UT players relish Hoops for Hope

The vision of Farragut Boy Scout Trey Sexton continued to make dreams come true for parents and children of the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.

More than 60 children associated with the group participated in the second annual Hoops for Hope basketball tournament Saturday morning, running up and down the court and playing beside members of the UT men's and women's basketball teams at Farragut High School.

"Just the fact that Coach (Bruce) Pearl and the men's and women's players took the time out to support our kids, we just can't ask for any more,'' said Johnson City's David Bellamy, whose 13-year-old daughter, Andrea, participated. "Coach Pearl takes his time with all of our players, and you see there's a whole 'nother side to the Tennessee players.''

Sexton was 14 years old when he came up with the Eagle Scout project while attending a UT men's basketball game with his father two years ago.

"It was halftime, and me and my dad saw some disabled kids come out and play basketball,'' said Sexton, a junior at Farragut who plays on the basketball team. "I told my dad, 'I want to do something like this, only I want the UT players on the court with the kids.' "

Sexton called UT director of men's basketball operations Ken Johnson, and Johnson invited him in for a meeting. Five minutes into the meeting, Johnson called Pearl into the conference.

The idea for the event sparked Pearl's interest, and the women's team joined in with the first Hoops for Hope taking place in August of 2008.

"This is one of the greatest things I've been associated with,'' said Farragut boys' basketball coach Donald Dodgen, whose wife, Mary Ann, is a special education teacher. "Anyone who spends some time around this event will be hooked.''

Knoxville's Kurt Anderson said his 16-year-old son, Preston, certainly is.

"Preston had an absolute blast,'' said Anderson, whose son attends Bearden High School. "It's great for him to get out at an event with other kids with Down Syndrome and be on a stage like this with all of these famous players.

"It's an awareness thing; these kids love life, and their circumstances don't matter. We all need to be more like them in that sense.''

Preston Anderson said: "I just like the running!''

UT senior point guard Bobby Maze said he has looked forward to running and shooting with the children since attending last year's inaugural event.

"Last year was the first time I'd been around and been involved in an event like this,'' Maze said. "It's a blessing to have these kids tell me they love me and hear their parents say this is something they'll remember for the rest of their lives.

"To be able to have that kind of impact means a lot to me.''

Maze and the other men's and women's players meant a lot to 13-year-old Andrea Bellamy, too.

"I'm having fun,'' Andrea Bellamy said, sitting beside Maze during a break. "My mom and dad are taking pictures. . . . and I'll get birthday cake with chocolate icing on it.''

The birthday cake was part of a celebration for one of Bellamy's friends Saturday, but the presence of the UT basketball teams was a present for everyone.

Pearl grabbed the microphone and led the cheers to start the event, and before the day was over sophomore rapper Renaldo Woolridge was performing songs in front of the half-full gym.

"Just look at the kids,'' Pearl said with a sweep of his hand. "The young kids, and our kids, they are all having a blast.''

Camp Koinonia: Pearl worked with challenged youngsters even before taking on the Hoops for Hopes program. Pearl has been a spokesman and fundraiser for Camp Koinonia, a residential camping program that enhances the lives of disabled children.

Pearl will be at Camp Koinonia's fund-raising golf tournament which begins at 10 a.m. Monday at Gettysvue Country Club. Four-person team spots are still available. The cost is $2,500 per team with the money going to help fund the children who attend the week-long event each April.