University of Redlands alumni Kyle Sirowy (‘07) and Scott Wilkie (‘08) have spent the last 15 years volunteering as coaches for YMCA Redlands’ basketball team, Hoopshots; a team of athletes with special needs. For the final game of each season, athletes from the University of Redlands men’s basketball team compete against Hoopshots, often ending in a close call.
This year the Bulldogs were represented by senior Kyle Hamane; juniors Trevor Brown, Allen Quintero and Joey Sponheim, and freshmen Michael Hanna; Parker Landolf and Jacob Russell.
The two teams competed in an exhilarating game last Friday, but the Redlands Bulldogs were ultimately defeated with a final score, 39-37.
“It was a great experience [and] all the parents really enjoyed it,” shared Quintero. “One of the parents actually said they never thought they could beat a collegiate basketball team so that was good to hear.”
The taste of victory is no stranger to the Hoopshots league as they have won every final season game against the Bulldogs for the past 15 years, with the exception of one tie.
