Last March, Hoxsie and Park elementary schools made history by playing the first-ever elementary school unified basketball game in Rhode Island.

Now, enough of the city’s elementary schools have shown interest in creating unified basketball teams for the city to have a full-blown tournament, scheduled for Saturday, March 29, with opening ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m. in Bishop Hendricken’s gym.

Unified basketball is defined by Special Olympics as competition among teams that each include people with and without intellectual disabilities. Its season typically begins in March and lasts through the spring.

Hoxsie Elementary School principal Gary McCoombs said the yearlong process of turning a history-making game into a full-on “March Madness” event started after that inaugural game last year.

“One by one, the schools started saying ‘We want to join,’” McCoombs said. “It’s been great to see the enthusiasm building for this tournament.”

Following Hoxsie’s historic game against Park, Oakland Beach formed its own team and played Hoxsie in June. Interest continued to grow, and now 12 of Warwick’s 13 elementary schools will be fielding unified basketball teams in the tournament.

“It’s really going to bring a lot of camaraderie to all the schools,” McCoombs said. “The secondary schools’ unified teams are all going to be there, and Hendricken’s team is going to be there to show that this is a K-12 endeavor. We’re going to show the state of Rhode Island that Warwick is ready to lead the state in unified sports.”

Attendees will also be able to enjoy fare from food trucks during the event, as well as a performance by Todd Angilly, the national anthem singer for the Boston Bruins, who will sing the anthem before the games begin. Uniforms for the teams are being supplied by Special Olympics of Rhode Island.

In addition to the basketball teams, unified cheerleaders will be cheering for their schools throughout the tournament. That, McCoombs said, started with Hoxsie’s game against Oakland Beach, where Oakland Beach teacher and Pilgrim cheerleading coach Halsey Gargano started coaching students at the school.

“Give her all the credit for that,” McCoombs said. “She really helped expand this.”

Different schools are at different points in terms of putting their teams together, McCoombs said. As one of the three schools that has already fielded a team, Hoxsie is further ahead, having held its fourth team practice last week.

With more teams materializing and a year under the Hoxsie team’s belt, McCoombs said, there’s been more buzz about the team in the school than there was last year.

Last year’s games were played at Warwick Veterans Memorial Middle School. One of the main reasons McCoombs gave for Hendricken’s hosting this year was the private school’s multiple courts, which allow simultaneous tournament games. McCoombs said Hendricken Athletic Director Jamal Gomes was on board with the idea as soon as he heard it, and the versatility of Hendricken’s gyms will allow the tournament to really grow.

“It takes a village, and the reality is we’ve had a lot of support from everyone, from [Director of Elementary Education] Patti Cousineau, to the School Committee, Special Olympics Rhode Island,” McCoombs said. “All of the other principals are on board. A lot of teachers and TAs are volunteering. It shows how great Warwick is that everyone’s here for the kids.

Warwick, McCoombs said, was continuing to lead the way statewide in unified sports.

“There are other school departments hearing about what’s going on, and they want to know how to get unified sports off the ground [at the elementary level] in Cranston and in Providence,” McCoombs said. “It is really starting to pick up steam.”