Men’s Basketball | 12/21/2025 10:00:00 AM


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In honor of World Basketball Day, Saint Francis men’s basketball players answered some questions about the game they love to play!

What has the game of basketball meant to you?

Ralph Martino, Jr.: The game of basketball has been an amazing outlet for me to share my light and gifts that God gave me!

Trey Weiand: It has meant a lot to me. The number of relationships and friendships I have built from this sport is truly remarkable, and I am incredibly grateful for all of them.

Shelby Ricks: The game of basketball has meant freedom to me. When I play ball, I can escape the regular world for 40 minutes.

What makes the game of basketball special?

Ralph Martino, Jr.: What makes the game of basketball so special is that everyone who plays it has a style of play. There are a million+ basketball players. 

Victor Payne: What makes basketball special is the places it can bring you and the people you get to meet within basketball.

Shelby Ricks: Basketball is special because it demands teamwork and collaboration while also calling for individual effort.

Gemma Walker: The people whom I’ve met throughout my career are definitely what make basketball special.

Who are your biggest influences in the game of basketball? How/or why?:

Ralph Martino, Jr.: The Holy Trinity and my family are my biggest influences. I grew up loving soccer, while both my sisters played basketball. I was blessed to make it to the Junior Olympic soccer tryouts, and then everything changed. I then realized God had other plans for me. Ever since then, my path has been to glorify God through basketball! My family has always kept me around it, so my transition from soccer to basketball was not hard at all.

Victor Payne: My mom and dad put me into it at a young age, and I’ve loved it ever since, and they have been a structure in my life pushing me and working with me every step of the way.

Shelby Ricks: LeBron James. Because he played at such a high level that he was able to go pro without going to college first. He showed that talent tops everything.

If you could play one-on-one with any person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Cam Tweedy: I would want to play 1-on-1 with John Wall. He is my favorite player and when he was in DC playing for the Wizards he showed the DMV so much love and support. He became a role model for me because he helped so many people in need and never thought about himself.

Shelby Ricks: A’Ja Wilson has so much skill and knowledge. I know, win or lose, I’ll walk away learning something.

Gemma Walker: I would play one-on-one with Adam Sandler. I think the game would be high-energy, and I would have a lot of fun playing and meeting him.

Dr. James Naismith created the game of basketball on December 21, 1891. If you could have been there on the day of the first basketball game, what would you say to him?

Cam Tweedy: Thank you for the opportunity!

Shelby Ricks: I would give him a glimpse into the future and show him how great his ‘game’ was going to become.

History of World Basketball Day

Basketball was played for the first time on December 21, 1891 at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, after Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, developed the game to keep his students active during the winter months.

Today, basketball has grown to become one of the most popular and widely played sports in the world. FIBA, basketball’s governing body, estimates that at least 450 million people worldwide are playing basketball today. Basketball has also been a part of the Olympic program since its introduction at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Basketball enjoys a strong presence in North America, especially the United States, Europe, Asia, and other regions. In 2019, the ground-breaking Basketball Africa League (BAL), was established and is a now a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa. Women started playing basketball as early as 1892, or less than a year after the game was invented. Women’s basketball made its debut as a regular team sport for women in the Olympics at the 1976 Montreal Games.

Overall, beyond iconic names, such as Jordan, Magic, Kareem, Bird, Kobe, Lebron, Curry, basketball is a global grassroots sport and is played and enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels, from organized leagues to casual pickup games.

Recognizing sport, including sport for persons with disabilities, has an important role to play in the promotion of peace and development, respect for human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in particular basketball, given its universal popularity. On 25 August 2023, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/324 proclaiming 21 December as World Basketball Day. Â