WKU Basketball and Bowling Green Special Olympics host Unified Basketball Night
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – At Diddle Arena, the Hilltopper Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams partnered up with Bowling Green Special Olympics to host Unified Basketball Night, a way for the athletes to hit the court with their favorite Hilltoppers.
“This is my first time participating in this, so it was awesome just seeing the joy in their faces and knowing that basketball is the game that I love. It’s universal and it was just really special to me and my teammates, and I know we had a lot of fun, especially coming out with the win,” sophomore Lady Topper guard Trinity Rowe says.
Team Green featured stars from the Men’s squad, while Team Black, the winners, were with the Lady Tops. For one local Hilltopper, it’s a full circle moment for him.
“These guys came when I was in high school throughout… so I’ve got to do this 4 or 5 times and it’s great to be with them and share a sport that we love. They think the world of us, and it’s such a cool night for them. So it’s really fun for us to get together and make it special for them,” junior Hilltopper guard Cade Stinnett says.
It was a great night all around for the student athletes, with loads of highlights for the Special Olympians.
“It was probably Chris’s and one, I mean he’s sitting there, he’s running back. He’s going and one, and one. It was just awesome. I think the buzzer beater that we kind of had at the end there, that was awesome. He was kind of getting down on himself because he hadn’t made a shot… and then he made that. So that was a really big moment for all of us,” Rowe says.
“Probably when they make a shot, and the people in the crowd go crazy because you never know. They probably don’t get to experience that a ton… and just to see the smiles on their faces whenever they get a shot and everybody cheers for them. I know it’ll last… it’ll make their week and everything… so it’s fun to just make a positive impact on them,” Stinnett adds.
For Cade, it’s about the bonds he’s created with the Olympians during his time in Bowling Green.
“It’s been the same people throughout since I was in high school, so we’ve kind of got to know each other a little bit. So it’s fun to see them once a year and play basketball with them… and obviously the community means a lot to WKU, and it means a lot to the community. So it’s fun to give back and do some things with basketball,” he says.
Trinity, on the other hand, is furthering the bond she’s making with her teammates in her first year on the Hill through a night like this.
“I think it definitely brings us together, just seeing the joy that we can put into the game. It kind of reminds us not to take it for granted,” she says.
