Seminarians Tim Horst, left, Nick Thompson and Kevin Roelant represent the entire Sacred Heart Lions team as they hoist basketball tournament trophies won during the 2011 season. They are joined by Fr. John McDermott, SJ, who coaches the Lions.

In the final basketball game at a February tournament hosted by the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, the Sacred Heart Lions capped an extraordinary season of basketball by defeating challenger St. Paul Seminary of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The victory was the end of a string of wins—but only two losses season-wide—for the Lions, and the culmination of hard training and teamwork for our home team's players.

The Lions swept the finals by beating out St. Paul, Josephinum College, Josephinum Theology and finally St. Paul again—by twenty-five points—for the tournament win.

The Lions also participated in a January tournament hosted by the Archdiocese of Chicago's Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. There they defeated Conception Seminary, Moreau Seminary and Mount St. Mary Seminary, prior to the semifinals. The semifinals brought Sacred Heart wins over Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, and over the Josephinum in the championship game.

During the 2011 season, the Lions played—and defeated—St. Peter Seminary, Team Westphalia and teams made up of FBI members, Sacred Heart security guards, archdiocesan priests and a team organized by priestly vocations director Fr. Tim Birney.

All season, the Lions only had two losses: to Team Westphalia and Lourdes College JV, for a final record of 14-2.

"We won because we played very well as a team," says Fr. John McDermott, SJ, professor of theology and coach of the Lions. "The players trust each other and look for the shots of the others. Also, they played excellent defense."

The handsome pair of tournament trophies now are housed in "O'Berg's," the seminarian recreational lounge named in honor of the late Fr. Paul Berg, who coached the Lions for four decades.