Stephen's grandfather built a simple basket by attaching a piece of plastic to a telephone pole along a narrow dirt road, was near the small town of Grottoes. Stephen spent many childhood hours playing on this (mud) basketball court, where he learnt to be creative and flexible as a player. The bumps and rocks that lined the road under the basket caused the ball to bounce in all directions, which Stephen learnt to know where the ball (go) and shoot with great accuracy.
, Stephen was thought by many people to be too weak and too short (follow) in his father's footsteps. But he didn't give up because (play) basketball was his dream. He finally ended up playing college ball at a small, little-known school. His (create) and perseverance made him Davidson's star player.
He performed beyond everyone's (expectation) with his accurate shooting and continuous efforts. After receiving the Most Valuable Player award for two years in a row, Stephen explained his philosophy: What he wanted to do was just be himself. Inspiring others to believe in (them), he showed that anything is possible through his self-belief, hard work and perseverance.
