. ▁He ▁also ▁refused ▁to ▁use ▁a ▁prost h etic ▁arm . ▁He ▁had ▁some ▁strugg les ▁as ▁a ▁youth ▁basketball ▁player , ▁but ▁by ▁e ighth ▁grade ▁he ▁had ▁grown ▁enough ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁handle ▁a ▁ball ▁with ▁one ▁hand ▁and ▁could ▁d unk ▁a ▁basketball . ▁ ▁Compet itive ▁playing ▁career ▁ ▁High ▁school ▁La ue ▁attended ▁Am ador ▁Valley ▁High ▁School ▁near ▁his ▁home ▁where ▁as ▁a ▁junior ▁he ▁played ▁center ▁on ▁the ▁vars ity ▁basketball ▁team . ▁He ▁played ▁about ▁ 2 3 ▁minutes ▁a ▁game ▁and ▁aver aged ▁eight ▁points , ▁six ▁blocks ▁and ▁eight ▁reb ounds ▁per ▁game . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁junior ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁team ' s ▁star . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Sports ▁Illustr ated ▁called ▁him ▁" the ▁most ▁exc iting ▁player ▁in ▁basketball " ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁playing ▁pro w ess ▁with ▁just ▁one ▁hand , ▁but ▁he ▁missed ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁senior ▁year ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁broken ▁leg , ▁( A ver aging ▁eleven ▁points , ▁ten ▁blocks , ▁and ▁nine ▁reb ounds ▁per ▁game ▁his ▁final ▁year ). ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ation , ▁he ▁en rolled ▁as ▁a ▁post grad uate ▁at ▁F ork ▁Union ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁Virginia ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 0 9 ▁school ▁year . ▁As ▁of ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁his ▁season ▁statistics ▁at ▁F ork ▁Union ▁were ▁ 6 . 9 ▁points ▁and ▁ 7 . 4 ▁reb ounds