They’ve got game

Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian

GAME ON — El Dorado County Probation Department staff go up against the Gold Country Golden Eagles in a basketball game at Lord’s Gym in Diamond Springs May 17. The Golden Eagles are a team of El Dorado County Office of Education Charter College and Career Prep students who want to learn how to play basketball, or for those who couldn’t play in high school, to give them a platform to build confidence and equal competition amongst themselves. Tracy Bunch, who manages the at-promise basketball nonprofit organization, collaborated with probation staff for a community-building competition to help break stigmas around probation officers and their assistants. The Golden Eagles players, ranging in age from early to late teens, outhooped the probation all-stars team this year in the fourth-annual game and were awarded an honorary trophy at the end of the game. Family, friends and community supporters came to cheer on both teams.