NOAH Basketball Players Have Unbeatable Bond

By Kyle Dierking, NewsOn6.com

BROKEN ARROW, OK -- They're basketball brethren and best friends. Its NOAH's Jarett Boss and Rodrigo Madera: a one-two punch on the court and in life.

"It's a crazy friendship - that's all there is to say," Boss said.

But there's much more to this story. Boss met Madera last summer in the Dominican Republic where a basketball bond was formed and a language barrier was broken.

"We saw this 6-foot-11 kid so we went over there and said, ‘hey man how's it going," Boss said.

"I was the only one who spoke English," Madera said.

"A little bit of English - he's better now," Boss said.

They parted ways in the Dominican but kept in touch. Eventually, Boss asked Madera to join him in America on the Northeast Oklahoma Association of Homeschools basketball team.

"I expected to go down there and get a lot of good competition and it was a ministry opportunity for us," Boss said. "We came back with Rodrigo - a new roommate and teammate. I never thought it would happen."

For Madera, it was a complete culture change. From leaving friends and family all the way down to the brand of basketball.

"I've lived with my parents all my life," Madera said. "It's changed from living with my parents to moving here to another country. It's a big difference."

Together, the best friends are making a big impact for NOAH. Boss is putting up 20 points and seven assists per game while Madera is average a double-double with nearly 11 points, 12 boards and three blocks.

"Chemistry goes into a lot of that in that we get along," Boss said. "He listens to what I tell him. I listen to what he tells me."

Both will be playing college basketball next season. Whether they play together or apart, they've forged a lifetime friendship.

"There are a few schools that want both of us," Boss said. "That'd be ideal but if not, I'll probably be playing at the next level somewhere. So I'll do my thing and he'll do his thing but we'll stay in touch no matter what happens."