{"id":586250,"date":"2026-02-06T12:57:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T12:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/586250\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:57:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T12:57:25","slug":"conval-unified-basketball-team-finishes-undefeated-with-buzzer-beater-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/586250\/","title":{"rendered":"ConVal Unified Basketball Team finishes undefeated with buzzer-beater win"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheThe ConVal Unified Basketball Team taking a stand as player\u2019s and partner\u2019s names are called out before the start of the game. Credit: TYLER DION \/ Ledger-Transcript<\/p>\n

The ConVal Cougars Unified Basketball Team ended its season undefeated after winning the final game 47-46 against the undefeated Milford Spartans. The final score was decided by ConVal player Brennan White\u2019s buzzer-beater shot.<\/p>\n

While the game on Friday, Jan. 30 was close, ConVal had a few standout performances that sealed the deal.<\/p>\n

In addition to White scoring the game-winner, his poise throughout the game also netted his team much needed points.<\/p>\n

Numbers 13 and 31, C.J. Anderson and Josiah Wisenburg, put on a great performance as well. The two showed great chemistry as they assisted one another in scoring points throughout the game. They also showed little apprehension in riling the crowd during periodic lulls in their enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\"ConVal'sConVal\u2019s Josiah Wisenburg shoots for two in traffic. Credit: TYLER DION \/ Ledger-Transcript<\/p>\n

The unified basketball program is a varsity sport founded on community and support. <\/p>\n

\u201cLife Skills students are paired with partners who support them throughout the season,\u201d ConVal Unified Basketball head coach Kevin Carne said. \u201cThey play every game together side-by-side.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to coach Matthew Harris, the job of each player\u2019s partner is to get rebounds. \u201cWe tell the partners the more rebounds they get, the more shots on net the players get.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe seasons are usually six to eight games each,\u201d Carne noted. Each game is split into two 16-minute periods.<\/p>\n

Carne said multiple avenues are used to recruit players. \u201cFor partners, we look at students on other sports teams. Three girls are from the lacrosse team, which I also coach.\u201d He said advertisements are also used to promote the team\u2019s first meeting of the season in an attempt to enlist potential players.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now we have 19 players. The most we\u2019ve had was 28. Numbers are never an issue and we never cut anyone,\u201d Carne said.<\/p>\n

As the last game of the season, the seniors on each team were recognized. Charley Pyle, Zadie Marshall and Scarlett Rogers represented ConVal.<\/p>\n

\"ConValConVal Head Coach Kevin Carne gives some mid-game advice at the start of the second half. From left Zadie Marshall, Brennan White, Charley Pyle, Josiah Wisenburg, Kevin Carne, C.J. Anderson. Credit: TYLER DION \/ Ledger-Transcript<\/p>\n

\u201cI started partnering with the team my freshman year,\u201d Pyle stated. With an athletic background, Pyle\u2019s English teacher Alexis Harris told Coach Matthew Harris to recruit her. \u201cMs. Harris knew I\u2019d enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI started my sophomore year. I learned about the unified program through Charley,\u201d Marshall said, adding that she, too, met Coach Harris through Alexis Harris.<\/p>\n

Both players said when their time at ConVal comes to a close later this year, they hope to take the idea of community they\u2019ve gained from the unified team with them wherever they go. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith Unified Basketball, it\u2019s not about the game, it\u2019s about the community. Everyone is so supportive,\u201d Pyle said. She mentioned the friendships she\u2019s formed during the program. \u201cZadie and I met one of our best friends, Darcy, through the program.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel that, too,\u201d Marshall added. \u201cThe sport is so inclusive. All the players are loved and everyone jokes around with one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also noted how she loves the spirit of the team and the general level of enthusiasm the team conveys. \u201cEveryone is always so excited.\u201d <\/p>\n

Freshman partner Brennan Schaub said he got his start in the unified program with the soccer team. \u201cI played on the Unified Soccer Team in the fall,\u201d he said. \u201cKevin told me about the basketball team, so signed up.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Schaub enjoys most about the sport is winning. \u201cWinning is my favorite, but the game is a lot less stressful than traditional basketball, so it\u2019s more fun. Everyone just wants to have a good time and cheers each other on.\u201d <\/p>\n

The ConVal student body filled the high school\u2019s gymnasium to support the team, matching the energy on the basketball court. Whether it was a point scored or big rebound, the team\u2019s fans weren\u2019t shy about expressing their support and enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe ConVal student body had no shortage of energy during the game. Credit: TYLER DION \/ Ledger-Transcript<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a really special community,\u201d ConVal Principal Heather McKillop said, calling her students amazing. McKillop couldn\u2019t find the words to express the pride she had in both the student body and the basketball team. \u201cThey\u2019re all just really good kids, cheering on their classmates for better or worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been coaching the team for 11 years now, and every year is just as good as the last,\u201d Carne said. \u201cEvery game is just a blast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harris who is in his fifth year coaching the team, said he never wants to walk away from his players. \u201cI used to coach football and baseball. Once I joined the unified team, I stopped coaching the other sports because I just wasn\u2019t willing to give it up.\u201d He said unified basketball is too much fun and that he\u2019s never seen a player or a student leave a game with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing I love most about coaching the team is that it\u2019s a chance to give back to kids who deserve a chance to play,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\"CoachCoach Matthew Harris brings C.J. Anderson and Josiah Wisenburg in for a break. Credit: TYLER DION \/ Ledger-Transcript<\/p>\n

After his first season with the team, Coach Tyler Mudrick has similar feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoaching the team is satisfying and rewarding,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything from the genuine reactions coming from the student body supporting the team, to the kids just being excited to be here.\u201d <\/p>\n

While it may have been the last official game of the season for the Cougars, the school is hosting a Staff vs. Students unified basketball game Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. in the ConVal gymnasium as a sendoff for February vacation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The ConVal Unified Basketball Team taking a stand as player\u2019s and partner\u2019s names are called out before the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":586251,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3724],"tags":[7,78827,78828],"class_list":["post-586250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-basketball","tag-conval-high-school","tag-homecenterpiece1"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116023804255607621","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=586250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=586250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=586250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=586250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}