At Duke, basketball provides the perfect backdrop to salute ‘kid captains’ facing medical battles

By AARON BEARD
AP Basketball Writer

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The Duke men’s basketball program is in its second year of honoring patients of the nearby children’s hospital. That has come through the Scheyer Family Kid Captain Program launched last year. Marcelle Scheyer is the wife of Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer. She said the program helps “celebrate and honor” those children and their families facing medical challenges. The program includes the patient being honored at midcourt during a first-half timeout to rousing cheers from the famed “Cameron Crazies.” It’s a gameday tradition in its infancy and will recognize its 11th kid captain Saturday when Duke hosts Virginia.