State Unified Basketball Tournament about competition, inclusion [Video]

An amazing competition will unfold in downtown Minneapolis Thursday, one that celebrates both spirited competition and the inclusion of athletes at all levels. 

The 2024 Unified State Basketball Tourney unfolds on the court of Target Center starting at 8 a.m., bringing together teams from Bemidji, Eagan, Lakeville South, Menahga, Champlin Park, Proctor, and Roosevelt High Schools to play for a state crown. 

Organizers say Unified is a celebration of acceptance and inclusion, where athletes – both with disabilities and without – take the court together and compete. It is part of Special Olympics Minnesota’s Unified Champion School Program. 

“Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path …