Three seconds left on the clock, a shot is put up. The crowd waits in silence as the ball falls through the net. The thrilling narrow victory, followed by the coach’s pep talk, pumps adrenaline to the max as the team vainly tries to calm emotions before heading back to the hotel and preparing for the next day’s games.

“I enjoy being off from school,” Brandon Cain, ’06, said. “All the responsibilities of school are lifted and I can finally enjoy my life.”

The setting of an away tournament is completely different than that of a normal game. The players must adjust themselves in order to maintain their mentality for the game at hand.

“It is so laid back outside of the games,” Cain said. “It is hard to be serious during the games sometimes.”

Team bonding is very prominent on away tournaments. They do many things as a team that would not usually be done at normal times.

“Doing things as a team is really fun,” Layne Meadows, ’05, said. “We go to the mall, the movies, and even theme parks together. Also, every breakfast and dinner we have is as a team.”

The players are always thinking about the next game at hand, even if the next game is not until the next day.

“How we play in the games determines how much fun we have,” Meadows said. “Losing games might make Coach upset, so we try to do our best to please him in every way that we can.”

Despite being away from school, the players do not have complete freedom and are still held by the rules of the school.

“There is no added freedom,” Cain said. “We are held by the rules of the school and some extra rules that our coach gives to us. We must still be in bed at a given time, and must make all our team meetings on time also.”

Away tournaments are much more entertaining not only for the players, but for coaches and parents as well.

“Away tournaments are great,” Mike Neal, head varsity coach, said. “Parents are always welcome and encouraged to come. At the tournaments, students and parents are able to bond with each other and just have a good time.”

For more information on the basketball teams, contact the Fresno Christian Office at 559-299-1659 ext. 5.