Standing tall

Steve Virgen

Christmastime comes whenever Chris Adorno, a 13-year-old Ensign

Intermediate School basketball player, sees a dribble drive lead to a

layup, a swish from a three-point bomb or a slam dunk.

When he watches the eighth-grade Seabees play, his eyes open wide and

he flinches as he waits for his chance to show his stuff. And, when he

actually plays on the basketball court, for Adorno, it’s like heaven.

His love for the game mirrors his zeal for life. He has managed to

maintain a positive outlook amid a childhood of health troubles.

“I love basketball,” says Adorno. “It’s just fun. If I was big, I

would like to dunk. Like Shaq, I would like to throw it right in there.”

Adorno has endured 15 surgeries because of problems stemming from a

premature birth.

When he was born, he had no airway through the nasal passages. He

receives air sufficiently when breathing through his mouth.

He was born with a cleft pallet. He relied on a tracheotomy (a

surgical opening made into the trachea for airway management) for four

years. As a baby, he was fed through a tube.

In June, he will take on surgery No. 16 -- in laymen’s terms, to open

the right side of his nose.

When asked if he’s ever saddened, he answered, “No. I feel miserable

when we lose a game (smiles), but right now we’re undefeated.”

Adorno is known for his magnetic personality and radiant smile. His

braces never stop him from always showing a grin.

He is 4-foot-6, but still dreams of being a professional basketball

player. Realistically, he wants to be a sports announcer and practices to

be like Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn.

“The positive energy Chris delivers just captures you,” Adorno’s

friend and coach, Scott Cameron, said. “It makes you feel better for

having spent time with him. I know my life is richer for knowing him.”

Adorno met Cameron last year when he was in Cameron’s special

education class. When Cameron coached basketball games, he asked Adorno

to be his manager.

This year, when injuries struck Cameron’s team, he promised Adorno a

roster spot. And, he’s made the most of it.

Though the two are close friends -- Adorno calls Cameron “my bestest

buddy” -- Cameron does not play favorites. Adorno must earn his playing

time.

The Seabees are 4-0 as they host Corona del Mar today. Adorno’s

effort and personality have made him a crowd favorite and a strong

inspiration for his teammates.

“He means a lot to this team,” starter Brett Perrine said. “He works

very hard in practice. He gives everybody smiles. He’s funny.”

When Ensign grabbed its third win of the season, a blowout against

Dwyer, Adorno played the entire fourth quarter. He managed to get three

shots off, but didn’t score.

His enthusiastic play impressed Ann Meyers-Drysdale, anAll-American

basketball star at UCLA, who was there to watch her son play for Dwyer.

Meyers-Drysdale, widow of late Dodgers baseball great Don Drysdale,

wrote a letter addressed to Ensign principal Mike McGwire. She wrote: “It

seemed that Chris was a special kid on the team and all the players

rallied around him. I took the liberty of taking a few pictures and I

hope he enjoys them.”

Adorno continued his remarkable effort, Thursday, when the Seabees

easily defeated TeWinkle. He entered the game with 2:01 remaining.

Ensign was in a man-to-man defense and Adorno faced the tallest Trojan

on the court, guarding 6-foot-1 Ian Morton.

The crowd cheered as Adorno moved his feet and stretched out his arms,

defending Morton. Noticing the mismatch, TeWinkle went at Adorno, but he

forced Morton to the baseline and Morton missed a shot.

On offense, Adorno did not have a shot attempt. But, Ensign’s Thomas

Martin intentionally missed a free throw with six seconds remaining and

quickly fouled a TeWinkle player on the rebound with the hopes of getting

Adorno a shot.

Among the fans, Theresa, Adorno’s mother, almost in tears, still began

laughing as she saw Adorno in comparison to Morton. Theresa is a single

mother who has influenced her son, and vice versa. Adorno’s 15 surgeries

have only drawn the two closer.

“He’s a fighter,” she said. “He’s my life. I would die for him. He’s

so precious. He’s unique. He just has a good personality all around for

what he’s been through. He’s been to hell and back.”

In September, after Adorno recovers from his 16th surgery, he plans to

attend Newport Harbor High, like most of his teammates. He also wants to

play for the basketball team.

Said Cameron of his players in comparison to Adorno, “If these kids

had his moxie, we would have some really good basketball players going to

Harbor.”