Dozens gather to watch Gary player in NCAA Final Four
GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- Dozens of people flocked to a Gary, Indiana, school gymnasium to watch hometown player Johnell Davis hit the hardwood with his Florida Atlantic Owls Saturday.
Hopes for the hometown hero were dashed in the last second, but Sara Machi sat down with fans who say this is already inspiring the kids coming up behind him.
Davis was once a regular on the hardwood at Gary's 21st Century Charter School, and fans packed the gynamisum again, this time to watch him on a national stage.
"He's a homeboy; he's from Gary, Indiana."
In the crowd were young students coming up through the same program, fans of the player they know as Nelly.
Davis' former teachers joined the stands.
"I would have rather been in Houston, but I guess this is the second best thing," said math teacher Josephine Jones.
Jones said this success story has got the attention of current students.
"They have been really excited. That is all they have been talking about at school," she said.
"It's been a big talk at school. Everybody is hyped," said student Tyler Wilson.
It's an inspiration for some who have played with Davis in the past.
"I play basketball with him a couple of times and it was a dream come true because I've never played basketball with somebody that was on TV and stuff, so he's like my actual hero and fan.," said Noah Johnson.
And it's a point of pride for local leaders.
"For the city it's certainly a bright spot," said Mayor Jerome Prince.
As the clock counted down and the margin between the two teams narrowed, the energy shifted. It came down to the wire with dreams of a championship game dashed, at least until next year.
Staff members say Davis has come back to the school to lead basketball camps for the kids. Saturday night, even from a thousand miles away, it was a lesson in perseverance and dedication up until the last second.
