The Battle Ground High School Unified Basketball team took home third place in the state competition from Friday, Feb. 28, through Saturday, March 1 in Wenatchee.
Tigers Unified Basketball Coach Jason Otto called the experience a once in a lifetime moment for him and the players. Unified basketball consists of athletes with intellectual disabilities and partners, students without intellectual disabilities who help the athletes on the court.
“This was a great experience for the kids this past weekend,” Otto said. “We had a wonderful experience going over to Wenatchee. You know, the kids played amazing basketball.”
The Tigers played a tough game, keeping it close but ultimately losing by 11 points in the opening game against Roosevelt High School. For third place, Battle Ground won 20-16 against Kamiak High School.
“It was just a wonderful experience for these kids, all weekend long,” Otto said. “They had danced after the game and all the kids just came together. Partners and athletes just had a great, great time.”
Battle Ground High School has three teams at different levels. The third place team was coached by Tanner Casaw.
“He did an amazing job with these kids and I’m just very happy that he was part of the team to coach these kids, and for me to have an opportunity to be along with these kids, as well,” Otto said.
Otto said in his 13 years of coaching, this campaign has been the most fun. Otto added that the athletes and partners were phenomenal on and off the court, in game and in practice.
Up next, coed unified soccer will begin practicing in a week with games the first week of April, Otto said.
