THE ENTHUSIASM, NOT to mention the decibel level, blaring through Mater Dei High School’s Meruelo Athletic Center on June 13 for the annual priests versus seminarians basketball game rivaled that of the many high-profile Monarch basketball games played in the building over the years.
THE DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS CELEBRATE THEIR WIN ON JUNE 13. PHOTOS BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
And the effort put forth by both teams didn’t disappoint the 2,000 or so fans that packed the gym. The crowd is believed to be the largest in the 10-year history of the contest.
In what is arguably a minor upset, it was the seminarians who came away with 58-52 victory over the priests.
Along with giving fans a chance to see the Diocese of Orange priests and seminarians outside of traditional settings, the game serves as a fundraiser for diocesan vocations.
“I’ve coached a lot of games in this gym, and I felt like this is probably the biggest game that I’ve coached here,” said Dr. Richard Yoon, the seminarians coach and former Rosary Academy basketball team coach.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD CHEERS DURING THE BIG GAME.
Dr. Yoon guided the Royals to multiple championships over his 30-plus years at the school before becoming principal of St. Bonaventure Catholic School in Huntington Beach for the 2024-25 academic year
“It’s amazing that our diocese can come together like this,” shared Dr. Yoon. “No matter what, basketball game or not, the fellowship and the relationships and the cause is so important. And that’s why we’re all here, raising money for the seminarians to do what they need to do and I’m just grateful I could be part of it.”
Dr. Yoon didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to coach in next year’s game.
FR. BRANDON DANG’S FAMILY CHEERS HIM ON DURING THE ANNUAL BASKETBALL GAME.
“Maybe,” he said. “Anything they want me to do, I’m in.”
The seminarians came out fast, hitting five three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 21-9 lead and then five more three-pointers in the second to take a 38-20 lead at the half. Seminarian Alan Hoetker of St. Timothy parish in Laguna Niguel scored a team-high 19 points and was named MVP of Team Seminarian.
Seminarian Hoetker hit a three-pointer from half-court as the buzzer sounded to end the first quarter and kept the momentum going with another three-pointer early in the second to give the seminarians a 24-9 lead.
FR. WAYNE ADAJAR CALLS A PLAY AT HALF COURT.
“I think the biggest thing about it is that we finally had the players that we know we could play with,” said Seminarian Hoetker, who was playing in the game for the third time. “The priests are always very competitive. I think the big help is that we had from Carlos Tobon from the Diocese of Los Angeles Seminary as assistant coach and then Coach Rich really made a difference.”
The seminarians cooled off in the third quarter, enabling the priests to open the quarter on a 16-5 run to get to within six points.
In the fourth quarter, Fr. Wayne Adajar, parochial administrator of St. Pius V Catholic Church in Buena Park, hit a three pointer and Fr. Michael Fitzpatrick of St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Irvine followed with a basket to get the priests to within three at 50-47.
But the seminarians withstood the run, holding the priests to five points over the final four minutes.
FRATER ATHANASIUS BASIL INMAN IS LOOKING LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN AS HE LAUNCHES IN THE AIR DURING THE ANNUAL PRIESTS VERSUS SEMINARIANS BASKETBALL GAME.
“They played some defense,” said Fr. Brandon Dang, administrator of Corpus Cristi parish in Aliso Viejo and one of the original organizers of the game. “They ran a few plays and they got us in the first half. They were making all these shots. All we could do was just smile and laugh.”
THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE SEMINARIANS, ALONG WITH THEIR COACH DR. RICHARD YOON, ASSISTANT COACH CARLOS TOBON AND FR. CHEEYOON CHUN, DIRECTOR PF PRIESTLY VOCATIONS IN THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE.
Fr. Brandon said he is thrilled to see how popular the game has become since its first contest in 2015.
“The energy was there and for me feeding off of the crowd too, I was yelling and screaming,” Fr. Brandon said. “It brings together both of the loves of my life. When I was growing up, it was God and basketball. Bringing that together and leaving it all out there.”