Boys’ basketball: How Alemany filled a section of Mater Dei

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Mission Hills Alemany Principal Frank Ferry decided he wanted to bring fans en masse for his team’s Southern Section 4A championship game against Encino Crespi last Friday at Santa Ana Mater Dei.

So he promised his students if at least 500 showed up, they’d get a day off from school after quarter exams. They also got free pizza, the school paid for their ticket to the game and took care of transportation with a free bus ride to Mater Dei. The Warriors ended up attracting some 900 students to the game with 18 rooter buses, Ferry said. A vendor helped pay for some of the costs.

‘It was exciting,’ he said.

Alemany had never played in a boys’ basketball championship game.

‘We’re trying to build up spirit and pride,’ Ferry said.

-- Eric Sondheimer