Weatherford Autistic Student Hits Game-Winning Shot

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WEATHERFORD (CBSDFW.COM) -- A high school freshman in Weatherford is getting a lot of accolades from his classmates after proving he could be a valuable member of the basketball team.

15-year-old J.R. Wise scored the winning shot in Monday's game against Bowie High School of Arlington in the final minute of the game. And a lot of people were there to record it on their cell phones.

"I got one shot and two points and got 100" says Wise, who also scored a perfect 100 in the Physical Education class.

It was the last game of the season. The Weatherford Kangaroos were down 43 to 44 when Coach Ricky Beaty decided it was time to put Wise into the game.

J.R. Wise is autistic.

"I figured the last game of the season would be the best time for it so I kind of got in touch with the freshman coach for Arlington Bowie and made sure that he was okay letting that happen."

Bowie ninth grade boys basketball coach Nick Shaw was on board. "I told our guys that that moment was for that young man," says the coach. "I told them it would help them to grow as young men and as basketball players to give this young man an opportunity to do that."

Beaty says it was always his intention to put J.R. in the game to shoot from the free throw line, but it wasn't until Monday night that he decided when. With about one minute left to play, the Kangaroos were down 43 to 44. The coach gave the signal and starter Brett Blevins had already asked the coach to let him pass the ball to J.R.

"I've known J.R. since seventh grade and he's been kind of like a brother to me," says Blevins. "I don't know if he feels the same way, but I really like J.R." he adds.

Coach Beaty says many high school teenagers get a bad reputation, but this proves they have special hearts down deep. "I really knew Brett had a special place for J.R. in his heart because he just always takes care of him. That meant a lot to me that they care for J.R. like they do."

And there were text messages from Brett to his coach. One said "Today is the day JR becomes a man."

When J.R. lined up at the free throw line, no one charged him. The opponents let him take his shot. The whistle blew and J.R. made the shot on the first try. Cheers erupted, and J.R. got a few hugs from his teammates.

"Yeah, I was with friends," says J.R. today. And that includes friends who were on the opposing team.

Coach Shaw says of his team: "They were a little disappointed to lose, but they understood that it was more than about them winning."

J.R. doesn't speak out loud a lot. But his teachers say he is gifted in math. He can take complex double and triple digit numbers and multiply them in his head in seconds.

"What is 16 times 182?" asks instructor Tabatha Bleeker. In just a few seconds he answers "Equals 2,912." And this was repeated several times with random numerical equations.

School officials say J.R. also knows the name of every student on campus.

Now everybody in Weatherford, and beyond, knows his name and what J.R. Wise can accomplish.

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