ZEBULON - The small, but mighty Heritage Christian Academy boys basketball team is heading for an adventure of a lifetime as they take their game to Lancaster, Calif. for the West Coast Bible College Winter Classic.

For most of the 11 players, this is a series of firsts: a first trip to California, a first plane ride and a first national tournament.

“We’re looking forward to the kids getting a college experience,” said Patriot assistant coach Eric Brantley.

Brantley, who played for the Patriots from 1996-2000, will travel with the team as it faces off against 16 other teams over four days from January 17-20. It will be Brantley's second visit to California.

Head coach and HCA Pastor David Dupree has high hopes for success.

“Our goal is to win, but the reality is larger schools will be represented, and if we win one or two games, I will be delighted,” Dupree said. “Each team is guaranteed to play at least three games, win or lose, but if we win a few that will be the icing on the cake.”

Last year, Raleigh Christian Academy was the tournament champion.

When Dupree received a letter from West Coast Bible College seeking tournament teams, he did not hesitate to sign up.

“West Coast is a good Bible college, and I wanted these boys to have the experience of going to California, and playing against new teams,” he said.

Along with the tournament, the Patriots will compete in a 3-point shootout and a free throw contest, and they will have a chance to play in a tournament All-Star game. They will also watch the West Coach Bible College play a game, attend chapel services on campus and tour Los Angeles, located 70 miles from the campus.

To help pay for the trip, the team held a walk-a-thon, a shootout, and hosted a fundraising website, according to Dupree. Any expenses the fundraising don’t cover will come out of the players’ and their families’ pockets.

Expenses are limited to travel, according to Dupree. The team will stay on campus. Meals and activities are covered through tournament fees.

Dupree started Heritage Christian Academy in 1977 as an outreach ministry of Heritage Baptist Church, which he founded in 1974.

Heritage Christian Academy serves 125 students from grades K-12. The school offers volleyball, softball, boys soccer, and boys and girls basketball. Others sports are added according to need and the ability to field an entire team.

The school has seen athletic success over the years.

In 2009, the girls’ basketball team went 23-0, won the North Carolina Christian Athletic Conference State Championship and was ranked second in the nation, according to athletic director Chet Williams, whose daughter played on the team.

Eligibility to play sports is based more on academics than athletic ability.

None of the boys had to try out. Everyone who showed up for practice made the varsity basketball team. There are not enough players to include a junior varsity team, and the Patriots include kids from grades seven through 12.

“We’ll take everybody who wants to play, unless they are really bad,” Dupree said, and laughed. “In 35 years, we haven’t turned away anybody.”

The school neither recruits students based on their athletic ability nor offers scholarships. None of the athletes play AAU ball.

“We take the talent the Lord gives us,” Dupree said. “For us this is a labor of love. We love our kids. They know it and respond to it.”