Not everyone can say they’ve received college advice from future Major League Baseball hall-of-famer Ken Griffey, Jr.

But Sheldon Lewis can.

“He (Griffey) was just telling me tips about college,” the Hanceville student-athlete said while still in awe from meeting Griffey, Scottie Pippen and Bo Jackson during Wednesday afternoon’s Bo Bikes Bama festivities near Hibbett Sporting Goods. “He said get it done in school, get my options for college down right now in my junior year and be thinking in my mind where I want to go.

“It’s not every day somebody like that comes up to talk to you about college. It’s a pretty big deal.”

The Bulldogs’ boys and girls basketball teams were both presented with the opportunity to meet the former professional athletes after boys coach Daniel Wakefield sent an email to a Bo Bikes Bama representative. In the message, he detailed how the two squads were left without a true home gym when the Lane Horton Gymnasium was condemned due to severe damage from the April 27 tornadoes.

Wakefield said the folks in charge of the 300-mile ride across the state to aid tornado relief expressed their interest in the story and contacted him Tuesday night to ask if the Bulldogs’ basketball teams would like to have their picture taken with Pippen at the finish line.

The Hanceville coach replied with a fervent yes — of course — setting up a dream scenario the following day for both sets of players, as well as himself and girls coach Becky Cobb. But instead of just getting a snapshot with the former Chicago Bulls’ superstar, the throng of Bulldogs ended up being treated to a VIP-like session with Pippen, Griffey and Jackson. They got the photo opportunity they had expected, but were also presented with a generous amount of time to converse with the athletes and have them sign autographs.

“We had no idea they’d take them over and talk to them for a bit,” Wakefield said. “It was icing on the cake. To meet people like that, have them talk to the kids and show genuine interest in what they had to say, that doesn’t happen to many people. It’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”

Macey Knight, a varsity girls’ player for Hanceville, couldn’t contain a smile that stretched from ear to ear after her team’s experience with the trio of sports stars.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I loved meeting them. They were all very cool and down to earth. I was so excited that they actually thought of us to come down here and do something so great. You can’t ever thank somebody enough for caring about a town like ours.”

Pippen said he hopes his visit with the teenagers is something they’ll be able to hold onto as they continue to carry the memories from the tornadoes that tore through the city of Hanceville, the surrounding area and the state nearly one year ago.

“I just wanted to meet them, see how their spirits are and give them the opportunity to meet me,” he said. “When you look at the whole picture, this is about them and everyone else that has lost a lot through the storms. Coming here, seeing them and lifting their spirits hopefully means a lot to them.”

Cobb said one of her favorite parts of Wednesday’s events was seeing her student-athletes be rewarded for the hard work they’ve continued to put in despite having to overcome so many unfortunate circumstances stemming from the tornadoes.

“It made me feel good for some of those kids because it was the chance of a lifetime for them,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll understand that those people (Pippen, Griffey and Jackson) are human, and that they made something of themselves. I told the kids, ‘These people are just like you. They just worked hard and got after it.’”

As the first anniversary of that infamous day approaches, Cobb remains confident that there’s a brighter future in store for everyone who has been affected by the tragedy.

“It’s coming, and we do know it’s going to happen,” she said. “When you’re at the bottom, there’s only one way to go, and that’s up. It’s going to get better.”

Rob Ketcham can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 257 or at robk@cullmantimes.com.