On Christmas Day, the St. Xavier basketball team flew out of Louisville en route to San Diego, California for the nationally proclaimed Torrey Pines Holiday Classic; while the tournament brought in some of the best teams nationwide, it was the San Diego area that made the trip most memorable.
The 16-team bracket included four games for each team and stretched from Thursday, December 26 through Monday, December 30. No games were played on Sunday by law of the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation). According to Bylaw 504, the state of California ‘prohibits member schools from holding interscholastic games or practices of any kind on Sunday.’ Because the players had no business to take care of on the court, they advantageously spent their time off by exploring the San Diego area.
Sunday began with a team Mass at Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. The pastor of Saint Charles, Fr. John, played college basketball in Oregon. The team was immediately welcomed with open arms by the parish’s large community. Some folks even asked for autographs and pictures with the team. The service was capped off by complimentary donuts and cinnamon rolls from the people of Saint Charles, which the team took full advantage of.
Unsatisfied by sweet treats, the Tigers took their appetites to a fast-food staple of the West Coast: In-N-Out Burger. Many members of the team had never tried In-N-Out; therefore, a lot of excitement had built up for this lunch. With the cheapest menu of the whole trip and remarkably quick service, In-N-Out impressed in regards to convenience. Unfortunately, the players weren’t as impressed with the taste of the food. The team’s general consensus was that In-N-Out was nothing special, but it was definitely worth trying for the valued price.
Of course, players were very excited about visiting In-N-Out; however, this eagerness paled in comparison to the anticipation of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo. Ranked as the #1 zoo in the entire United States, this experience did not disappoint. The team began its 4.5 mile journey with a trip through the Outback as well as the Urban Jungle. Within these exhibits are giraffes, zebras, and koalas just to name a few. Subsequently, the team continued through the Elephant Odyssey seeing vicious lions, cute capybaras, and, of course, elephants. Next, the team trekked through the Northern Frontier coming into close contact with endangered Polar Bear species.
Players circled back through the Lost Forest- the zoo’s largest and most diverse exhibit. Here the Tigers saw bird species, gorillas, orangutans, hippos, crocodiles, and even their own counterpart: the Malayan Tiger. The journey ended at Panda Ridge with the team getting a look at one of the most endangered species on the planet. Native to China, Giant Pandas can only be found in the United States within the Atlanta and San Diego Zoos. The two pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, though very shy, left the team in shock. It was the first and likely the last time for any of the players to see this majestic, fluffy bear. This sighting rounded out the team’s trip to the zoo, but it did not conclude their day.
Deuce Brand is a successful clothing brand based in San Diego. Its owner/CEO, Gary Hughes (St. X class of ‘98) played football alongside Bernard Jackson, father of star junior Jeremiah Jackson. He continued his playing career at the University of Kentucky before settling down on the West Coast. The Tigers had the pleasure of visiting the Deuce headquarters and received an inspiring message from Mr. Hughes. The CEO left the team with four key takeaways: Work hard; Believe in yourself; If you say something, do it; and Be resilient. While Hughes’ wisdom was unmatched, it was not all he had to offer to the team. Before heading back to the hotel, every player and manager received his very own bag of Deuce gear. Each bag contained a full sweatsuit, a t-shirt, socks, and a Deuce bracelet. The team could not be thankful enough for this huge act of generosity from Gary Hughes and his brand.
The Tigers finished 2-2 in San Diego, and their experience against national-level competition will be invaluable moving forward. Still, they look back most fondly on the memories they made off the court.
