ACSC 2025!

By Andy Tan

Intensity. Excitement. Nervousness. So many emotions and feelings flowed through DALAT this past week. The ACSC (Asian Christian Schools Conference) tournament for Varsity Girls Basketball was hosted on our very own Dalat campus this past week, welcoming 7 other basketball teams from different schools. 

The battle was long and hard for our varsity girls who faced off against skilled and challenging opponents, using all that they had practiced and trained for this basketball season. From Wednesday to Saturday they played tirelessly, every game with its own difficulties and obstacles, and our Dalat Eagles struggled through it. They encountered close games and tight squeezes, with their position in the tournament on the line, enduring and persevering to make it through all the way to the semi-finals.

Even games they lost, such as against the difficult team of FAITH, with physical opposition that seemed too much for them, Dalat proved that it wouldn’t let them stop their fight, pushing themselves to give FAITH a game that they wouldn’t forget. There were no easy games, but within all the hardship and opposition, the team also built new memories, grew stronger bonds, and played with excitement and heart for our school and for God. 

One of our very own varsity athletes, Kiera Nichols (12), said that, “ACSC was so much fun. Not only did I get to play one of my favorite sports everyday but I got to bond with my teammates.”

However, the fire of the team was also shared by those that supported them. Each day crowds of students flooded into the gyms to support our girls team, and even in the classroom live streams were playing that showcased the games. It seemed that every block of the day, chunks of our student body congregated to the gym to watch the games, and cheer on the athletes that were fighting for their schools. 

The atmosphere was intense and heated, metaphorically and literally. Dalat showed its strength as a community with chants and cheers of encouragement at every game, Aunt Claudia leading the charge as she always does. One of our top cheer squad members, Gerald Yang (12), said, “A highlight was chanting against YISS for Dalat to win by one point.” 

In the end, the exciting week had finally come to an end. Mixed emotions of sadness and happiness filled the air as people headed home after the last game. Sad that the week of madness came to an end and how they would have to return to their mundane life the next week. Happy with how Dalat was placed at ACSC and are able to go home and finally rest. Both players and crowd, completely exhausted and drained from the week, had no problem sleeping well that night.