Good NewsOn his 18th birthday, four-foot-tall student scores for his basketball team
It's being called the "feel-good moment of the season."
Seth Kraft has been the student-manager and student-coach for his school's boys basketball team for the past four years.
And while Kraft loves the game and has a few great moves on the court, the Montana teen was never given the opportunity to show off his skills during a game.
The reason: Kraft stands just over four feet tall.
"That is kind of generous," Laurel High School Locamotives' coach Pat Hansen joked to the Billings Gazette before Saturday's game against Billings Senior. "He's 4-1 with a ladder, maybe."
To celebrate Kraft's 18th birthday — and to thank him for his years of dedication to the team — Hansen decided to give the high-school senior the chance to play.
"He puts in incredible effort, as much time as all the players," Hansen said. "He has incredible knowledge of the game. We listed him this year as a student coach."
"He doesn’t do water and towels. He’s part of the team. It’s an opportunity he more than deserves," he added.
On Saturday night, Kraft helped lead his teammates to the floor, breaking through a sign that read: "Seth you never fell short of being amazing."
The first-time player took full advantage of his time on the court — and scored "the most epic basket in school history."
His team won the game.
Before the game, Kraft admitted he'd be happy with an assist or two.
"I will steal the ball if I have the chance," he told the Billings Gazette earlier that day. "I'm not going to take it easy on them. It'll be great if I score, but it's OK if I don’t. I’ll be successful tonight if I make an impact, even a small one."
Kraft's parents, Brad and Lori, cheered on their son at the game.
"It's a big night for him," Lori said, shortly before tipoff. "It's a big night for mom and dad, too."
"You talk about players who are going to be hard to replace," Hansen said. "A kid like Seth, it's difficult to describe how important he is to the team — and to me and the program."
