By Jenna Baker, Natalie Hanna, & Karma Paez

The third annual Student vs. Staff Basketball game occurred on March 21 in the big gym. It was a fun change of pace for those who attended the game as it isn’t every day that your teachers play basketball competitively against students. The game ended with a score of 88-78 with our staff winning once again.

This event is a fun way for students and staff to bond and connect outside of the classroom. The Associated Student Body (ASB) event did exactly that as students had a fun time competing against some of their favorite teachers and other staff members.

The gym was full of students, family, and staff who were cheering on the players of both the student and staff teams. The event was a good way to kick off spring break the next week.

The game was a constant battle between the students and staff, both teams fighting for the lead. The students were able to tie the game at the end of the first half. Within the first possession of the second half, however, the staff scored a quick basket to regain the lead.

Within the first few minutes of the third quarter, the staff were able to go on a run ultimately getting ahead with 12 points over the students. The students continued to battle, however, cutting the lead down to six points but were never able to come out on top. Big shots made by team captain and PE teacher Robert Palafox and math teacher Jason Horosny pushed the lead back up to ten points, finishing the game with a staff win.

Since returning from online learning, the staff team has been undefeated for the past three years.
The team consisted of different faculty, staff, and teachers, some with previous basketball experience and some without.

“I had a lot of fun playing with the students,” security guard Kailia Attry said. “I felt young for a little bit running with them, but then I felt old in the third quarter after playing for a while.”

The student team consisted of students from a variety of different sports, clubs, and groups on campus. The team gathered people from girls basketball, boys basketball, football, boys soccer, ASB, and more.

“It was pretty cool playing basketball instead of football since I haven’t been playing in a while,” senior Vincent Gargaro said. “I liked that we were able to play with people that played college basketball like Mr. Horosny and Coach Lou.”

The event was also a good way for both staff and students to step out of their comfort zones and try something they had never done before. The student team’s coach was senior Dylan Vo, and their referee was senior Orion Nocon, both of whom are on the boy’s basketball team.

This made the event more entertaining since the two have no experience in coaching or refereeing but still did well on the job.

“The ref job was pretty nerve-racking during the first quarter but after that, I felt more comfortable blowing my whistle and making more calls,” Nocon said.

Along with the entertainment of competitive basketball, the dance team and Filipino Cultural Club (FCC) performed dances during halftime. During FCC’s performance, there was a surprise prom-posal that reminded seniors to buy their prom tickets.

The Student vs. Staff game was an enjoyable experience for both participants and viewers.
The game brought school spirit and a buzz the next day at school, with countless people talking about the game and the fun they had.