab them though which you would think would be the next logical step. Instead one by one they walked over to Crews, knelt down and talked to him. “I’ve known him for awhile. He’s a great guy, one of my friends….I just wanted to go make sure he was okay and try to cheer him up a little bit,” said Ames junior guard Tamin Lipsey. 

Long after these guys are done playing it won’t be the trophy, banner or championship that will be remembered. It will be the compassion, the competitive comradery, and certainly the friendship. A reminder from these young men that life always goes beyond the scoreboard.