The varsity basketball teams aren’t the only high school teams going to the playoffs this time of year. For the first time, the Unified Basketball teams from Whatcom County will be coming together for their own tournament.
The Unified Culminating Tournament will be held this Thursday, Feb. 27, at Sehome High School, and everybody is invited to attend.
Unified Basketball is one of the sports under the Special Olympics umbrella. As the Special Olympics says in its own mission statement: It uses the “unique ability of sports to transcend barriers and serve as a vehicle for social inclusion for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.”
High schools in Whatcom and Skagit counties have been playing regular-season basketball schedules for several years, but this will be the first time having a season-ending tournament.
The length of the games is shorter, the teams are coed, and in addition to the special needs athletes, there will be “partners” on the court to help facilitate the game. Other than that, it’s regular basketball just like the varsity teams.
We hope you’ll come out and support the athletes and teams. Here’s Thursday’s schedule at Sehome:
First round (loser out)
Game 1: Bellingham vs. Northern Lights (north county schools), 4:30 p.m., main gym
Game 2: Sedro-Woolley vs. Sehome, 4:30 p.m., auxiliary gym
Game 3: Ferndale vs. Squalicum Blue, 5:15 p.m., main gym
Game 4: Squalicum Silver vs. Burlington-Edison, 5:15 p.m., auxiliary gym
Semifinals
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m., main gym
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m., auxiliary gym
Consolation final
Game 7: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 6:30 p.m., auxiliary gym (third and fourth place)
Championship final
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 p.m., main gym (first and second place)
