Osman Lo is known as the “morale guy” on his high school basketball team. The 17-year-old Edmontonian lives with Down syndrome and this year he was asked to be the team manager for the Jasper Place High School Rebels.
Lo comes to practices and games, sits on the bench, makes notes and, of course, makes sure to tell everyone how awesome they are.
“I truly love them a lot,” he said.
“He picks everyone up constantly,” coach Matt Burrows said.
But Lo has his sights set on becoming a basketball player, and the team decided it was their turn to pick him up.
“He was very clear that yes, he would love to be a manager, but he would much rather be a player,” Burrows said.
“We were in a bit of a slump and he was pretty adamant that, ‘You let me go on and I can help us score.'”
Lo’s friend Cooper Tidball was recently out with an injury, so there was an extra player spot on the bench. The coach let Lo know he could play in the next game, wearing his buddy’s No. 9.
“He was so excited, he started doing push-ups. He was getting ready for the game,” Tidball said. “Every day he would call me and say, ‘Make sure to bring the uniform.'”
Soon it was game day, and Lo was ready. The Rebels were playing against the Holy Trinity Trojans at their school. It ended up being the last regular-season game, and the first game where fans were allowed in the gym.
“The gym has been pretty electric all night… it was packed,” Burrows recalled.
Near the end of the game, Lo’s time to shine came, and the moment was spectacular.
“My dad said, ‘Make sure you play hard,’ and my mom said, ‘I love you because you’re my darling,'” Lo said.
“I made two layups, and it was amazing.”
The moment stuck with not just Lo, but everyone who was there also.
“The second he stepped on the court, the energy level in the gym went to a whole other decibel, and the gym just started chanting ‘No. 9, No. 9,'” Burrows said.
“He shot the ball a couple times, and at one time, the Holy Trinity team got the ball and passed it back to Osman, just being very supportive of him, and the energy level kept rising and he got up nice and close and made a layup and the gym went bonkers.”
Burrows felt proud of his team. When the final buzzer went he said both teams cleared the benches and huddled around Lo.
“The whole crowd just started chanting ‘MVP,’ which is really cool because for us and our team, it’s like Osman’s thing, every game he highlights an MVP.”
“I think it’s a good morale booster for us, and the team and the other team seeing someone who doesn’t get that opportunity to experience it and to be so happy about it,” Tidball said.
“After the game Cooper said (to me): ‘You’re amazing (and) you’re cool too,'” Lo said.
Two days later, players at the other school were still feeling the positive vibes as well.
“It was just so surreal… (it) made it even more special when Osman came out and got some points,” Holy Trinity Trojans player Cody Petines said.
“I have seen it on Instagram before, but in real life, it’s just different.”
Elijah Samuel watched it all unfold from the bench.
“He was really good,” Samuel said.
“You could hear the whole crowd chanting for him — even our team was cheering for him to score.”
Burrows said he will never forget the moment. He said he hopes the people who witnessed it in person and anyone who sees it online will take a moment to feel good.
“Osman is a great kid,” Burrows said. “He got the opportunity to get on the court and experience something that he normally wouldn’t, and there were a couple hundred people there that made it a really special moment for him. And in doing so, it’s made a really special moment for thousands and thousands of people who have seen it.”
As for Lo, he plans to keep helping the team out and he hopes the team remembers he can help on and off the court.
“Everybody thinks I’m really good at basketball.”
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