Air Donkey

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

March Madness may be to blame for the controlled chaos that filled the Bigfork High School gym last Thursday evening.

Donkey basketball, a variation of the standard game of basketball, came to Bigfork March 15 to raise money for BHS’ junior class. Donkey Sports Inc. of Entiat, Wash. supplied the donkeys for the three games — boys vs. girls, seniors vs. faculty and a championship game.

“It was definitely a little different than a normal game of basketball,” Jessica Austin, a member of the faculty team, said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”

The boys’ team, which was composed of Julian Taylor, Casey Brown, Levi Dockstader, Brad Bell, Justin Goode and Cheyne Shoultz, came back to defeat the girls’ team — Alyssa Fierro, Roxy Thurman, Cecily Whistler, Brittany Hall, Jill Graham and Jaylee Haveman — 12-6.

In the 5-on-5 game, four players must be on their donkeys or holding the reins. The center remains at half court in the circle to get loose balls, receive passes, or pass the ball. They may also inbound the ball from the sideline.

Hall made the first basket of the game, and evening, to put the girls ahead 2-0 but the boys tied the game at four apiece. The game was tied at 6-6 as well, but the boys regained the lead and finished strong.

The next game pitted seniors Lukas Williams, Cameron Clayton, Aaron Vogel, Kaemyn Meagher and John White against faculty members Jim Epperly, Austin, Thom Peck, Ryan Nolan and Matt Porrovecchio.

The faculty led throughout the entire game until the seniors tired the game at 10-10 in the second quarter with little time remaining on the clock. The faculty was unable to score with their last possession and the game went into overtime. Not wanting to over-exert the donkeys, it was a sudden-death overtime with the first basket winning the game. Peck’s shot went in to seal the faculty’s 12-10 win over the seniors.

Some participants struggled to control their donkeys, as some moved quicker than others and some did not want to move at all.

“I guess it’s just the luck of the draw,” Austin said. She was able to score a number of baskets for the faculty due to the quickness and location of her donkey. “I came close to the basket a lot.”

The faculty struggled against the boys’ team in the championship game. They trailed the boys 0-4 before scoring their first basket. Dockstader made a 3-point basket to lengthen the boys’ lead to 7-4. The boys won the game 9-4.