2026 AdventistHoops All-American media team member, Josh Boyko, shares his experience attending the event for the first time, and how it changed his view of Adventist athletics.

In the Washington State’s 1B bracket, small schools like Columbia Adventist Academy (CAA) of Battleground, Washington, aren’t supposed to belong. Bigger schools are supposed to walk over teams like the Kodiaks. But the 2025-26 season for CAA became an exercise in rewriting prophecy, a visceral display of what happens when preparation meets destiny.

With Filipino roots, Crisostomo had the opportunity to tryout for Gilas Pilipinas U16 ahead of the 2023 FIBA Asia Cup. But what began as an opportunity quickly turned into a setback. Crisostomo felt something off in her knee, and after days of uncertainty, an MRI delivered the verdict: a torn ACL. The injury cost her an entire year of play.

After exceeding the state limit of regular season games and self-reporting this to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), the association banned Oakwood from post-season play. Their season came to an abrupt and disappointing end.