(Plain Press, May 2014)In early April, three seventh-grade students from Luis Muñoz Marin School won the first National Basketball Association (NBA) Math Hoops State Championship in the grades 6-8 bracket.

Students Antonella Vera, Hector Castro, and DaShaun Brooks were honored at halftime of the Cleveland Cavaliers game on Saturday, April 5^th after winning the competition the night before.

NBA Math Hoops is a “fast-paced basketball board game and mobile app that allows students to learn fundamental math skills through direct engagement with the real statistics of their favorite NBA and WNBA players,” according to the organization’s website.

NBA Math Hoops curriculum is tied to Common Core State Standards and 21^st Century Learning Skills, and it has been shown to improve students’ basic math skills and understanding of statistics, in addition to their interpersonal skills, driving them to collaborate more effectively with their peers, says the organization’s website.

NBA Math Hoops is developed and distributed by Learn Fresh, a 501c3 nonprofit organization in association with NBA Cares. Learn Fresh seeks to eliminate racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps and ensure that all U.S. students are engaged in school and have a solid foundation in fundamental skills.