Blue Devil Unified Basketball Wins Consecutive Games

Huntington has one of the finest Unified athletic programs in the state, garnering a remarkable reputation since its founding in 2021/22 with 17 basketball players. Five years later there are 42 high school students in the fold, plus separate varsity programs in bocce and bowling and a newly created Challenger program at Finley Middle School.

“The Unified basketball program has grown to be one of the most exciting and popular programs in the Huntington School District,” said head coach Jordan Ioviero, who teaches physical education at Finley. “We are always encouraging more players to come out and play. We want the Unified basketball program to be experienced by as many students and members of the Huntington community as possible.”

The Challenger program is new to Finley. “We hope that by giving our students in the middle school this experience, it will continue to bring interest to our program,” Ioverio said.

The Blue Devil varsity Unified basketball team won back to back games this week, topping Walt Whitman, 52-36 and edging Half Hollow Hills West in the home opener, 48-44.

“This year our program has 11 seniors and students who will be leaving the Huntington School District,” Ioviero said. The group includes Ruby Baliber, Erika Hernandez-Veliz, Mildred Hernandez-Veliz, Ruby Hoffman, Naomi Lyons, Kiera McGuire, Cecilina Monge-Moreira, Nick Normoyle, Emma Polinsky, Hannah Kaufman and Julianna Ackerman.

“Most of these students have been with us throughout their entire high school career and have been instrumental to building this program into what it is today,” Ioviero said.

Huntington has three home games remaining:

• May 7 at 4:30 p.m. against Middle Country

• May 14 at 4:30 p.m. against Half Hollow Hills East

• May 21 4:30 p.m. against Kings Park (Senior Day)

“We would like to encourage the student body and the Huntington community to attend those home games, especially Senior Night,” Ioviero said. “We will be selling Unified basketball shirts at these games to fundraise for our program. Shirts will be $15 each for all who are interested.”

The Blue Devils’ complete roster includes Naomi Lyons, Ruby Baliber, Cecilena Monge-Moreira, Sophie Hoffman, Annabel Cassatto, Tyler Peck, Harper Cohn, Mildred Hernandez-Veliz, Emma Polinsky, Mia Marsala, Amelia Brown, Kiera McGuire, Nica DiPietro, Elliot Manu, Ruby Hoffman, Leila O'Toole, Reed Cummiskey, Michael Tucker, Andrew Guandique, Ben Weissman, Justin Feliciano, Erika Hernandez-Veliz, Nick Normoyle, Abigail Gerberg, Regan Murtagh, Aliz Araujo-Raymundo, Jack Morreale, Camilla D'Anna, Hannah Kaufman, James Ruthkowski, Danny McClellan, Brady LaCosta, McKenzie Moore, Julianna Ackerman, Hailey Collins, Alexander Morris, Luis Chavez-Hernandez, Luca DiPietro, Colin Fiore, Avante Williams Samuel, Sebastian Romero and Roodes Similien.