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Winter Rally 2020: Staff victory and Prom Reveal

Students will have to wait yet another year for the chance to defeat their teachers after the staff team emerged victorious from the annual Palo Alto High School student-versus-staff Winter Rally basketball game during Tutorial on Tuesday.

Despite the loss, senior Frida Rivera, who was a player for the senior team and is also the Associated Student Body vice president, said she enjoyed the experience.

“The student-staff basketball game is something that everyone looks forward to when they’re seniors,” Rivera said. “I know I definitely had a really good time during the game and got to live out my dream of being a basketball superstar.”

The rally opened with a hip-hop performance from the Paly Dance Team to a compilation of songs featuring “Grown Woman” by Beyoncé, “Manolo” by Trip Lee, and “Pure Water” by Mustard & Migos.

The teachers took an early lead, wrapping up the first quarter, 2-9. The senior team attempted to make up the difference with a three-pointer by senior Michael Young soon after the buzzer signaled the end of the second quarter. At the start of the third quarter, Steven Brown, the assistant coach for boys’ varsity basketball, quickly retaliated with a three-pointer for the teachers.

“I’ve got to give it to the teachers,” senior class vice president Teddy Butler said. “Mr. Brown — he just slid up the court. I think he dropped three, three-pointers. Just an incredible, important performance. Player of the game.”

At half time, the Associated Student Board Body revealed this year’s prom location through a free-throw game, where volunteers made free throws, revealing one letter per shot. Upon completing the game, Butler revealed the San Jose Tech Museum as the prom location.

With the seniors trailing, 9-20, at the top of the fourth quarter, senior Johnny Yang gained momentum with two layups, but the staff quickly responded with renewed energy. As the game wrapped up, the entire senior team flooded the court to defend against the staff for the remaining 20 seconds. Despite their efforts, the staff won, 20-15.

Senior Aaron Ma attempts to evade Brown and make a three point shot.

Despite the strong performance from the teachers, there has been suspicion among some students in recent years that the game is weighted towards the staff winning.

“They’re [the referees] trying so hard to make the staff win,” Yang said. “I appreciate their efforts, but the result was not very pleasing for us.”

However, referee, economics, and Social Justice Pathway teacher Eric Bloom said he believes the odds were not in the staff’s favor, but that they "dominated" the game.

“They [the staff] have shown not only their skill but their ability to strategize in a dynamic play environment,” Bloom said. “It's all about athleticism, and I think it's really important for me as an official to recognize one of my jobs is to level the playing field and I felt that the field was very level.”

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