East came out on top, 38-34, on the scoreboard on Friday morning in a game between the Cranston East and Cranston West unified basketball teams, but without knowing the score, one would’ve had a tough time picking out the winner at the final buzzer.

Down, 38-31, in the final seconds of the game, West’s Garen Megridichian drained a three-pointer from the right corner. When the ball hit nylon, the packed gym at West erupted.

In reality, it left West four points short on the scoreboard, but the memory will last much longer than a single win or a loss.

For West coach Matt Reis, that moment is what the league is all about.

“If you watch the kids in the crowd and the players on our team after the game, we lost by four, but you wouldn’t know it after the game,” Reis said. “Looking at the kids, you couldn’t tell who won or who lost.”

The Cranston West students provided tremendous support for the two teams – and in return, East and West played a great game.

The day game at the end of the season between East and West is the best one of the year because it provides an atmosphere for the kids that is second to none.

“It’s all about (the kids),” East coach Nick Ruggieri said. “It’s not about them winning or losing, it’s about them having a great experience. They did a great job at West today of making sure these kids had a wonderful time.”

The two teams traded baskets in the opening half, as the ’Bolts took a slim, 15-14, lead into halftime.

In the second half, East was able to create a bit of a cushion on the scoreboard thanks to Khari Mitchell, who scored 17 of his game-high 24 points after the break.

Megridichian hit two three-pointers in the final minute and a half, but at that point, Mitchell’s performance was too much for the Falcons to overcome.

Megridichian scored a team-high 12 points in the game for the Falcons, while Daymian Colon registered eight, Nick Salera and Andrew Mello had three apiece and Courtenay Briggs, Taylor Knowles, Thomas Marcello and Jordan Vazquez all chipped in with two points each.

Other players that participated in the game for West were Toyosi Akanji, Ray Andolfo, Francisco Frias and Devon Vallente.

Besides Mitchell’s 24 points, East got six points from Nikolas Simijis and two apiece from Alyzabeth Bertrand, Carlos Canelo, Shania Cepeda and Salvador Rodrigues.

Other players for East that took part in the game were Arian Bodden, Axel Bourdiel, Joe DelSignore, Zachary Dionizio, Jackson Findlay, Rachel Pellegrino and Joel Suarez.

The coaches agreed that the league provides a great opportunity for all involved.

“For a lot of these kids, they haven’t been on a team before, so it makes their whole year, and the kids do such a great job,” Ruggieri said. “They’re very coachable kids and they have a great time out there.”

“I think this allows the kids to feel more invested in the whole school, outside from just the athletic part of it, than they would if this program wasn’t around,” Reis said.

Both teams will now enter the league’s playoffs, but the schedule hasn’t been released as of yet.

Regardless of who wins the title, East and West both came away as winners on Friday morning.