{"id":217343,"date":"2020-01-28T12:32:45","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T18:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=217343"},"modified":"2020-01-28T00:00:59","modified_gmt":"2020-01-28T06:00:59","slug":"varsity-basketball-down-syndrome-three-pointers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/varsity-basketball-down-syndrome-three-pointers\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Varsity basketball player with Down syndrome sinks two three-pointers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For Mason Doherty, a senior and a member of the varsity basketball team at St. Peter’s High School in Minnesota, three-pointers are his favorite part of the game. He sinks them all the time — and the fact that he has Down syndrome also has made him a beloved member of both the team, and the community.<\/p>\n

Last month, Doherty and his teammates faced off against Hawley High School for the Carnal Classic<\/a>, a tournament set up to honor former coach Steve Carnal. Each participating team featured coaches who had previously been coached by Carnal. And Doherty is known for his three-pointers — so much so, that the crowd goes wild every time he steps onto the court.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what he does. He shoots the threes, but he\u2019s always shot the threes,\u201d his mother, Laura Doherty, told WCCO. “It\u2019s overwhelming sometimes to see the support, and everybody rallies for him.”<\/p>\n

Doherty was placed on varsity at the beginning of the year, but his coach and fellow teammates all agreed he would play during each game, too. “It\u2019s a great experience for every single one of these players on our team,\u201d Josh Johnson, one of his teammates, said to WCCO.<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Mother starts bakeshop to showcase capabilities of daughter with Down syndrome<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

During the Carnal Classic, Doherty came into the game late, but quickly sank two three-pointers, back to back — and everyone in the gym went wild. \u201cIt brings a tear to our eyes every single time you see his teammates flying off the bench. The other team is flying off the bench, and everyone in the stands is on their feet,\u201d Doherty’s dad, Darin Doherty, told WCCO.<\/p>\n

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And then…he did it again! pic.twitter.com\/1Fkl3RVeRD<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kevin Kochmann (@KevinKochmann) December 28, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n