Middle school basketball players halt their game to defend a cheerleader with Down syndrome from bullying fans

Middle schoolers aren't always known for standing up to a crowd, but at a basketball game in Kenosha, Wisconsin, three boys did just that.

Lincoln Middle School students Miles Rodriguez, Chase Vasquez, and Scooter Terrien noticed some fans in the stands were bullying a cheerleader, Desiree Andrews, who has Down syndrome. The boys walked off the court to come to her defense.

"It's not fair when other people get treated wrong, because we're all the same," Terrien said.

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Since then, Andrews and the boys have become friends — they walk with her to class, and the team even calls the gymnasium "Dee's House," a nod to her nickname.

"It was sweet, kind, awesome, amazing," Andrews told WTMJ4. Watch the station's report on the heartwarming story, below. —Sarah Eberspacher