By Mallory Mattingly
Sion James played his first four years of college basketball at Tulane University, but for his final year of eligibility, he transferred to Duke University and has been the Blue Devils’ leading point guard.
With Duke’s commanding 85-65 win over Alabama, the Blue Devils are headed back to the Final Four for the 18th time, per Sports Spectrum.
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After the game, James spoke to the media and talked about why his team doesn’t take these moments for granted.
“Just because we go to Duke and play for Duke doesn’t mean that we’re going to be in the Final Four every year,” James said. “It’s a grind. We had to work from the minute we got here to get to this position, but it’s really cool to know we’re following in the footsteps of some of the Duke greats.”
Aside from James’ mission to bring an NCAA National Championship back to Duke, he is also committed to faithfully serving his community.
The Sion James Foundation exists to strengthen “local communities by supporting disadvantaged groups within them.”
“I believe in a God who serves and who literally came to earth to serve us, and I feel like it’s our responsibility to do the same,” James told The Chronicle back in January.
“It’s all about doing things not for yourself, and kind of forgetting about yourself a little bit and really pouring into the people around you,” he added. “Playing sports is really, really cool. I’m glad we get to do this for a living. But there are a lot of things a lot more important than a ball going into a basket.”
When James committed to Duke for his fifth and final year of college basketball, he posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram account, giving glory to God.
Related: Women’s Basketball Star: God ‘Delivered Me’ From Mental Health Struggles
“Dear God, I thank you for another year of living my dream,” James wrote in the post of him wearing a No., 14 Duke uniform. “As we start a new season tomorrow, I pray that me and my teammates represent you well and make Durham proud. I pray that we maximize every opportunity and continually use our platforms for good. And I pray that we learn to love each other more every day. In Jesus name!”
Duke will play the No. 1 ranked Houston Cougars in the Final Four on Saturday, April 5, at 8:49 PM. James plans to continue to lead his team forward and advance them to the National Championship game.
Read Next: 4 March Madness Stars Who Put Faith First
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