This Desert Oasis basketball player gives us a reason to cheer

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Ron Chan is easily spotted walking the hallways at Desert Oasis High School. Just look for the kid wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey.

Chan is so enamored with Bryant, that all he could talk about Thursday was how the legendary Los Angeles Laker scored his 30,000th career point this season, and not how he made his first points for the Diamondbacks basketball team.

Late in the fourth quarter of a blowout win against Bonanza, the senior guard Chan was inserted into the game. Teammates hurried the ball up court to Chan, who had a clear pathway to the basket. He made an uncontested layup to send teammates on the bench into a frenzied cheer.

Chan has autism, but hasn’t let the challenges interfere with his passion for basketball — first for Kobe Bryant, of course, and then Desert Oasis. After three years of being the Desert Oasis varsity team manager, he earned a roster spot this season and has dressed for two games.

He played earlier in the season against Eldorado, but didn’t score. Against Bonanza, thanks to coordinating with Bengals coach Dan Savage to allow Chan to score, he made both of his field goal attempts.

It is yet another example of why high school sports are a valuable part of any community — and how that community in Las Vegas, despite our 2 million or so residents, is close-knit.

“That’s a class act,” Desert Oasis coach Ryan Fretz said of the Bonanza program. “They taught the whole world a lesson by letting our kid live out his dream.”

Chan showed up for preseason practices as a freshman wearing his Bryant jersey and willing to do anything to be part of the program. He’s been the team manager ever since, which on some days includes running sprints with the players. Chan, more times than not, leads the races.

“That lets the other boys know there is no quit,” Fretz said. “When Ron is out there running with us, you have no excuses. He’s an inspiration.”

Last season, players combined to purchase a Kobe Bryant jersey for Chan and presented it to him during their end-of-the-year banquet. Chan rarely takes the jersey off.

Desert Oasis, a program in its eighth year of existence, has won seven straight games and is slowly becoming more competitive. Having a player such as Chan as part of the team helps create the family atmosphere Fretz desires. In some ways, he’s their most valuable player, he said.

Chan’s second basket came at the buzzer to cap a 72-48 victory. His teammates stormed the court to congratulate him, creating a moment Chan and his family won’t soon forget. Jonah Chan, his mother, was so excited about her son’s accomplishment that she couldn’t sleep.

“I was surprised. Extremely overwhelmed,” she said.

Video of Chan’s points quickly made its way through social media. It was picked up nationally by ABC and locally on the FOX affiliate, Fretz said.

Officials hope the attention is enough to catch the eye of someone with the Lakers to coordinate a meeting with Chan and Bryant. They are using #getkobe4ron on Twitter.

“He is the best. Legend,” Chan said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21