FALL RIVER – When the Lakers finally scored and ended their second game at the Durfee High School unified basketball jamboree with a 36-34 victory against Seekonk, the entire team swarmed onto the basketball court to celebrate.

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Lakers went to triple overtime to score the game winning basket against Seekonk and end what had been an evenly matched tie. Lakers coach Nicole Briggs said that her team had “earned” the victory.

“We went into triple overtime, which has never happened in my experience before,” Briggs said. “The kids have earned it. They’ve worked so hard all season. They get better every single practice and every game. They definitely worked hard for that moment.”

Briggs highlighted defense as an area the team had worked all season to improve. “We’ve gotten way better at taking the ball, chasing the ball, and just not being afraid of the ball,” she said.

Unified basketball is a sport where students who are enrolled in special education programs play on the same team as students not enrolled in those programs.

Briggs said that unified basketball is a way for students to create meaningful friendships and to be included in the school community.

“I think they’ve made a lot of friendships that are going to last way outside of basketball,” Briggs said.

“It’s not about winning. It’s about coming out, having fun, and showing that we are an inclusive sport.”