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Dillingham Special Olympics Team Takes 4th in Tournament

Angela Christensen

The new team competed in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Bethel last weekend.

DILLINGHAM: Coach Betty Jane Bryant hopes this weekend's showing at the Special Olympics 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Bethel will be the first of more athletic opportunities for students in the special ed program in Dillingham City Schools.

"Next year we plan to participate in as many Special Olympics events as we can afford and get to," said Bryant. "We hope the community supports us so we can be doing this."

The team took 3rd place in their pool bracket, and 4th in the overall tournament.

"That's really good for being such a really young team, very new, and we think we made Dillingham proud," said Bryant.

This is the first time in six or seven years that Dillingham City Schools has participated in Special Olympics activities, and the students had only been practicing for the last several weeks to get ready for the tournament.

"Some of the other teams had some serious players. They knew how to maneuver all over the court. But we found out we've got some good shooters."

Bryant said Roehl and Ruby proved formidable from the 3-point line, and Halverson added some tough defense on the other end of the court.

"In one of our games, every single one of our kids made a hoop. We are so proud of them."

Photos courtesy of Angela Christensen.