One thing North Atlanta students never pass up on is a reason to celebrate. After the postponement of the Dub’s homecoming in September, students and teachers awaited another opportunity to showcase their spirit. Luckily, Hoopcoming came to save the day. The enthusiasm was hard to miss in hallways with students robed in their best spirit attire: crazy costumes, cute pajamas, and NAHS merch. To cap it all off was Friday’s Pep Rally.

Cheerleaders, dancers, and marching band members gathered to help bring out the best in the crowded rows of bleachers. The celebration kicked off with a spectacular performance from the dance team, which was only rivaled by an ensemble of teachers performing the hit “Whoomp! (There It Is).” This facet of North Atlanta tradition is a student favorite; sass, camo, and talent fill the gymnasium air. Off the dance floor, one could expect to find the Warrior mascot Maximus, a competitive cheer routine, an awe-inspiring marching band performance, and the main event, the teacher-student basketball game. “Hoopcoming has been the first time since 2019 the teachers have gotten to perform together,” said AP Language and Composition teacher Deana Hasty. “We love this tradition and plan to make it bigger and better each year.”

This match-up was anything but boring. The game began in the teacher’s favor when they scored the first goal, followed by a student-shot 3-pointer – And the crowd went wild -The 2nd shot attempted by the teachers saw the ball become lodged between the backboard and the hoop, which can only be seen as a metaphor for the team’s momentum throughout the match-up. “I was on the edge of my seat the whole time,” said junior Lauren Davis. “By halftime, we were left guessing.”

High tensions and even higher spirits saw the game through to halftime, with the teachers up 13:10. However, the student team did what Dubs do best and rallied in the second half, bringing home a last-minute win. Cheers erupted through the auditorium for the effort put in by both teams. If this gathering demonstrated anything about the North Atlanta community, we get our pep from our rallying ability. “Pep rallies are one of our few opportunities to be together as a student body, and I think we all enjoyed cheering each other on,” said junior Chloe Walker.