Orlando Magic May Have a Lucky Charm in Young Singer
CHETRY: Fifty-one minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. You know, superstition is part of sports, and seven-year-old Gina Marie Incandela is the latest example. Her voice has been magical for the NBA's Orlando Magic during the playoffs. And tonight, when the Magic host the LA Lakers in game four of the NBA Finals, she will be singing her star-spangled heart out. And Alina Cho has her story. A lot of pressure for this adorable little 7-year-old.</s>ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, but she has pulled through time and time again, guys. Good morning, everybody. You know, Dwight Howard may be the Orlando Magic's biggest star, but this 7-year-old girl, just 4'3" tall, is the team's secret weapon. Every time she sings the national anthem, something magical happens -- the team wins. And she's not just the team's lucky charm. Singing has helped her, too.</s>CHO (voice over): When the Orlando Magic take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Amway arena tonight, the team will have a good luck charm, front and center. The Magic are undefeated whenever 7-year-old Gina Marie Incandela sings the national anthem at their games.</s>GINA MARIE INCANDELA, 7-YEAR-OLD SINGER: Every time I sing, they win. So that's why they usually call me lucky charm. They need my singing power.</s>CHO: So far, she's 6-0.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you've got something going good, you just got to stick with it.</s>ADONAL FOYLE, ORLANDO MAGIC PLAYER: She's been our magic weapon.</s>CHO: What's even more remarkable is that this 4'3" girl was diagnosed with a form of autism at age two and unable to speak until she was three with the help of music.</s>MICHELLE INCANDELA, GINA'S MOTHER: It got to the point where music therapy really seemed to be, you know, sort of the key to Gina's door. She was very drawn to music. We always knew that. And when she started to get involved in more of the music therapy, we noticed that she started to progress in all aspects a little bit, you know, faster.</s>CHO: Gina's first big break was singing the National Anthem at a Houston Astros game. And even the pros are impressed by her cool composure.</s>FOYLE: I'm nervous playing every night, I can't imagine she's going up there and singing like an old pro. She's absolutely terrific.</s>CHO: So what does she want to be when she grows up?</s>G. INCANDELA: I want to be a rock star, a ballet girl, a dancing girl, a basketball player. And I wish all is in the Magic team. Then nothing can stop us.</s>CHO: She's so cute. Not bad with the hula hoop, either, by the way. You know, Gina's mom says the family is trying to make sure that her daughter doesn't get too disappointed if that winning streak is broken. But she also said that Gina told her she won't accept defeat. So maybe she knows something that we all don't know yet. But interestingly enough, guys, you know, during the Eastern Conference Semifinals, when the Orlando Magic were playing the Boston Celtics, during Game Three, she sang, they won. Game four, she didn't sing, they lost. And so they've brought her back for every single home game since, and they've also brought back the same color guards. So, you know, Magic, you know, they're superstitious. But they are in sports everywhere.</s>CHETRY: The pressure is on them now, too. They have to win it for Gina.</s>CHO: They've got to deliver for her, you're right.</s>ROBERTS: Lovely young lady with a great voice.</s>CHO: She is. She's so cute.</s>ROBERTS: Thanks, Alina.</s>CHO: You bet.</s>ROBERTS: Well, you know about the two people who are being held in custody, accused of being Cuban or spies for Cuba. Well, apparently, according to the government, they had an escape plan. We'll tell you what it is, coming up. But we will let you in on this -- it involved a little boat and a lot of ocean. Fifty-five minutes now after the hour.