Doing their best and putting their best foot forward has always been the main goal for Elijah and Ezekiel Norris. Winning the Boys & Girls Clubs Jr. Suns championship game in overtime, 29-28, was a dream come true for these brothers. The players on the team received a championship ring, necklace and t-shirt.

The Norris brothers played with the Jr. Suns on July 27 at the PHX Arena in downtown Phoenix. The brothers play in the Fountain Hills Boys & Girls Club basketball league. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale partners with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns basketball team to host the Jr. Suns program. The program helps young players learn teamwork and develop their basketball skills along with community involvement. 

The brothers started playing basketball at the young age of four. They are now 13. They started off their journeys with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Recreational Services’ Friendship Youth Sports Leagues (FYSL).

Leading up to the Jr. Suns championship, the Norris brothers practiced once a week for two hours. The boys did a lot of running during their training to help prepare them for the big game. They also participated in different practice drills. Their team was led to victory by their amazing coach and teammates. 

The Norris brothers’ mom, Elisa Norris, said, “We are finally seeing their growth. They’re actually really enjoying it, and they’re playing really good. As long as they’re playing a sport, I am here for them.”

Elijah Norris played a good game, but at one point he felt like he was falling behind. Elijah was able to get back in the game and go for rebounds and assists. During the second half, the team was losing until the fourth quarter, when the score got closer. 

The pressure was high for Elijah, but he was able to easily let it go. “If I did something or scored, I would feel good about myself and pressure would just leave my body,” said Elijah. He loved the rush and said, “I gotta do more plays like that.” 

Elijah was moved from shooting guard to point guard. It was a challenge at first, but he quickly adjusted and was ready to get back in the game. 

“When my coach told me I was going to be point guard, I [thought] I don’t know if I could do that. But then when I got into the game, and I saw how I could play and play-make like that, I grew confidence in myself,” said Elijah. 

For the team to win the game was a big accomplishment. “We just jumped at each other, [and] we just started yelling and we were just so happy that we won,” said Elijah. 

Elijah plans to “play in high school of course, get a scholarship for basketball, and just make it to the NBA maybe. And if I don’t make it to the NBA, I’ll coach.” He shared some advice for other young athletes: “Just keep going, practice a lot more, run.”

His brother Ezekiel also had a solid game. “I got lay-ups and rebounds,” said Ezekiel. For the game Ezekiel moved to shooting guard, and much like his brother, this change in position was a big adjustment for him. “[My coach] told me I’m going to be a shooting guard, and I had no faith in myself until I did [have faith],” said Ezekiel. He said he had a lot of fun. “Getting a bunch of rebounds,” was his favorite part, Ezekiel said. 

When the pressure got high for Ezekiel toward the end of the game, he remembered what his coach told him: “Stay focused on the ball.” During the heat of the moment, “the other team was saying stuff to us and the refs,” said Ezekiel. But it was easy for him to block out the hate from the other team and stay focused. “It’s really easy, ’cause basketball is fun. [My coach] said just have fun out there,” said Ezekiel. 

During his time leading up to the championship game, Ezekiel was given advice from many people around him. To other young athletes, he would like to say, “Don’t doubt yourself. You can do anything.”