The energy inside gymnasiums across the city of Helena was unmistakable. You could feel it in the intensity of the teams, hear the squeak of shoes on basketball floors (my personal favorite), and the smiles that stretched from baseline to baseline. The 2025 State Basketball Tournament wrapped up a three-year run in the Capital City, and it went out in style.

This year’s tournament brought together 1,235 participants who turned Helena into a celebration of competition, community, and pure joy. The numbers alone tell the story. There were 725 athletes, 115 Unified partners, 176 coaches, and 219 team volunteers. Together, they formed 105 teams that played a total of 248 games. If basketballs earned frequent flyer miles, they’d be vacationing somewhere tropical right now.

Competition filled every corner of the event. Thirty-seven teams battled it out in 3v3 Traditional, while another seventeen took the court in 3v3 Unified. The 5v5 action was just as electric with twenty-seven Traditional teams and twenty-four Unified teams. And 130 Individual Skills athletes gave everything they had, proving that heart and hustle show up in many forms.

The medal count reflected the hard work athletes put in before the tournament. Athletes earned 300 gold, 260 silver, 180 bronze, and 100 fourth-place ribbons. Those moments on the awards podium were packed with pride and disappointment, but sportsmanship always shone through.

As Helena passes the torch, we celebrate a community that welcomed Special Olympics Montana with open arms for three remarkable years. Thank you, Helena, for the cheers, the hospitality, and the memories that will last long after the final buzzer.

Next up, a new chapter. The State Basketball Tournament heads to Butte from 2026 through 2028, and the excitement is already building. If the next three years are anything like the last three, we’re in for something special.

Helena, you gave us your heart. Butte, you’re on deck. Let’s play.