- AP/Houston Chronicle, Mayra BeltranFeb. 28, 2012: Senior Isaac Mirwis, 18, shoots a 3-pointer during basketball practice at Beren Academy in Houston.
FORTH WORTH, Texas – The
boys basketball team from an Orthodox Jewish school in Texas has won
the semifinal game that was rescheduled so it wouldn't conflict with the
Sabbath.
Beren Academy beat Dallas Covenant 58-46 on Friday afternoon.
"We are very excited," Chris Cole, Beren Academy coach told FoxNews.com.
"We look forward to tomorrow night, being able to compete in the championship," he said.
The game was originally set for Friday night
after the sunset that opens the Sabbath. Beren students say their faith
prohibits participation between sunset on Friday and sunset on
Saturday.
The Texas Association of Private and
Parochial Schools, or TAPPS, had initially rejected Beren Academy's
requests to reschedule the game. But several parents filed a federal
lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order requiring TAPPS to
reschedule the game. TAPPS relented and changed the game time to Friday
afternoon.
In a statement to FoxNews.com Thursday,
officials at Kerrville Our Lady of the Hills High School -- which was
scheduled to play in Beren's absence -- said that they supported the
scheduling change.
"As Beren Academy expressed support for us
playing in their stead, we share our support of them in their earned
Semi-Final game," the statement read. "Good Luck Stars!"
The Houston school will play in the championship game on Saturday night.
The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday,
roughly about an hour after the Sabbath ends, giving the team time to
leave where they will be staying and have about a 30-minute warm-up,
Cole said.
Cole told FoxNews.com on Wednesday that he
was hopeful a last-minute compromise on scheduling could be reached so
that the boys could play in their playoff game.
"We know that every day gets later and
later, but we feel like things could be changed," Cold said. "We operate
in a world of sports where things do change -- the Daytona 500 was
changed, so things are possible. It's an inconvenience, we know that,
but it's really a matter of desire to want to do it. That's what it
comes down to."
Cole has been with The Stars for 10 years. This year's squad finished the regular season with a record of 23-5.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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