DeLaSalle Basketball Poised For Record 5th-Straight Championship
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It could be basketball history Saturday at Target Center.
Minneapolis' DeLaSalle High School is trying to become the first boys basketball team in the state to win five-straight state championships.
"It means a lot," DeLaSalle forward Gonar Mar said. "It's more than just a game, because we're not doing this for just us, right now. We're doing this for more generations that we don't even know of."
The school has been here since 1900 -- that's right, 116 years. And they have fallen in love with this game. They even won a national title, when they held them, in 1931.
"The tradition, the legacy of DeLaSalle, the culture of this school and the history in this program is powerful," coach Dave Thorson said.
Thorson has been the one constant for the past four titles. He is passionate, disciplined and believes the DeLaSalle defense is the difference.
"It's about effort," he said. "It's about toughness in terms of understanding what has to be done and being able to execute."
With it all comes an obligation to play and win for those that came before you -- because they will be there.
"I'm playing for all of them, because they'll be at the games cheering harder than any of the parents," DeLaSalle guard Sam Jones said. "They don't even know any of us on the team, and they're still cheering just because we have DeLaSalle on our chest, which is always special."
Because at DeLaSalle they know something about winning state titles.
If they win this year it will be even more monumental, because it will also be Thorson's 500th win as a head coach. He says it's all for the Islanders.