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Cancer survivor, Loyola Ramblers superfan gets surprise trip to Indy for NCAA Sweet 16

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This is a big weekend for basketball fans, especially for one 13-year-old boy.

Marcellus Pounds is another Loyola superfan of the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, rooting for and inspiring his team, along with Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt who’s been catching attention on social media.

Marcellus, who battled bone cancer, went into remission after getting connected with a nonprofit called Team Impact.

After finding out that Pounds was a fan of the Ramblers, the nonprofit connected him with the team. Just ahead of their NCAA men’s basketball Sweet 16 matchup with Oregon State, Team Impact surprised Marcellus by inviting him to see the game in person Saturday.

Marcellus and Seth Rosenzweig, Team Impact chief executive officer, talked on Friday’s “All Indiana.” When Marcellus was asked what kind of pep talk he had for the team he had a quick, but emphatic response. “It’s a Ramblers takeover!” he said. “You can’t knock down what God set up!”

Sister Jean will also be at Saturday’s game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Could the team chaplain and Marcellus be the power duo Loyola needs to make it to the Elite 8?