The first ever unified basketball game in Wenatchee School District history will be played against Eastmont on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Wenatchee High School main gym. Admission is free.

The Golden Apple Band and WHS cheerleading team will encourage the players during the game, and the WHS dance team will perform at halftime.

The WHS team is comprised of Special Olympics athletes and student partners. Special Olympics has provided the players with jerseys, basketballs, and other gear.

“The level of basketball isn’t probably going to be what attracts people to come, it’s going to be getting to watch the kids participate,” WHS Athletic Director Jim Beeson said. “It’s things like this you can’t put a price on — seeing how much fun [the kids] have. I can already picture how excited Gavin Zufall is going to get with the band playing and the cheerleaders cheering.”

After a huge success with a unified soccer game held at WHS last spring, basketball was chosen from a number of programs offered by Special Olympics, according to Beeson. The positive reactions from both the players and parents, Beeson said, is why another unified game has been organized.

“You could see the impact it had on the kids, [especially] the Special Olympic athletes — just going and seeing Jesse’s face when he scored a goal,” Beeson said.