JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Local national champion youth wheelchair basketball players gave Jacksonville University men’s basketball players a little lesson on Monday.
There was big applause and big smiles as the team of young national champions wheeled their way in.
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The Jacksonville University men’s basketball team hosted a reception for the Brooks Bullsharks, a local youth wheelchair basketball team.
“It’s important for our guys to understand that ya know, there are champions of all different types of forms. All different types of styles,” said JU head coach Jordan Mincy.
And then a scrimmage, a chance for the young players to really show the JU team how it’s done, on wheels.
“These guys are so talented. And the way they are able to maneuver I can see why they won the national tournament,” Mincy said.
“As a coach I was confident. I was nervous for them but I was confident. They put in a lotta work on the offseason practicing three days a week,” said Bullsharks coach Matt Sechrist.
Sechrist says the team took the national youth wheelchair basketball championship in Wichita and the junior varsity team went 4-0 to take first.
“I’m just super proud of them and as a coach. That’s what we’re always hoping for to be number one,” he said.
And now, for his young team to be given such respect from the JU players is another enormous win.
“To have this older group of guys to be kind of mentors and to congratulate them and to really just admire them for, it means the world to me because it means the world to the kids,” Mincy said. “They love it You know we talk about being true to the community and for us these guys being able to invest in our youth, that’s one of the most important skills in our program beyond just basketball, there’s more to life.”