The Belleville High School Unified Basketball team played at Little Caesars Arena on January 31st. There were four games in total, and Belleville’s was the first. They played Wyandotte / Lincoln Park at noon, and the final match ended at four that night. The overall experience was unforgettable and I am very grateful to be a part of the team.
We left Belleville High School at 10:40 a.m. and arrived at Little Caesars Arena at 11:45 a.m. Once we arrived, we checked in and were given our game jerseys and a free Detroit Pistons and Special Olympics beanie. Then we suited up, went down to the court, and began warming up. The walk down felt surreal, seeing all of the historic players in the halls made us feel very special to be there.
After the team finished warming up, we quietly stood for the national anthem. After it finished playing, we sent our starters out, and they played their hearts out, giving us the lead 8-4. Substitutions were made, and by the end of the first quarter, we were up 19-8. The team was feeling ecstatic, and everyone was excited to go out and play.
The second quarter started, and Wyandotte/ Lincoln Park made a small comeback. By the time the team made its substitutions for the second quarter, it was only down by six points. Sean Pape, a senior athlete on the team, scored all eight points and was very proud of himself, as was the rest of the team.
In the third quarter, the team was on an unstoppable run. The team played good defense and made good passes, but most importantly, they were having fun. The smiles on everyone’s faces, including those on the other team filled the stadium with joy. Everyone was being supported by their families in the crowd, which made the game go by quickly.
By the end of the game, we looked up and saw that we had won 39-27. We had the opportunity to watch the other three games and go to the Detroit Pistons game later that night, although going to either was optional. The Pistons played the Dallas Mavericks and won their game 117-102.
