MORRISTOWN, Ind. — Senior Night is always a memorable night, but Friday in Morristown, it had deeper meaning.
The Yellow Jackets' gym was packed for Friday's game with Eastern Hancock, buzzing with anticipation for the return of Quinton Batton.
Meanwhile, in the old gym, Batton was warming up for his big night.
"One shot and this is the most nervous thing I've ever done in my life," he said.
Basketball always came easy to Batton, until cancer showed up. Last fall, the community rallied around the Morristown senior and his family as his cancer battle had just begun.
But Friday night, he made it back on the court.
Batton was released from the hospital Thursday, in time to make it home for his Senior Night. His mother was elated and filled with emotion, fighting back tears of joy.
"Every single one of us have the opportunity to approach each day that we're given. We've decided this is going to be God's fight and we're just going to do whatever we can to support Him and to support Q," said Batton's mother, Deena. "He's blessed us with people, doctors and nurses, our community, our family is greater than anything we've ever known."
With his family and friends cheering, Batton made it back out one more time.
"I've coached him since first grade, turned him loose at 7th (grade) and here he is now. It will be pretty neat to see him one last time," said Bill Batton, Quinton's father.
When the game began, Batton set up near the Yellow Jackets' basket as his teammate won the opening tipoff and passed the ball down the floor. Batton took the pass and made a layup as the crowd roared with applause.
"There's really no words for the emotions that I was feeling," Batton said after the game.
A young basketball star, making an impact without playing a single game all year long.
"I feel like I'm impacting people through a lot of different ways and that's my goal through all this is to show people how to fight, never give up, never fear," Batton said.
Batton is a fighter. His cancer is in remission and he hopes to be back in the spring, playing baseball.