Submitted Photo The Silver Creek-Forestville Unified Basketball Team, led by Advisor Janet Decker, Head Coach Jen Johnson and Volunteer Assistant Coach Wes Johnson, played against the Salamanca Unified Team during halftime of the University at Buffalo men’s basketball game.

AMHERST — During halftime of the University at Buffalo men’s basketball game last week, two local teams got an opportunity to show the power of sports on a stage that few get to experience.

But it wasn’t about the score. They didn’t even bother to track it.

On March 5, the Silver-Creek Forestville Unified Basketball Team played against the Salamanca Warriors Unified program in a scrimmage to highlight Unified Sports in Western New York. The event was organized by Special Olympics and overseen by Michael Paglicci, Director of Programming for Special Olympics New York, Western Region.

“It was just a great way to promote Unified Sports,” Silver Creek Unified Sports Advisor Janet Decker said. “… We had a really good time and we were able to show off what our program is and what we’ve done.”

The event was held during Silver Creek’s Unified Sports Spirit Week, centered around the Special Olympics initiative of Spread the Word: Inclusion.

“For us at Silver Creek, it’s not just about including students with disabilities, but including everyone,” Janet Decker said.

Because the Unified Basketball season has not officially begun yet, Silver Creek-Forestville brought several members to the event just to see what the sport is like at the Unified level.

In attendance on behalf of Silver Creek-Forestville were players including Julie Decker, Troy Cooper, Claire Gonzalez, Levi Lawton, Chris Marsh, Jonathan Pilski, Jacob Schwab, and Colin Shumaker; guests including David Barrett, Lilly Fox, Noah Hodkin, Ali Kerstetter, Leah Merchant, Lily Prince-Rivera, Belle Shumaker, and Aubri Waite; coaches Jen Johnson, Wes Johnson, and Brenda Kerstetter; and staff members/advisors Janet Decker, Megan Cook, Bonnie Pilski, and Janine Shumaker.

“These kids inspire me to be a better person. I feel very lucky to be their coach and go on these little journeys with them,” said Jen Johnson, Silver Creek Unified Basketball Coach. “I love watching my players have fun, make new friends, and become leaders on and off the court.”

Silver Creek-Forestville shared the stage with the Salamanca Warriors, who stepped up after another team pulled out of the event. Salamanca’s team was short-handed because the varsity boys basketball team was busy winning a Section VI, Class B Crossover game at Buffalo State College the same night. Across town from the Crossover champion Warriors, the Unified teams at the University at Buffalo did not keep score, but went home a winner all the same.

“We had a great time. Everyone went home happy,” Janet Decker said.