On March 2, an unlikely moment of camaraderie unfolded between two high school basketball rivals in Pikeville, Kentucky. The Martin County High School boys’ basketball team was in the final quarter of a tense game when music suddenly began playing. It wasn’t their own small 23-member band, which was unable to cheer them on due to a bus driver shortage.
The Pike County Central Band had found themselves with some downtime before their school’s game and noticed one team had a band cheering them on while the other didn’t. Jason Johnson, director of the Pike Central Band, explained that after some encouragement from audience members and cheerleaders, his band decided to take action and perform for the Martin County Cardinals.
The atmosphere immediately changed when the band started playing. Energy soared through the arena as kids supported each other with enthusiasm. An added bonus? The Martin County Cardinals won 80-71 in overtime.