Continuing their annual tradition of playing in a travel tournament over Thanksgiving Break, Oxford Academy’s boys varsity basketball team once again flew to Hawaii this year to compete in the Surfrider Holiday Classic, hosted by Kailua High School in O’ahu. Though the tournaments vary yearly, the locations have often taken place on the various islands of Hawaii, as the team had played in the island of Maui last year.
This tournament, though one of many played during the basketball season, was unique for both its location and experience. Travel tournaments have been an exclusive opportunity for the boys varsity basketball team, and players embrace the chance to represent Oxford at their best in Hawaii.
“I was very excited to play against people from another state, especially from a unique state like Hawaii where the culture is very different from mainland states,” sophomore varsity athlete Victor Chi said.
Playing out of state not only allowed the athletes to form stronger bonds with their teammates as they faced new opponents and challenging games, it also gave them a chance to meet other players from around the nation and experience new cultures.
“The parents of the opposing team hosted a potluck for us and showed us an immense amount of love, which left a lasting impact,” senior David Jung, captain of the boys varsity basketball team, said.
Outside of playing basketball, the boys varsity team also went swimming, cliff diving, late night walking, and snorkeling; these bonding activities helped strengthen the team’s dynamics and teamwork.
“One of my favorite bonding events was karaoke with the whole group. It was just a moment where we were all vulnerable and just having lots of fun,” Jung said.
The relationships built through these activities translated to results on the court, where the team finished the tournament with a solid 2-1 record, beating Hawaii’s #9 ranked team Leilehua High School with a score of 66-51. They then beat Waipahu High School in a 80-72 victory to claim the second chance championship and become the consolation champions.
The tournament in Hawaii served as a monumental event in other ways as well, including senior captain Colin Das’ record of 45 points scored in a single game, breaking a decade-long record that was held at 41 points by David Yi before.
For the senior athletes, this trip was their bittersweet last with the team.
“I’ll miss the tropical weather and the bonds that were made through these games. I’ll also miss the time spent with my teammates doing silly things and making good memories,” Jung said.
As for the underclassmen players, they hope to apply the skills they learned through their experience playing in Hawaii in their games back home at Oxford.
“During Hawaii games, I had some open shots that I didn’t take and kept passing off to other teammates. But the few times I took the ball myself I was able to create more opportunities for me and the team to score. [I want to apply that courage to the games at home],” Chi said.
