(T)Winning
Wooten twins excel on and off the court
Twins Quinterras and Quinshon Wooten are current juniors who play football and basketball together. They came to St. George’s in middle school and quickly became known for their bravery, brotherhood and athletic prowess.
Twins Quinterras and Quinshon Wooten are currently juniors who play basketball together. They came to St. George’s in middle school and quickly became known for their bravery, relationship and athletic prowess. (Altered Photo: Katie Boyle and Miriam Brown)
As junior Quinshon Wooten sauntered into the endzone in St. George’s opening win against Trinity Christian Academy, all he could think was, “My mom should have let me play earlier.”
He had just added to a St. George’s lead off of a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown, and it was only his first time playing varsity football.
“That pick six was so unexpected. I really enjoyed it because it was like the second play I was in, and it was a very far touchdown,” Quinshon said. “I haven’t played football in like four years, so it was pretty cool that I got one in my first year back.”
Quinshon and Quinterras, or Shon and Q as they are more often called, are twin brothers in the class of 2017 who arrived in seventh grade. They have been honing their gifts together for sometime now, and Shon’s touchdown is just a small window into the legacy the twins will leave St. George’s.
On the Court
The brothers remember that they started playing basketball together in first grade.
“We have good chemistry. It is easy for us to play together,” Shon explained, but quickly added, “We practice a lot, so I think we can both play without each other.”
Being brothers, they do not agree on everything, but both Shon and Q admit they love playing together.
“We’re double and trouble,” both twins laughingly remarked.
“It’s cool playing with each other, because we pretty much connect with any sport we do,” Q added.
The twins especially excel on the basketball court. In one game, Shon fell, hit the hardwood and chipped a front tooth, yet he continued playing, and he showed his incredible toughness.
Beating Cancer
The twins were succeeding in school and on the court, but late in his seventh grade year, Q was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a malignant tumor that would force him to miss many school days and athletic events.
“It was tough sometimes not playing with my brother because I am used to playing with him all the time,” Shon said. Shon tried to help his brother by staying positive and praying for him.
While Shon was on the court, Q was undergoing twenty-four weeks of chemotherapy treatments and countless doctor appointments at St. Jude. A teacher at St. Jude kept him caught up on his school work so that, when he was ready to return to St. George’s, he would be ready.
Q beat his cancer by winter of his eighth grade year and quickly rejoined the basketball team.
“It was hard at first, because I was so rusty. I had to work harder than anyone else just to get to where I was at first,” Q said. “I missed playing with my friends and just not being able to do the thing I love.”
Q worked hard to get back in shape and played a significant role in a team that made it to the eighth-grade championship game.
The Wooten brothers carried their middle-school dominance into high school as well. Last year, the Gryphon boys’ basketball team won the state championship, a title in which the twins played a significant role.
“Both Quinterras and Quinshon stepped up to add much needed depth to our varsity team,” Mr. Jeff Ruffin, the boys’ varsity basketball coach, said. “Depth that turned out to be keys to our state championship run.”
Shon claimed that the championship was his favorite memory with his brother to date.
“It was the best moment of my life so far,” Q agreed.
A Lasting Connection
A popular belief is that twins can understand each other thoughts. Q and Shon had differing opinions on the idea.
“On the court, I think we can be considered telekinetic, because sometimes I do know where he is going to be,” Shon said.
Even though Q disagrees with this idea, spectators cannot help but wonder if there is not more of a connection than we notice.
“It’s fun to watch them do things that other people can’t,” junior Ryan Bray, friend and teammate of the twins, said. “Sometimes on defense they’ll get steals and pass to each other, and we just watch them go.”
Coach Ruffin thinks Q and Shon will play an even bigger role on this year’s varsity team.
“We look forward to seeing their continued development in all areas of their games to complement their outstanding quickness, ability to handle the ball and propensity to apply good pressure on the ball defensively,” Coach Ruffin said.
While the twins are leaving a lasting athletic legacy on the school, students know them for their mental and physical strength as well as their bravery. Watch out Ronde and Tiki Barber, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, because there’s a new pair of twins in town.
