This week students and staff members went head-to-head in the annual Students vs. Staff basketball game. It seemed as though the odds were in the favor of the students because the staff was both heavily outnumbered and out-practiced. Ironically, the more seasoned and outnumbered of the teams came away with the 50-41 victory.

The students who participated practiced relentlessly all the way up until the day of the game. This was serious business for many of them because of the long trend of student losses. Even though it might have seemed unfair to some, students showed great sportsmanship after the game.

“I played point guard for the second round and shooting guard for the last,” said junior Cameron Thomas. “I understand that everything happens for a reason, and we didn’t make the right decisions the entire game, but I still enjoyed myself.”

Many other players agreed with Thomas about the outcome of the game and expressed their love for the good clean fun they had. Some students on the other hand would have preferred a rematch.

“Let me tell you,” said senior De’Arius Jefferson, “we got cheated.”

Jefferson argued that students were not given proper refereeing or adequate time  to perform at the best of their ability.

“Overall I had fun. I didn’t play that much because I was trying to make sure everyone got playing time. As long as everybody is okay, I don’t care. I’m not really that upset. Next time we have to play better defense though,” Jefferson said.

This game was not only fun for the students who played in it but also for those who watched watched it. One student, junior Amyria Kimble, passed out tickets for a chance to win a prize during halftime.

“As the students came in I made sure they signed in for the wellness seminar and everybody who wasn’t playing got a ticket,”  Kimble said. “I’ve been here since warm ups and they’ve been practicing for a long time. They’re ready for them, but I don’t know [because] the teachers are kind of good.”

Some students expected the staff to win. “Of course the teachers won. The teachers at my old school won every year. They just have more experience and coordination. Even the people on the basketball team at home don’t play with each other without the coach,” said junior Alex Magee.

The staff members that participated had an easier time keeping high spirits after the outcome of the game. Some even acknowledged how well the students played against them even though they did not win.

“They played a good game. They ran good plays, and they had a good team, but the outcome was still the same three years in a row,” said hall director Hansel Jackson. “They worked hard [and] practiced, but they came up a little short.”

Jackson also enjoyed himself thoroughly and he can’t wait to do this again next year with the next group of students to come through. Other staff members had some advice to give to the next group of students that decide they want to go up against them again next year.

“I feel like the outcome was what it was supposed to be,” says RA Jay Cockrell, “we have five-star athletes around here against a team of younger kids that are supposed to have fire and they didn’t have the fire. My tip for the next kids who want to go up against us is not to go against RA’s.”