Shaquille O'Neal Sends Surprise Message, Celebrates Oliver Ames Girls Basketball Championship
EASTON (CBS) - When the Oliver Ames girls basketball team took the court on Saturday in the Division 2 State Championship Game vs. Norwood, they knew the stakes were high. What they didn't expect was a surprise cellphone video text from NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal.
In the video Shaq encourages the girls to go all the way. "To the Oliver Ames girls basketball team, you made it to the state finals, but we are not done," Shaq smiled. "You know what you gotta do. The task is not done. Let's get it done."
Senior guard and captain Hailey Bourne could not believe it! "From Shaq it was crazy. Everyone was going crazy. I immediately sent it to my family. They thought it was fake, they thought it was a Cameo," Bourne said. "I said no it's real. He knows who we are."
Starting guard and captain Caroline Pepper says she will keep it on her phone forever. "He knew that we could do it," Pepper said. "We just needed everyone else to believe in it too and I think that because he said it everyone on the team knew."
Head coach Laney Clement-Holbrook has been coaching for 46 years and says it was the best pep talk ever. "The first words were Oliver Ames basketball you are playing for the championship. And I was like this is Shaq how did he get involved?" coach said.
In the video Shaq calls out senior shooting guard Sophia Krinsky whose dad works for Reebok and knows the former NBA All-Star.
"He was saying good luck to our team and for the state championship," Krinsky said. "It meant a lot because my dad is my best friend, so he'll do anything to make me happy and he knows I love basketball and I love Shaq."
Needless to say, Shaq's inspiring message paid off. The Tigers went on to win the championship game, which was also followed up by a post-game video by Shaq singing "We are the Champions."
"It really shows how special he is and how funny he is," Bourne said.
It's been 12 years since these girls have won a championship. Seven of the seniors are now graduating and moving on so they are glad to go out on top. And the message they got from Shaq will last a lifetime.
"I will cherish it forever," Krinsky said. "Because honestly I think that's one of the key elements, was that video that really brought us together."
