In a high school gym, the sounds are familiar — balls bouncing, high tops squeaking on the court and teammates cheering.

But unified basketball is not just a game; it’s a space where students of all abilities come together as teammates, playing together on the floor to build friendships, confidence and community through sports. The focus isn’t only on winning, it’s on inclusion, sportsmanship and connection.

That spirit carried all the way to the biggest moment of the season for two Murray High athletes. While the team didn’t qualify for the championship game, Murray High’s Jane Gilmore and Olivia Spencer demonstrated their basketball skills during a break in play at the state championships.

Their heartwarming showcase drew smiles and applause from the crowd in the Delta Center.

While Salt Lake Valley teams from Jordan High, Hunter High and Herriman High won state titles in their divisions, the players say playing unified basketball is more than a title.

Across Utah, with more than 250 Utah high school unified teams, other players emphasize the game has given them friendship, growth and joy.

Murray High’s Parker May loves the game, especially shooting the ball, and playing with friends while teammate senior Hayden Gardner said he loves the confidence his teammates have gained over the season.

Murray High senior Ethan Teusher added: “There is simple joy in spending time together whether we’re playing basketball or a game of Uno.”

Jordan High senior Alejandro Beltran Lopez plays with pride and purpose.

“I want to continue my dad’s legacy in playing sports,” he said. “He taught me a little and coach taught me more; Dad’s happy for me.”

Beltran Lopez said unified sports helped pave friendships with his teammates, from eating lunch together to watching the movie, “Elf.”

“We’ve had others at school support us too,” he said. “Unified soccer was fun; we wanted to beat Bingham at state championship (played at America First Field last fall), but it’s OK we lost because being a good sport means accepting defeat.”

For his teammate, junior and peer tutor Sawyer Herzog, unified sports extends beyond the court.

“I love this,” he said. “We’ve become friends and I probably wouldn’t have met him if not. We’ve become genuine friends. We hang out, doing puzzles, watching Switch TV, talking, I help with math and ELA (English Language Arts). My whole family loves him.”

At Alta High, senior and peer leadership team member Macey Rockwood sees unified sports as something bigger.

“The goal of PLT is to make the community better, so through unified sports, we can support them,” she said. “Everyone deserves a community.”

Rockwood has refereed and ran the score table at unified tournaments and enjoys helping others succeed.

“It’s satisfying to help others have fun and have a sense of accomplishment,” she said.

For players like Corner Canyon sophomore Mia Lems, the competition still matters, but so does kindness.

“I like to take down the other team,” she said. “I’ve made friends with other teams too. I like to give them handshakes and clap and give high-fives for making good shots.”

Lems’ teammate, senior Fisher Ghiz, didn’t realize how much unified basketball would change him.

“It has taught me patience; it has taught me how to make friends with those different than me,” Ghiz said. “I used to be shy, but they’re so social, I’ve become more outward. This is awesome. I want to keep playing in college.”