Little Player In Galt Gets Big Chance On High School Basketball Court

GALT (CBS13) — He's the smallest player on the team, but he got the biggest chance of his young life on Friday.

The team manager of Liberty Ranch High School in Galt is a little person, but his size didn't stop him from making a big show.

Sammy Replogle is only four feet tall, but his attitude towers high above his size.

"He's a little ray of sunshine," said coach Aaron Wilkerson. "He brings the light to our team."

As team manager, Sammy keeps water bottles full and spirits high each and every game.

"He's a great individual. When you get to know him, he's really funny, really a great kid," Wilkerson said.

That part is easy for Sammy. But actually playing on the team, not so much, due to his dwarfism.

"It's pretty hard, because the basket, the hoop is 10 foot," Sammy said.

But on Friday, the team decided to make this young man's dream come true: To play on the court during a game with his guys.

"Everyone was yelling, 'We want Sammy!'"

The crowd was juiced and so was Sammy, even if it was slow going at first.

"I missed a couple of my first shots, but then I made it," he said.

Sammy's big moment was when he stole the ball and made a break for it down the court.

"When I had my steal, I was freaking out," he said. "Running up the court, I was like, 'Don't trip, don't trip.'"

Sammy didn't trip. He soared.

He did more than just score a few points that game. He got the chance to do something someone his size never thought would be possible, all thanks to his great attitude and his team's class act.

"I played on a high school basketball team and played in a game," he said. "I had four points and one steal."

There wasn't a jersey that fit Sammy, so the team got one that his mom sewed to fit him.