Playing on your home court is always an advantage, but no other basketball program in the area has taken it to heart as much as the Assumption girls.

"The atmosphere, our fans, we love them," says Assupmtion senior Anna Kinzel. "We have all our students in the student section and they just really get into it and it makes it easy for us to play well."

They've played so well in their own gym, that they've built a winning streak. A streak that for the most part, has gone unnoticed.

32. That's the number of regular season games in-a-row that the Royals have won on their home floor. That number increases to 40-straight once you add in Cranberry Classic games and post-season wins.

"That's something we talk about once in a while with the girls," says Assumption coach Joe Birkhauser. "You always have to protect your home court. If you ca win at home, you probably have a a pretty good chance at doing something in the conference."

The Royals take protecting their home court pretty serious. Be it a game, or even a practice, everytime they enter this gym their reminded of one thing.

"Oh yeah, refuse to lose and prepare to win," says Assumption senior Rebecca Sigler. "We hit that everytime. Since a freshman, we've always looked at that and slapped it and just played like that."

"We're constantly reminded," says senior Royal Emily Heeg. "Even if we don't read it, we know. It's kind of like the game-face comes on once we enter the gym. Especially during games. Coach will come into the lockerroom and gets us pumped."

It's a mantra the royals have been living, and playing with, ever since the 1998 WISAA championship team painted it on the wall.

"We learned a lot fro those girls and they still come to the games," says Kinzel. "They Facebook us or text us. They still want to be involved just as much as they were in the past and it's really helpful for us."

But there might be more to this gym's aura than initially thought. Until this year the Assumption boys went two years without losing a game on this floor as well. As for the girls, the next chance they'll get to increase their streak to 41 is February 9th against Pittsville.