Walnut boys basketball hosted a staff basketball game, featuring teachers from all departments, on Friday, April 19.
The game was set up with two 20 minute halves and substitutions every 5 minutes. The teachers were split into two teams: Team Walnut and Team Mustangs. To raise funds for the Walnut Basketball program, all boys basketball players helped out by selling tickets prior to the date of the game.
The game started off with math teacher Katie Argumosa winning the tip for Team Mustangs and principal Dr. Ryan Maine immediately hitting a three pointer off the dribble. This started an exchange of threes between the two teams, ending with a block jumper from grade level counselor Wil Lares bringing the score to 10-5 for Team Mustangs.
“I think the event was an awesome fundraiser for them and I think it’s also awesome for staff to play with each other because it builds that camaraderie because everybody just takes it as a fun game instead of a competition,” Lares said. “I also think that the kids enjoy it too and that makes me happy.”
To continue the run for Team Mustangs, Spanish teacher Diana De La Cruz-Wilds hit a bank jumper to extend their lead. Team Walnut came right back with a steal from junior varsity boys basketball coach M.J. Howard made a behind the back pass to Jasper Wang for a layup on the fast break. To end the half Maine threaded the needle to math teacher Hannah Abundis for a jumper bringing the score to 22-18 at the half.
“I think that it was a good way to get the staff together and collaborate because we’re always trying to promote the idea of collaborating and working together amongst kids so this is one way to show that we have the same goals in terms of working together,” De La Cruz – Wilds said. “I think our team did great and everybody contributed in their own way.”
Into the second half, Team Walnut brought back the momentum with a pass from computer science teacher Nick Blackford to chemistry teacher Garrett Lim for a three. Team Mustangs came back off the momentum of a steal from Argumosa to a pass to Maine to a dump to varsity boys basketball coach and health teacher Joseph Khouzam for a layup.
“Making the three and hearing the crowd erupt was my favorite moment. The dunks were my second favorite,” Lim said. “I played very tentatively because I didn’t want to get hurt so that led to some missed shots. The team played well especially when Coach Howard and Wang were in, we showed great resilience when the other team made a run.”
Each team struggled against each other with some gritty play until Howard hit a few free throws to bring the score to 57-54 for Team Walnut. With a second left on the clock, Charles Tran received an inbound pass and heaved a half court up, tying the game 57-57 and sending the game to overtime. In overtime, Wang hit a fadeaway to tie the score 60-60 for Team Walnut.
“That was probably my favorite moment of the game,” Wang said. “But my favorite part was honestly forming new connections with the teachers and staff along with chatting with my past teachers. I thought both my team and I played really well, but most importantly, we all had fun.”
After a drive and layup from social science teacher Justin Panlilio, Team Walnut ended the game on top with a score of 62-60.
