As the high school basketball season approaches, the  student fan section is getting ready to support their team.  They express their passion and love for the game by painting their faces, wearing their blue and white gear, and chanting in support (and sometimes opposition) of the teams on the court.

However, those avid basketball fans enter this new season with somewhat of a shadow looming over them: last year’s final playoff game against Timber Creek.

Much controversy surrounded the chants that some fans repeated, even inspiring a student from the high school to submit a letter of criticism to a local newspaper.

Students who were present at the game offered an explanation for the chanting.

Tony Parducci, who was a member of the Class of 2013, said the chants were in response to chants from the opposing team.

“It brought the students together. We had to retaliate from taunting of the Timber Creek players and fans,” he said.

Junior Alex Ballestieri agreed that the chanting got more intense because of the tension between the excited fans from both sides.

“The Creek fans were trying to take over our gym. We couldn’t let that happen; we wouldn’t let that happen,” he said.

However, some fans do think that taunting the other team can go too far.

“It was wrong. No one should have made fun of their wealth. It was wrong and there is no other way to put it,” said senior Mike Dimeo.

Senior Matt Matro thinks that many fans got so caught up in the game that they didn’t think things through clearly.

“In the heat of the moment it seemed to be the right thing to do, but looking back at the game it makes you realize how wrong we were,” he said.

With high expectations for this year’s basketball season, the student section is ready to cheer on their team.