Comment: Pirates enjoying comforts of home

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, I let out a sigh of relief.

But it wasn’t because the Braden River boys basketball team had just won its second consecutive district title or that I had yet another positive story to write.

Rather, it was the fact that the Pirates had secured home-court advantage for at least another week.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for road trips. But the thought of packing up the car and driving three hours across the state for tonight’s regional quarterfinal didn’t sound all that appealing.

Braden River was on the same page. The Pirates had no desire to hop on a bus and travel all the way to the East Coast to play basketball.

There’s something to be said for playing on your home turf. You have your routine. You have your fans.
So, the Pirates took it upon themselves to ensure they would be the ones enjoying the comfort of their own locker room.

“We have a step further to go, and we wanted to be at home,” junior forward Trevon Young said. “We didn’t want to travel three hours all the way there (Stuart Martin County) to play a basketball game.”

And, even more important than the comfort home offers, Braden River has been particularly awesome on its turf. The Pirates (22-4) only have lost one game at home this season.

The Pirates hope to continue that trend tonight against Port St. Lucie. And if the Pirates are fortunate enough to win, they’ll once again save not only themselves, but also their faithful fans and myself, from a three-hour trip across the state.

At least for another week.