A Special Olympics North Carolina team made up of three SONC athletes and two Unified partners brought home a silver medal in their division in the 2025 Special Olympics North America Unified Women’s 3×3 Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Aug. 6.
Ten teams of Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean competed in the tournament. Unified competition allows individuals with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics athletes, and individuals without intellectual disabilities, Unified partners, to train and compete together.
Special Olympics North Carolina’s team included:
• Gabi Angelini, Wake County, athlete
• Elli Baumann, Durham County, Unified partner
• Clare Feole, Orange County, athlete
• Loranda Quicksey-Mills, Lee County, athlete
• Takiyah Rustin, Cabarrus County, Unified partner
• Kayla Crayton, Cabarrus County, coach
“This team doesn’t give up, stop or slow down. They gave it everything they had for the whole tournament,” Crayton said.
3×3 basketball (pronounced “three-ex-three”) is a fast-paced, half-court version of traditional basketball. It’s officially governed by FIBA and has grown from streetball roots into a globally recognized sport—even making its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. A key feature is that teams are made up of three players on the court per team. Games are played for 10 minutes or end sooner when the first team scores 21 points. It’s a half-court format and a single hoop. The basketball is unique in that it is the same weight as a standard men’s ball but slightly smaller.
The tournament was held in partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment and the Indiana Fever.