A State Championship for Dexter’s Unified Basketball Team

Dexter Community Schools, Dexter High School, Special Olympics, Unified Sports

The Unified Basketball Team from Dexter High School (DHS) won the Division Nine State Championship at the state tournament, which was held at Calvin College on March 21.

The Dexter team was made up of Chase Biskner, Taymour Zalmout, Bennett Biga, Daniel Xuereb, Braxton Hopkins, Callan Biga and Liam Fealy. They played the team from Jenison and won 34-30 in the first game to make it to the finals. Then Dexter won the finals against the SWC Seniors by a score of 37-28.

The Sun Times News (STN) learned about the big win from DHS Special Education Teacher Kalli Nowitzke. She said every player added points to the scoreboard that day while Taymour Zalmout and Daniel Xuereb led the team with points scored.

The tournament was through the Special Olympics and it was the State Games. The DHS Unified team is made up of students with intellectual disabilities and their peer partners.

The day of the tournament also happened to be World Down Syndrome Day which had a theme of rock your socks for Down Syndrome. DHS’s Graphic Arts made the Unified team socks with Callan Biga’s face on them and as Nowitzke said, they rocked them! The Dexter art classes also tie dyed socks with the team with around 70 students working on them.

STN asked Nowitzke about the team and its reaction.

“The team was so excited and proud of themselves!” she said. “One game was very competitive and back and forth. It was a fast pace and really challenged our team. The other game our team showed such integrity on the court. Every player had an opportunity to score and our players made sure that everyone on the other team had a chance to score as well. They played with such heart and showed excellent sportsmanship.”