Basketballer’s heart-warming act of sportsmanship

It was the ultimate act of good sportsmanship that gave a young basketballer a highlight moment of his life and left the youngster's mother with tears of gratitude.

Mitchell Marcus is the manager for his high cchool basketball team but for the first time ever the youngster, who has a developmental disability, was told to suit up and hit the court during the closing stages of a season-ending game.

Playing against Franklin High School, his Coronado High teammates did all they could to set up Mitchell for a basket during the final 90 seconds of their clash.

But try as he might, each shot missed the mark and then, in what looked to be his final attempt, the ball was fumbled out of bounds.

However, just as all hope appeared lost with a rival player throwing in and the clock ticking down, Mitchell's opponent called his name, passed him the ball – and wham….the youngster nailed his shot.

The basket sparked wild scenes with the El Paso, Texas, crowd erupting in joy and mobbing Mitchell on court.

But more importantly, it gave the basketball-mad teenager a moment he and his mother, Amy will never forget.

"I think I'll cry about it for the rest of my life," Mrs Marcus said.