The OA Unified Basketball team won their last game of the season against Easton first responders on October 27th. The team is extremely proud of their accomplishments this season and they cannot wait to start another season next year.
The team captain, Anelisse Alicea Arroyo, saw tremendous progress within the team. She joined the team in 2024 and got to see the Unified Basketball program grow. 
“I’m proud of the kids that joined, but didn’t join last year. They took a step of courage to be on this team, and I am super proud of them for making that step,” Anelisse said.
A team member, Joshua Farmer, is a senior here at OA. He has been on the Unified Basketball team for one year and he has seen tremendous progress in his skills.
“My favorite memory this year is getting my second three-pointer in front of the home crowd. Today, I am very excited to play in front of the home crowd for one last time. I love the energy when they are here,” Josh excitedly said.
Police Chief Keith Boone, a member of first responder team, played the Unified Basketball team two years in a row. He enjoys and looks forward to this game every year. 
“We love doing everything we can in the community, so having some fun like this, when we get out of work, is always a good time. We played with these guys last year, we had a blast and it will be really fun to get back out there,” Boone said before the game. 
As the season came to a close for the Unified Basketball team, Coach Marani is very proud of the growth and teamwork shown this season. Coach Marani started the Unified Basketball team and is tremendously impressed by the impact and growth this team has made for the Easton community. She looks back on the season with pride and gratitude.
“We had absolutely fantastic kids on the team this year. They give so genuinely of themselves to one another, and there is so much joy in that space. Like every team, we encounter challenges together, but we stay focused on trying to get better and having fun every day. I think we did that, and it’s because of the wonderful athletes, partners, families, and community we have behind us,” Ms. Marani said.
