H.R. No. 1464
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Jonathon Montanez, a senior at Franklin High School
in El Paso, generously assisted a player on an opposing team on
February 12, 2013, and his action has since been celebrated
throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Montanez's play came in a basketball game
against rival Coronado High School; Coronado coach Peter Morales
invited his team's longtime manager, Mitchell Marcus, a senior
special-needs student, to suit up for the game; and
WHEREAS, In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Coach
Morales sent Mr. Marcus onto the floor; his fellow Thunderbirds
tried to help him score a basket, but his first efforts missed the
mark, and time was quickly running out; with 13 seconds left,
Franklin High had possession of the ball, and it seemed as if
Mr. Marcus would not have another chance to put up a shot; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Montanez was handling the inbound play for the
Cougars, and instead of passing to one of his teammates, he tossed
the ball to Mr. Marcus and encouraged him to shoot, telling him,
"It's your time"; because of this assist, Mr. Marcus sank a basket
with one second left in the game, fulfilling the young man's dream
of contributing to his team's success; and
WHEREAS, The story of this unforgettable play has been
featured on ESPN SportsCenter and the CBS national news, and
Mr. Montanez and Mr. Marcus were guests on The Ellen DeGeneres
Show; moreover, Chris Paul, a member of the NBA's Los Angeles
Clippers, flew the two young men and their families to California to
watch a game, and while there, they met some of the league's top
players; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing that helping a fellow student was more
important than the score of the game or the rivalry between the two
teams, Jonathon Montanez performed a selfless act of kindness, and
this outstanding young man is indeed deserving of special
recognition; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commend Jonathon Montanez for his remarkable
demonstration of sportsmanship and extend to him sincere best
wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Montanez as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Marquez
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1464 was adopted by the House on April
24, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House