At the committee of the whole meeting Monday night, the DeKalb City Council recognized the DeKalb High School Varsity Boys Basketball for its sportsmanship in a recent game that has attracted nationwide attention.

During a basketball game on Feb. 7, the DeKalb Barbs demonstrated an extreme case of sportsmanship while playing one of their rivals, the Milwaukee Madison Knights in Milwaukee, Wis.

Johntell Franklin, Milwaukee Madison Knights team member and co-captain, was absent from the game to be with his mother who was dying of cancer according to ABCNews.com.

Franklin showed up late for the game, giving the DeKalb Barbs two technical foul shots because Franklin was not on the roster.

The Barbs did not want to take the shots and Coaches Dave Rohlman and Chad Pecka decided to intentionally miss the shots.

Acting Mayor Kris Povlsen declared Friday, Feb. 27 “DeKalb School District 428 Athletes’ Orange and Black Day” to acknowledge their sportsmanship.

Also at the meeting, the 60-day report for the DeKalb Community Ice Rink, 100 E. Locust St., was presented.

Diane Dailing, president of Skate School LLC, presented the numbers to the council.

There were 1,200 visitors that used the ice rink in the first 60 days of operation.

“I’m totally sold on synthetic ice rinks,” Dailing said.

The ice rink offered “learn to skate classes” as well as opportunities for private parties and events.

“We’ve had a very very good response from children taking lessons,” Dailing said.

The ice rink is used by numerous members of the community, Dailing said.

“A lot of age groups came out and used the ice,” Dailing said. “A lot of teens that come can put their own personal iPod on our music system.”

With 44.3 inches of snow in December and January and 13 forced closures due to inclement weather, the ice rink learned a lot in its first 60 days.

“We learned a lot… about how the weather affects the surface,” Dailing said.

The rink will be closing in March and will stay closed through May with plans to re-open in June.

“When the kids go back to school, we’ll close,” Dailing said.

The plan is to then be open from October through January and possibly part of February for next season.