High school basketball is truly electric. Cheering on the school’s most elite hoopers in a rocking student section is a feeling like no other, but the game extends far beyond the confines of the North Atlanta gym. Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, better known as PRUMC, hosts an annual basketball league exclusively for non-varsity basketball players. The chase for a PRUMC Championship always features friendly banter, physical play, and plenty of highlights–and lowlights. 

From the months of October to April, schools like Westminster, Lovett, and Pace, compete with the North Atlanta squads in an all-out dog fight for bragging rights and the glorious blue and gold banner, which hangs in the PRUMC gym for all to see. The ten-game season is grueling for those who play dominant, smash-mouth basketball, but also an opportunity to interact with friends and peers from different schools. “Nothing beats PRUMC basketball,” said senior Dub Chance McPherson. “It is some of the most fun I have had over the course of my four years.” 

With the physical nature of the game, comes extreme competitiveness and trash talk. The games begin way before the teams take the court, as teams take to social media, and take part in friendly, yet harsh psychological warfare. The rivalries that form add an extra element to the long-established league. At North Atlanta, two of the biggest teams, the “Vladiators” and the “Sigmas,” have a rich rivalry that extends beyond the court. “The PRUMC games feature intensity comparable to North Atlanta games,” said Vladiator star and Dub superfan Mac Perno. “We’ll see if the Sigmas can match our energy next time we match up.” 

PRUMC is an experience like no other. It is one of the few places where varsity football players from North Atlanta can take on baseball players from Pace, and those who have never touched a basketball before can take on high school basketball stars. Teams across all grade levels can compete in the later stages of the season, creating new narratives and rivalries. “I hope to match up against my brother, Gage in the playoffs this year,” said Dub junior Collin Crites. “His team can’t run with mine. 

With the spring season coming up, seniors will soon say goodbye to a program that brought countless memories and laughs. For many players, that means the end of lifelong rivalries and competition, but with the senior class leaving, a new generation of PRUMC basketball begins, giving new players the opportunity to create the same lasting relationships and memories that so many North Atlanta students received.