RALEIGH — This has been a special basketball team at Raleigh's Friendship Christian School. Not only is there a state championship in their trophy case, but also a national championship.

Earlier this month, Friendship Christian won the National Association of Christian Athletes championship in Dayton, Tennessee, defeating 20 other teams from around the country.

This was a team to finish 29-3 and was a team in every sense. The team coach says the guys were a joy to watch and to work with. He's been thrilled to see them accomplish so much.

Team members consider each other unselfish. There wasn't one person who dominated on any one night. Everyone played together. The coaching staff believes because of their unselfish nature, the Friendship Christian team will not only be winners on the court, but in life.

The national champion, Friendship Christian's basketball team, is this week's winner of the Extra Effort Award.