ALTON - The crowd was fired up as Alton Middle School students took on staff members in an end-of-year basketball game.
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On Thursday, May 21, 2026, the school celebrated the start of the summer with a major game between staff members and the boys and girls basketball teams. Alton Middle School Athletic Director Scott Harper said they were competing for “some bragging rights fun,” but it was an intense game as students and staff battled it out on the court.
The eighth grade basketball team members led the charge. Students won last year’s game after many years of staff members taking the title, so it was a redemption arc that students were eager to fulfill.
But once again, the staff ultimately triumphed.
“The important thing today is that the teachers won the basketball game,” joked Principal Dr. Brian Saenz. “The old folks won.”
The staff received several accusations of cheating in the hours following the game, Saenz added, but the two referees made sure everyone played fairly and had fun.
Though the staff members took the championship, the students still enjoyed the last-day assembly. They were eager to mark the start of summer break and excited to cheer on their classmates.
“Talk about a home field advantage,” Saenz laughed. “The kids were just screaming and chanting and cheering for the eighth graders. The teachers would score a three-pointer and the place is quiet. It’s like being in a visiting arena.”
The eighth graders had a successful final day of middle school. Saenz and the rest of the staff members wish them well as they prepare for their next chapter at Alton High School.
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