West Linn Unified Basketball travels to Tigard for a mid-season game
By Garrett Arendt, West Linn High School
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February 18, 2026
Garrett Arendt
’Lions on three.’ Neal Glynn, health and Unified teacher and Unified basketball coach, leads a pregame huddle with the athletes. When it comes to coaching the team, Glynn has three main goals: “Lots of smiles, lots of hugs, and having a good time,” Glynn said.
Playing in the latter half of the season, on Feb. 10, the Unified basketball team traveled to Tigard High School to play their Unified basketball team. The game ended in a loss for the Lions, 68—62.
Sky-high high-five. Tristan Davis, freshman, gives Dr. Ryan Jordan, Psychology teacher and Unified basketball coach, a jumping high five while lining up for introductions. Known as the “Freshman Phenom”, Davis joins his team on the court as names are being called. “Our district prides itself on 100% inclusion, and this is how we get there,” Jordan said. “We break down the barriers between students; we can all come together for that one common goal and find success.” (Garrett Arendt)’Lions on three.’ Neal Glynn, health and Unified teacher and Unified basketball coach, leads a pregame huddle with the athletes. When it comes to coaching the team, Glynn has three main goals: “Lots of smiles, lots of hugs, and having a good time,” Glynn said. (Garrett Arendt)Shuffling to score. In transition, Sophie Maher, senior, runs to get open for a pass. With the Lions scoring 62 points, many of the athletes contributed to the score. “Everyone had a lot of success,” Jordan said. “We’re getting into our rhythm, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.” (Garrett Arendt)Finding space. Maher takes a shot in the paint uncontested to count down the lead Tigard is holding. Brubaker views team chemistry as a highlight of the sport. “My favorite parts of Unified are hanging out with friends, celebrating if we win or lose, and cheering people on,” Brubaker said. (Garrett Arendt)Sweet celebration. In the paint, Greta Draper, freshman, and Nora Bevilacqua, senior, high-five each other after Draper made a basket. Bevilacqua has been playing Unified Sports for two years, joining because it seemed like a good cause. “I think that Unified [Sports] is really important because it helps to create a very supportive and encouraging space for my teammates,” Bevilacqua said. (Garrett Arendt)Dream team. Joanna Landazuri, junior, takes a shot while Gracie Rooney, junior, boxes out some of the opposition from blocking her. (Garrett Arendt)Against the defense. Dribbling down the court, Caleb Jernberg, junior, is met with two Tigard defenders. Jernberg capped off the game with four 3-pointers made. “It helps you communicate with the team, gets you to make new friends, be out there supporting and coming out,” Jernberg said. (Garrett Arendt)Leading lions. On the sideline, Glynn tells Grace Heath, junior, to run back on defense. Glynn has been the Unified Sports coach for all teams since he started working at West Linn. “It’s a representation of a bigger piece of what we want to do ultimately, and want to try and teach with everybody, not just on the basketball court or the soccer field or whatever,” Glynn said. “I think it’s just part of how we want to teach our kids to interact with each other and respect each other and support each other.” (Garrett Arendt)Looking up to success. While Heath prepares to take a shot, Bevilacqua looks up in anticipation of a rebound. “I have loved getting to know my teammates and building close relationships with them,” Bevilacqua said. “I’m hoping that everyone is able to get a basket this season.” (Garrett Arendt)Diligent dribbling. Olyvia Brubaker, freshman, receives the ball on the visiting side and starts dribbling down the court. As it’s her first year on the team, Brubaker finds a difference between competing in middle school and high school. “It is different because now we have a larger group,” Brubaker said. (Garrett Arendt)Helping hand. Liam Jones and Lucy Lorenzen, juniors, dribble the ball together in the paint to cut down the lead that Tigard is holding. Jones and Lorenzen have been friends since middle school, with Lorenzen joining to spend more time with him. “[Jones] started getting involved in Unified Sports more, and I was involved in theater, and I do the musical every year, so I couldn’t really participate in [Unified] Soccer,” Lorenzen said. “I don’t get to see Liam all that often besides school, so there’s another place that I could just get to hang out with my friends.” (Garrett Arendt)Cheer together. On the bench, after the Lions scored, the team cheered them on as they went back onto defense. “What’s important about basketball is being out there, supporting a team, getting the shots up and having the good vibes, having good energy,” Jernberg said. (Garrett Arendt)Beating the clock. Towards the end of the game, Davis jumps up to take a last-second shot inside the paint. “My personal opinion is people are too scared to talk to these kids and too scared they’re gonna do the wrong thing, but you’re doing the wrong thing by not talking to them,” Lorenzen said. (Garrett Arendt)
This story was originally published on wlhsNOW on February 13, 2026.
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