LANSDOWNE, Md. — One of the country’s best basketball teams was in action in Halethorpe Friday night.
The Maryland Ravens Wheelchair Basketball team took on an AAU team and their coaches and parents in an exhibition game.
Larry Toler's been flying with the Maryland Ravens since he was 17.
Polio changed his life when he was 17 months old.
“Sometimes challenges really develop good people,” said Toler.
His shot hasn’t missed a beat, but he'll tell you the young guys keep him moving.
“Their competitive, their very strong,” Toler said. “All I can give is my wisdom because I can’t keep up with them no more. They mean more to me probably than I mean to them.”
Ryan Henderson— an engineer who got injured 12-years-ago on a motorcycle.
He now competes with the ravens and as an adaptive motor cross racer.
“When we come out here and we get to the play with the kids and each other and people are spectating it changes everything right,” said Henderson. “We’re out here just to have fun.”
One dribble for every two pushes. A 9-year-old girls AAU team and there parents and coaches were given 55 points as a head start against an elite wheelchair basketball team.
“There’s more important things than just the game, winning and losing. To see athletes like this that can just endure and compete. It’s a good lesson when their up against it and feel like quitting and see what they’ve accomplished,” said Timothy Burke, AAU Coach.
The game was a close up look at determination and grit.
“They want to complain about running they have a little more appreciation because they have to work harder so I think it’s good,” said Shannon Kaiser, Coach.
It was a moment of looking beyond disability and cheering for their abilities.
“When we play competitively it gives us an opportunity to travel and compete against other teams that are as good or possibly better than we are,” said Ravens President.
The Ravens gave their opponents a 55-point lead start. Final score, 82-80. The Ravens came back to win.
