The games will finally count.

Hawaiian Mission Academy has long had basketball teams, the same as any other high school. Players practiced in the school's gym, located above the the chapel in McKeague Hall. They suited up for games and classmates and parents showed up to support.

There were wins and losses, except in the end, the score didn't officially count.

Hawaiian Mission Academy, a small Seventh-day Adventist private school located in Makiki, gained Interscholastic League of Honolulu membership this year. With membership, the school's athletic teams will finally have official games against other ILH schools. Its teams played against ILH and other schools in the past, but since the school wasn't a member of any of the state's interscholastic leagues, the games were essentially scrimmages.

"We tried to play with good sportsmanship and show the other schools who we are," said Caroline Kim, a sophomore on the Knights' girls basketball team.

The girls team will host Hawai'i Baptist in its ILH Division II debut on Tuesday, and the boys team will host Christian Academy on Dec. 30 in its ILH Division II opener.

"For the kids its going to be good," said Nelson Katada, who coaches with Clay Chan, of the school's effort in applying for ILH membership. "Everything we did was for the kids."

A Seventh-day Adventist school, Hawaiian Mission observes the Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. That means there are no practices or games during that period of time.

"It's a relaxing day and to be one with God and enjoy his nature and what he created," explained Seth Katada, a senior on the boys team and son of the coach.

Principal Manuel Rodriguez said the ILH "listened to us and understood our situation. ... We really appreciate the ILH for giving us this opportunity, for them to honor our religious tenets."

CLOSE KNIT

The school was founded in 1895 and grade 9 was added in 1920. The high school has an enrollment of 115, and it's the only Seventh-day Adventist secondary school in the state. It's also only a handful of schools that has a dormitory, with boarding students from the Neighbor Islands, Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea and Vietnam. Hawaiian Mission also has elementary and intermediate campuses in Makiki and Windward O'ahu.

The small student body makes for a close environment. Seth Katada said he's known about 10 of his classmates since kindergarten and 24 of them since ninth grade.

"They're pretty much my brothers and sisters, pretty much family," he said.

Kim said students are close with the faculty, and Katada said teachers are able to work with students one-on-one.

The school has events that bring the student body together, from vespers to socials in the gym. A principal from a California Seventh-day Adventist school was the guest speaker for the Week of Prayer, and his message resonated to Katada, who wants to become a pastor.

"Some of the points he brought up, that gave me my decision to serve the Lord as a worker," Katada said.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

Hawaiian Mission was turned down for ILH membership last year. Scheduling was a concern, and the ILH has one of the most difficult basketball schedules in the state in terms of logistics. Nearly two dozen schools play during the winter season, with competition at the intermediate, junior varsity and varsity levels for both boys and girls. Only half of those schools have their own gyms, meaning teams often play at neutral sites, such as other school's gym or community recreation centers.

The Knights have their own gym, alleviating some pressure on the scheduling, and the school worked with the ILH on scheduling games around the Sabbath.

"We told them we wanted to be part of this community and that was important," Rodriguez said. "We wanted to help the community as much as possible, so others teams could use our gym.

"The ILH, when they were able to understand our beliefs and religion, were very accommodating."

Things have changed here and there now that Hawaiian Mission is an ILH member. For one, nobody had to call other schools to schedule a scrimmage. Practices are more intense. Former opponents have welcomed the school with open arms. Even referees are asking about the school.

"It more or less puts us out there," said Mark Kinimaka, who coaches the girls team with athletic director Schoen Safotu. "People are asking about us, our religious beliefs."

Players are starting to become more responsible for themselves and their teammates, realizing there's a lot more at stake now.

"The players are starting to get on each other's case more of being at practice, getting work and studies done in the classroom and being role models for the school," Seth Katada said.

Junior Stephanie Valencia said the girls team is like a family, and that players help each other out.

"We have fun in practice, we're like one family," Valencia said. "We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We can be serious, but have fun."

The school's intermediate basketball team played in front of packed crowds earlier this season, an indicator of the level of excitement. Not that winning or losing mattered before, but the Knights now have bigger goals to strive for.

"We have a better feeling of playing for something, not just pride," Seth Katada said.