The Tam High senior students defeated the staff 11-8 in the infamous student vs staff basketball game on March 18. School year after school year the staff handled the students with no issues, with many students and staff being unable to recall a single student victory. Before the game, the Staff knew they would be down one of their top players in Aaron Pribble, who was going to watch his brother coach Idaho in the March Madness tournament. The students came into the game confident, holding a tryout to find their best players, and then holding three practices at the Sausalito outdoor courts, under senior coaches James Barbash and Cole Bester who are both players on the varsity school basketball team. They describe the game in three words: “Heart, Hustle, and Tradition.”

The rules are simple; six minute halves and no players who play for the school’s basketball team are allowed to play. When the game tipped off the teachers started off hot with a Lorenzo Bynum three-pointer. With aggressive defense by senior Hank Ballard the ball popped loose and senior Timo Ural picked it up, while putting teacher Rayshawn Austin on the ground. Trevor Watts added a layup for the seniors followed by an Austin bucket for the teachers. The defense was aggressive on both sides, but that didn’t stop either team from scoring. A Ural baseline 2 was then followed by an Austin three-pointer. A collision started by Gus Beyer put the ball in the Students hands, and Vincenzo Bezerra cashed it in with a two. Ending the half Gus Beyer went 1-2 from the line cutting the Teachers’ lead 8-7 at half. 

During the halftime show, a school band played “Jump” by Van Halen and an Andrew Coan prom-proposal to Elle Dunn topped it off. Coming out of the locker rooms Boston Nahigian had to announce that the second half will have to only be 2 minutes due to time constraints, giving the seniors less time to take the lead. After no buckets in the first minute and solid defense from both sides Timo Ural scored a 2 to take the lead. This was followed by a late Vincenzo Bezerra two. Solid defense was contagious with the students, holding the staff to zero second half points, to finally raise the trophy for the students with a 11-8 win. Senior Timo Ural credited the Students win to athleticism, aggressiveness, and competitiveness.