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Mpls. North basketball star beats the odds

Basketball is a sanctuary for Minneapolis North point guard Zion Sanford. The senior has had to overcome struggles off the court as he follows his hoop dreams.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The month of March at Minneapolis North has taken on a new meaning for the past three years in a row.

“One of these games could end our season,” senior guard Tayler Johnson. “We want to practice like it’s a championship game every time.”

A chance to three-peat as state champs, means the practices are incredibly tough. However, through it all, one senior’s smile hides a toughness that goes unmatched.

“That smile just lights you up,” Minneapolis North assistant coach Nagashia Jackson.

“People don’t know what he goes through,” Johnson said. “People don’t know how gets through what he goes through.”

For senior Zion Sanford, basketball is more than a game: it’s a sanctuary.

“When I step on the court, I have to leave it all out there,” Sanford said. “Basketball is the only thing that keeps me strong.”

Inside the gym, hoops are hope for Zion.

“My main goal is getting out of the hood and going to college and bettering my life,” Sanford said.

Life outside of basketball is a lot of bouncing around. Constant clashing with his mother and step-father left Zion homeless as a high schooler: at first by force, then later by choice. That’s because Zion has embraced being away from an unhealthy situation, choosing not to go back. Instead, relying on himself and the kindness of others, as he follows his dreams.

When we caught up with Zion, he was staying with his older sister. It’s one of the many places he’s called home, since getting kicked out of his at just 15 years old.

“(I have been) basically been living out of a bag, by myself,” Sanford said. “House to house to house. Nights without eating. I’ve gone nights without actually sleeping.”

But through the struggles, Zion has found strength, especially in his teammates -- who have opened both their homes and their hearts.

“For them to bring me in, I felt welcomed,” Sanford said. “I felt like somebody actually cared about what I was doing.”

“My family treated him like a real family member,” Johnson said. “It was like having another brother. He shows us never to give up.”

It’s that resolve never to quit, that makes Zion so special: pushing him to chase his dreams – perseverance with a smile.

“I just keep a smile on my face,” Sanford said. “Everything goes right.”

Editor's note: Minneapolis North did lose to Brooklyn Center in the section finals Friday so there will be no three-peat for the Polars. Zion on the other hand, has several junior colleges interested in him where he could continue his hoops career.

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