Tenino and Rochester’s Unified Basketball teams faced off in Tenino on Monday night, and the two teams finished the game tied at 22.
During the game, multiple players on both sides had their moments to shine, including a pair of threes from Tenino’s Phillip Hamblin, who was quick to celebrate with the crowd after both buckets by blowing kisses and mimicking Stephen Curry’s “Night, Night” celebration.
After the game, the two teams exchanged handshakes before meeting at midcourt for a photo. The Beavers then made their way to the student section, where they sang the Tenino fight song together along with the cheerleaders and the Tenino band.
“I was really proud of our community and our students for showing up and supporting everyone,” Tenino Athletic Director Nick Bamer said.
Bamer and Rochester Athletic Director Kevin Jurek served as the games officials, and Student Leaders from both schools were also on the court to help move the ball around and keep the game moving smoothly.
“I’m just over the moon with how well it went, and giving everybody the opportunity to play and compete like that was outstanding,” Bamer said. “I’m really thankful for everyone that put in time to make this happen.”
While the two teams didn’t play an overtime to determine a winner, a second meeting between the two schools in Rochester on Feb. 23 will serve as a de facto tiebreaker.
