COLUMBUS, Ohio — Many young girls will be watching the Ohio State University women's basketball team play in the Sweet 16 and be inspired that maybe they too can dance like the boys.
“It's a really good opportunity for me to get my energy out,” said 9-year-old Grace Towns, a basketball player at the Linden Recreation Center.
The Linden Recreation Center's team went undefeated this year. Last month, the team was also surprised with tickets to see the OSU women's basketball team play a nail-biter win against Rutgers.
“I think our girls were still riding the wave of the game that they went to and they're excited,” said Ambrosia Lamarr, the recreation team’s coach.
So getting to watch the women's team play in the Sweet 16 on TV is a lesson in perseverance and heart.
“Nobody's really perfect from when they started so knowing that they're winning right now and that they're able to make it this far make it makes me feel like I can do the same,” said 13-year-old Martha Jiminez, who also plays on the recreation center’s basketball team.
Ohio State will be playing Friday at 7 p.m. against Texas.
If the Buckeyes win against the Longhorns, the team will play the winner of Stanford and Maryland on Sunday in the Elite Eight.