Tonight's Barbs boys hoops game dedicated to local fourth grader

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DeKALB - DeKalb High School's boys basketball teams is dedicating tonight's Upstate Eight Conference game versus. Streamwood High School to a 10-year-old who earlier this year had surgery to remove a brain tumor. Sam Ihm, a fourth-grader at St. Mary School, and his family started selling "Caps 4 Sam" embroidered ski hats, to raise money for brain tumor research and treatment at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The hats went on sale even before Sam had surgery because he appreciated his initial stay at the hospital and wanted it to be able to help as many kids as possible. The $10 black ski caps are being sold in stores throughout DeKalb and at Barbs' home games, among other places. More than 1,200 hats have been sold with profits benefiting the hospital. DHS coach Chuck Schramm said Ihm's story touched his players, especially when they learned he was a big fan of the basketball team. "It was a great compliment that he would want to be one of us," Schramm said. "The Student Council bought all of us hats and we put them on in a picture and sent it to Sam. We also decided that we would have a night designated Barbs for Sam." Ihm had the tumor removed on Jan. 18. His story has been featured oin the Daily Chronicle and on WGN Radio. The team will present Ihm with a "Barbs for Sam" T-shirt and allow him to sit with the team during the game. Schramm said Ihm is an inspiration to the team. "It's been a good experience for them to see that high school athletes do matter in our community. Kids want to be like them one day," Schramm said. "Kids know they aren't going to grow up to be like Shaq or Michael Jordan, but they can see somebody in the community that they can be like. I hope our athletes can choose to have someone remember them in a positive way." There will be a short presentation around 7:15 p.m. between the sophomore and varsity game, Schramm said. The varsity game between DHS and Streamwood High School starts around 7:30 p.m. "What I am hoping for the most is that as many people that are free can come out and show they are rooting for him still," Schramm said.