Lubinger: Chardon basketball game was “therapeutic, a respite, a distraction”

With the city of Chardon attempting to work its way back to normalcy following the tragic shootings which took place earlier this week, The Plain Dealer’s Bill Lubinger comes through with an excellent and telling recap of last night’s boys basketball game between the Chardon Hilltoppers and the Madison Blue Streaks.

Despite being blue and white, the Madison team came out in black and red, the colors worn by Chardon. Both teams locked arms during the singing of the National Anthem. Four buses were needed to transport students to the Euclid high school gym, a venue chosen to accommodate the larger-than-normal crowd.

Per Lubinger:

The first event, period, since a student pulled a gun from his bag Monday morning and killed three classmates, seriously injuring two others.

“We all need to just be together as a student body,” said Chardon senior Matt Leskovec, the Crazies’ leader. “This is, like, fundamental to our healing process.”

Fans on both sides, Chardon and Madison alike, wore the Hilltoppers school colors or pinned black and red ribbons on their chests. Many fans had no Madison or Chardon connection, and no particular interest in basketball. They just felt the need to be there.

They spoke of a game as therapeutic, a respite, a distraction — even if only for a few hours.

The Chardon team won the contest, 78-59, but the final score was by no means the story on this very evening.

Lubinger’s piece is well worth the read.

[Related: Larry Dolan issues statement about the tragic shootings in Chardon]