Caldwells Hoopapalooza: Teachers School Students In Annual Basketball Game

On November 25, teachers and staff at Grover Cleveland Middle School (GCMS) gave thanks for something a little different this year – a basketball win.

After a month-long competition between students in grades six through eight, teachers challenged the winning team from each grade level, winning all three games.

It was the 11th time in the thirteen-year tournament that the teachers outscored the students in the annual event after losing to the eighth grade teams in 2006 and 2007, according to a school news release.

Designed to improve school spirit among students and faculty, the annual 3-on-3 tournament, organized by a student committee advised by sixth-grade teacher Ryuichi Saito, is open to all students in grades six to eight. Multiple teams from each grade compete amongst their peers to determine who will compete against the faculty. Those not playing attend the event with signs, t-shirts and applause for their favorite teams.

“The event really brings the students together,” said Saito. “They create their own teams and each team has a mix of both boys and girls playing simultaneously. This year, more than half of the sixth graders participated.”

The competition began on November 17 with additional matches throughout the month, culminating with the student-faculty game on November 25. The faculty beat the sixth grade champions, Savages 2.0, and seventh grade champions, “Freshly-Milked Black Cows,” by a comfortable margin, but the eighth grade champions, “Sam Mulick for President,” gave the faculty a challenge, with the faculty winning by just one point.

All students and faculty attended the final matches, and although all teams performed well, the faculty went undefeated.

“Students really look forward to the competition,” added Saito.

Photo courtesy of the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District

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