IN TERMS OF SHEER excitement and enthusiasm, few sporting events at any level could match that of the annual showdown on the basketball court featuring the Diocese of Orange priests and seminarians.
PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS FROM NORTH ORANGE COUNTY WON THIS YEAR’S BASKETBALL GAME BY A SCORE OF 52-50. PHOTOS BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Close to 3,000 spectators filled both sides of the charged-up gymnasium at Mater Dei High School on June 14 – the largest crowd ever in the nine-year history of the contest – to witness a down-to-the-wire battle won by priests and seminarians from North Orange County by a score of 52-50 over priests and seminarians from South Orange County.
Seminarian Francis Ang, who was playing in the game for the first time, grabbed an offensive rebound off a teammate’s missed shot and then hit a basket from the low post with 3.1 seconds remaining in the game to lift the North squad to the victory.
“It went between Fr. Wayne’s legs, and it’s like the heavens opened up and the ball just went in the hoop, and it was like a miracle,” said Seminarian Ang, who attends St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. “It was like time was in slow motion. I’m just happy that the ball went in the hoop.”
A HARD-FOUGHT BASKETBALL GAME BETWEEN PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS FROM NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTIES DREW A LARGE CROWD TO MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL ON JUNE 14.
Along with giving the public a chance to see their priests and seminarians without their vestments and outside of traditional settings, the game serves as a fundraiser for diocesan vocations.
“It’s definitely the Holy Spirit,” Seminarian Ang said. “You have all these families, these friends, the parishioners, the people of God, and they’re all here just supporting, showing their love for their priests, for the vocations of the priesthood, so it’s a different kind of energy.”
BISHOP KEVIN VANN ADDRESSES THE CROWD DURING THIS YEAR’S SHOWDOWN ON THE BASKETBALL COURT.
Over its first few years, the annual contest pitted the priests against the seminarians. But starting with the 2023 game, the format changed, with priests and seminarians from North OC parishes competing against priests and seminarians from South OC parishes.
“I think this really created a great camaraderie,” said South squad member Fr. Brandon Dang, director of Priestly Vocations for the Diocese of Orange. “So, there wasn’t like a clear-cut favorite, but this one was just like everybody was rooting for everyone.”
Fr. Brandon helped start the game, which was held annually from 2015-2018. There was no game in 2019, due to administrative changes and the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 games.
SPECTATORS FILLED THE GYMNASIUM AT MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL ON JUNE 14 TO WATCH NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTY PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS COMPETE ON THE BASKETBALL COURT.
While studying for the priesthood at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park, Fr. Brandon and another seminarian found out about the annual “Revs vs. Sems” basketball game held in the Diocese of San Jose that drew large crowds.
Initial attempts by another seminarian to organize the game in the Diocese of Orange were unsuccessful.
Eventually, Fr. Brandon and other organizers were given the go-ahead. The inaugural game was played at the Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School gymnasium in Tustin with Bishop Kevin Vann getting the contest started by tossing the ball in the air for the tipoff.
Laura Schuberg, program coordinator for the Diocese of Orange Youth Ministries, attends the game every year.
“This is actually one of my favorite things and I just root for everybody,” Schuberg said. “It’s just fun to watch them duke it all out. I think part of the energy is that these are men that we love dearly and that we support them dearly and it’s really fun to see them in such a different perspective and a different light. Even if you may be really passionate for one of your sides, you still see the joy in the other side and at the end of the day there’s just so much fun having this game. Why not go absolutely bananas?”