God @ Work: California Lutheran Schools State Basketball Tournament
For the past two years, Lutheran schools from across California have gathered each February for the California Lutheran Schools State Basketball Tournament at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, CA. The tournament brings together students, coaches, teachers, and families for a weekend of competition, fellowship, and celebration of God-given talents.
The tournament is a reminder that God often works through small beginnings. It started as a Director of Christian Education Senior Capstone Project at Concordia University Irvine, modeled after Lutheran state championships held for generations in other parts of the country. Founder and Director Isaiah Duport envisioned bringing that tradition home, giving students the chance to share the court with peers of the same faith and discover how big their school family is.
The Lord has blessed the tournament with remarkable growth. The inaugural 2025 event welcomed eight teams and more than 100 attendees. By 2026, the tournament had doubled to 16 teams, added a girls' division, and hosted more than 200 student-athletes from as far north as Bakersfield and as far south as San Diego.
The 2026 tournament opened Friday night with ceremonies led by Nate Klitzing, an Orange Lutheran (OLu) and Concordia University Irvine alumnus and current head coach of the OLu boys basketball program. In the inaugural girls' division, St. Paul's Orange became the first-ever Girls' State Champion, while the St. John's Orange Mustangs defended their title as Boys' State Champion.
Excellence remains one of the tournament's driving values, but that does not mean the event is only for elite programs; schools of every ability level are welcome. The goal is for everyone who attends to have a great experience, witnessing God at work on the court, in the stands, and behind the scenes. Students are encouraged to compete wholeheartedly, as Scripture says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23), while practicing Christian sportsmanship and hospitality.
The tournament has grown into something far bigger than basketball. Students compete against fellow Lutheran students they might never otherwise meet, coaches and teachers build relationships with colleagues from other schools, and families fill the stands side by side. Through this event, God is knitting together a community of Lutheran educators, students, and families across California, strengthening the partnerships that make our Lutheran schools a vital mission field.
The third annual tournament will be held February 26–28, 2027, at Orange Lutheran High School and neighboring Lutheran schools in Orange County, CA. All Pacific Southwest District schools are invited to apply and be part of what God is doing. For more information, visit luthsportsca.org.
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