The Lake Mills and Belmond-Klemme eighth-grade boys’ basketball teams were nominated for the National Award of Excellence presented by the Iowa High School Athletic Association, according to a press release.

The honor is given to a school or individual who shows good sportsmanship, ethics and integrity.

Jamie Underwood, a basketball player form Lake Mills scored two points Dec. 12 against Belmond-Klemme. Underwood has autism.

The Belmond-Klemme defenders cleared the lane for Underwood and game officials, Greg Parks and Matt Bethke, bent the rules to make Underwood’s day.