2015 -- S 0871

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF BOYS

BASKETBALL TEAM ON WINNING THE EASTERN SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION II BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

     Introduced By: Senators Goodwin, Ruggerio, Paiva Weed, Lombardo, and Metts

     Date Introduced: April 29, 2015

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, For the first time since 2003, the Rhode Island School for the Deaf (RISD)

Boys Basketball Team won the Eastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic Association (ESDAA)

Division II Championship; and

     WHEREAS, In a thrilling tournament played in Portland, Maine, the RISD Boys

Basketball Team easily prevailed in their first game, defeating Governor Baxter School 56 to 18.

Due to an impending blizzard, the RISD team had to play two games on the same Saturday. In the

first game, they defeated three-seeded Delaware School for the Deaf 56 to 44, thanks in part to

the outstanding play of Senior Captain Jairee Hill, who scored 26 points and grabbed 14

rebounds; and

     WHEREAS, In the Championship game, the RISD team faced their arch-rival, one-

seeded the American School for the Deaf. Playing their best game of the season, the RISD team

jumped out early to a commanding 31 to 10 halftime lead. Once again Jairee Hill led the way

with 26 points and 7 rebounds, leading the Rhode Island School for the Deaf to a 58 to 36 win

and their ninth ESDAA Division II Championship. Jairee Hill and Ariel Gonzalez were named

First Team All-Stars, and Alphonso Sackor was named a Second Team All-Star; and

     WHEREAS, Winning a championship in a team sport requires that everyone on the team

be completely committed and focused on team goals, even if they come at the expense of

individual aspirations. The Rhode Island School for the Deaf was blessed with an abundance of

those kinds of players as everyone on the team contributed significantly to their championship

season, including Tyler Travers, Jairee Hill, Justin Rahn, Joe Santiago, Zachary Sousa, Alphonso

Sackor, Ariel Gonzalez, Junito Diaz, Mario Pacheco, Kyle Corsetti, and Timothy Jallah. The

RISD Team also benefitted all season from the superb coaching and leadership provided by Todd

Murano; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates the Rhode Island School for the Deaf Boys Basketball Team on winning the

Eastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic Association Division II Basketball Championship; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Todd Murano, Rhode Island School for the

Deaf, Boys Basketball Head Coach.

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