CLEVELAND — As high school basketball teams across Cleveland get ready for the playoffs, one school reflects after seeing NBA stars from the Cleveland Cavaliers watch them play.

What You Need To Know

  • Tommie Benn was getting his legs ready to have a shot at making it to the state championships
  • Donovan Mitchell said he’s been watching high schoolers play since he was with the Utah Jazz and said it's something he wishes was done for him when he was playing in high school

  • Local high school basketball team begins playoff push 

The Cavs are now in their second half of the season, which means the focus is to win as many games as possible, but one thing that some players took the time to do is to highlight the importance of high school basketball in their local communities. 

Tommie Benn was getting his legs ready to have a shot at making it to the state championships.

He’s a senior point guard for the bulldogs at Garfield Heights High School.

The Bulldogs are in their playoff run, and being a senior, Benn is not taking this challenge lightly.

"We’re trying to make a playoff run," he said. "We're just trying to work hard and be ready for the tournament."

But Benn is finding himself a little extra motivated this time around after Cavs players like Donovan Mitchell attended a rivalry game for the Bulldogs against the Cleveland Heights Tigers. 

"I was excited, just to play in front of some high-level NBA guys," he said. "I was excited. It was a surreal feeling. We were just ready to play and thankful that they came to the game."

Mitchell said he’s been watching high schoolers play since he was with the Utah Jazz and said it's something he wishes was done for him when he was playing in high school.

"There is a hype that comes with it, when you say you're going, you know," he said. "It creates a big game, and that does a lot for a high school athlete. Also, it just shows support. It's one thing to see us on TV, and I tell people, you can give back,you can give monetary donations, you can do all that, but the biggest thing you can give someone is your time."

Head coach Sonny Johnson is in his 18th season at Garfield Heights High School.

He said this support has gone a long way in inspiring his players to be better on and off the court.

"For them to show up, that means everything, that means more importantly they’re giving back to the kids and they're giving back to the community," Johnson said.

Mitchell's last piece of advice for these athletes was to never give up.

"My biggest thing is having determination over negativity," Mitchell said. "There's going to be something in your way, whether it’s on the basketball court, academically, life, but continuing to push through and continue to work hard because that is ultimately going to get you to where you want to go," he said.