Because we love rankings, and because everyone has an opinion, we asked several of our OCVarsity reporters to give us their rankings and opinions of the county’s top student sections for boys basketball.
Here are Kenny Connolly’s top three (and some of this other favorites):
1. SERVITE: Consider “The Asylum” Orange County’s version of Duke’s Cameron Crazies. By nature, Servite doesn’t have a plethora of students, and they’ve still proven to be the loudest collection of fans in the county. But it’s so much more than the sheer noise they generate that makes The Asylum special. When basketball games are social event at most schools, it’s strictly business when you walk into the Friars’ gym. Jeans and button downs are frowned upon. If you’re sitting with The Asylum, you’re wearing some sort of Servite gear and your sole purpose is to cheer like a crazed (but educated) basketball fan. Witty chants, unparalleled coordination and top-notch enthusiasm from start to finish make Servite the class of the county. What makes “The Asylum” even more noteworthy is the fact they don’t limit themselves to just basketball. They fill the stands at soccer and volleyball games, as well as wrestling duals. There was even a recent Twitter post where The Asylum was gathering troops for an Academic Decathlon. (Yes, you read that sentence correctly). That’s a true brotherhood.
2. CANYON: “The Tribe” has Floyd Mayweather-like swagger, and you have to admire that bravado. They don’t hide the fact they think they’re the top student section in the county, and their activity on Twitter is a major reason we’re even having this debate. The Tribe has elevated its game this season, narrowing the gap between themselves and The Asylum. Whether it’s the themed game nights, clever chants or their impressive representation on the road, The Tribe has everything you look for in a genuinely great student section. In a recent game against Foothill, word is The Tribe was being jeered at by their counterparts. Without blinking, they responded with a “Where’s your ring at?” chant. That’s world-class counter-punching. Most importantly, though, when you display fatheads of the legendary Steve Fryer and my boy Brian Whitehead in the stands during games, you deserve some dap. Big ups.
3. SANTA MARGARITA: Having a live band play at home games is a nice touch, but the “Eagles Nest” is plenty loud without the added acoustics of a drum set and several guitars. I caught the Santa Margarita faithful in action against Mater Dei earlier this season, and there’s no question the student section played a major role in rattling the top-ranked Monarchs for most of the game. Any time a player on the opposing team acknowledges your crowd during the game, you know you’re doing something right. Most impressive, though, was the mutual respect shown that night. The “overrated” chants geared toward Rex Pflueger were clearly inaccurate, but the “Eagles Nest” gave the Monarchs star his props immediately after the game via Twitter. Pflueger did the same, admitting the crowd got him laughing a handful of times throughout the contest. Metaphorical fists bumps and handshakes. That’s what it’s all about.
Connolly’s other favorites: Sonora, Esperanza, Sunny Hills
RELATED STORIES:
Fryer’s rankings: Top 10 student sections
Damian Calhoun’s favorite student sections
Brian Whitehead’s favorite student sections
Fryer: Diving into the Fandemonium
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
