2 Arkansas boys basketball programs come together to make manager's dream come true

By Kyle Sutherland | Photo by Bubba McHenry

What was initially meant to be a thoughtful gesture on senior night for Lake Hamilton boys basketball team manager Andy Tolleson turned into a life-changing event that has now swept the country. 

Tolleson was given an opportunity to suit up for the Wolves to start Tuesday night against El Dorado and made the most of it by scoring 11 points, most notably hitting three shots from 3-point range that have now been seen by millions and featured on the Today show. 

The idea began on a road trip back home on Jan. 21 after the Wolves defeated El Dorado. Lake Hamilton coach Scotty Pennington was talking with a couple of the coaches on his staff, and it popped into his head that the next time they see El Dorado would be in Lake Hamilton on senior night. 

Pennington spoke up, “You know what would be cool?” he asked. “Since we only have four seniors, we should dress out Andy.” 

Tolleson has been the team manager for the past four years and basketball is his passion. It was his desire to be a part of the team as a player, but cerebral palsy has held him back from being able to fully develop his basketball skills. He was given the opportunity to try out last spring, and he did not make the team, but Pennington reiterated to him how big his role is in making sure the players have clean towels and plenty of water, and running the clock during practice.

After consensus approval from his coaching staff and players, Pennington took the idea to the school administration, and they were on board.

“I basically told them, this is not a publicity thing,” Pennington said. “This is about letting Andy get to do what he has always wanted.”

Lake Hamilton has been one of the hottest teams in Arkansas this season, climbing to as high as No. 6 at one point in the SBLive Arkansas power rankings, but fell victim to unfamiliar territory going 0-3 last week, snapping a 10-game win streak. Despite the losing streak, the plan was in place. 

“We never really thought about it, honestly,” Pennington said. “We were going to do this for Andy regardless. We were going to be the two or three seed either way [with a win or loss], not much difference.”

With the blessing from his higher-ups and approval from the rest of the team, this prompted Pennington to present the idea to his friendly coaching foe Jimmy Porter, the El Dorado head coach. 

Porter is a 2012 graduate of Lake Hamilton and played against Hot Springs in high school when Pennington was the head coach there. When Porter got into coaching, Pennington became one of his inner-circle confidantes as a mentor, and they have become great friends. 

“He reached out to me and explained how he had four seniors who will start and wanted Andy to be his fifth,” Porter said. “We worked out a deal where Andy gets the first shot, they give us a layup so it is 2-2, then we play the rest of the game.”

Pennington met with his team the night before the game to discuss senior night festivities. He named his seniors one-by-one before pausing and questioning if there was more that he could not remember. He turned around and looked at Tolleson to inform him that he would be the fifth senior starter, then handed him a jersey.

Though his team was on board with the plan, moments before tipoff Porter reminded his players to remember why El Dorado was taking part in this. 

“We talked to our kids about doing the right things regardless of the situation or the score and that you represent more than yourself,” Porter said. 

Tolleson appeared on the court with his team wearing the uniform he had desired for so long and participated in senior night activities followed by being introduced as one of the starting five. 

The game began as planned, Tolleson scored at the beginning of the game and El Dorado countered, then he went to the bench and the game resumed. Once he got there, Pennington mentioned to Tolleson if the Wolves had a favorable situation toward the end of the game that there might be an opportunity to get back on the floor.

El Dorado came out strong and led 20-16 at the end of the first quarter before Lake Hamilton got things going to make it 36-28 at halftime. The Wolves had a comfortable 67-55 lead with 3:06 left when one of their players took a charge and dislocated his hip. Due to the nature of the injury, an ambulance had to be called, which forced a game delay. 

Down 12 points, Porter asked Pennington if they should go ahead and call the game. After some discussion, Pennington mentioned his intentions to get Tolleson in the game if they were able to pull away more. The game resumed and El Dorado played stifling defense, causing three turnovers in a row, but was not able to get any offense going.

Porter then watched Lake Hamilton score on three straight possessions, stretching the lead even further. He knew then it was time to execute the plan as he looked over at Lake Hamilton’s bench. 

“Scotty!” he said. Pennington looked back at him and agreed.

Andy’s name was then called, and Pennington said it was just spontaneous from there. As Tolleson was about to take the floor, Pennington gave him some additional instructions.

“I reminded him that he had never played defense,” Pennington said. “I told him we were in man, so you get the ‘2’. He hits the first shot and he’s running around celebrating while I’m asking him where the ‘2’ is.”

Tolleson hit two more shots from three-point range, each time his teammates and the crowd cheering him on while El Dorado was doing the same. 

“He hit that one, and he was just on fire,” Pennington said.

His final shot bounced a few feet off the back of the rim, then off the top of the backboard, then through the net as time expired and both teams cleared their benches to mob Tolleson at half-court. The crowd went into a frenzy. 

The celebrations did not stop there as both teams formed a circle around half-court for a prayer, and also took pictures with Tolleson to capture the moments they will all remember forever. 

“None of this was planned,” Pennington said. “It was a God thing, and He made a special moment out of someone like Andy.”

“I could win five state championships, and I do not think anything could ever top that night,” Pennington said. “Things tend to get a little rough in the world and people really enjoy seeing a feel-good story like this in the news.”

For Porter, a loss was the last thing he was concerned about. His team put themselves aside and played a major role in making a lasting memory for a young man who has poured so much into basketball, just as the other players have. 

“Our guys showed extreme class,” Porter said. “Regardless of your background, your skin color, or whatever it is, it is about coming together for people and doing the right thing.”