Jazz ‘Golden Girls’ Win NBA Math Hoops Championship

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –  The Utah Jazz finally have a championship to their name. That is, the “The Golden Girls” of the NBA Math Hoops tournament, who represent the Jazz won the championship in the team’s name.

Carden Memorial School six-graders Emma Peterson and Kapri Peterson won the Math Hoops tournament Thursday night. NBA Math Hoops encourages math fundamentals using the game of basketball.

According to a release from the Jazz, the Salt Lake City students “defeated ‘Team Lions,’ who represented the Milwaukee Bucks, in the Finals. “The Golden Girls” were joined virtually by Utah Jazz Bear during the semifinal and championship rounds, which were streamed live on the Learn Fresh YouTube channel.”

The Golden Girls beat Team lions 39-20 in a runaway victory.

“NBA Math Hoops, in partnership with nonprofit Learn Fresh, is a fast-paced basketball board game that emphasizes foundational math and social-emotional skills,” The release read. “The Jazz, with support from Larry H. Miller Charities, implemented NBA Math Hoops at the start of the 2016-17 season.

“During the 2019-20 season, the program supported 3,500 students from 50 schools, after-school programs and nonprofits across the state of Utah, teaching basic arithmetic, geometry, percentages and statistical analysis through an engaging curriculum.”

A huge congratulations to the Golden Girls, representing the @utahjazz, for their victory! And a big congratulations to the Lions for making it here! Both teams have been amazing all tournament, with great sportsmanship all around.

— NBA Math Hoops (@NBAMathHoops) September 3, 2020

The Golden Girls are the second local team to win the national tournament in the last three seasons. “In 2018, sixth-grader Angela Montelongo of Mary W. Jackson Elementary and fifth-grader Will Cooley of Carden Memorial School won the NBA Math Hoops National Championship at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.”