To say members of Onset’s Foursquare Church supported Team Sky, the Wareham Junior Basketball Association group they sponsored this year, would be an understatement.

After the team’s championship-winning season, players and church members are family now.

The love between the team, which is made up of girls in grades sixth through eighth, and church members was on full display at a special, one-of-a-kind banquet held Monday night.

While many local groups and businesses sponsor teams each year, the banquet appears to be the first time a sponsor celebrated a championship with an awards dinner. At the event, church members waited on players and parents, serving dinner and specially-made favors, including homemade cupcakes with the girls’ jersey numbers written in icing.

“We don’t believe in doing things in a small way,” said church member Barbara Sullivan. “Everyone here at the church was so excited they won, and we wanted to show them we think they’re special.”

Back in March, the girls earned the association’s Division 1 title, beating a then undefeated team for the championship.

Sullivan said it took some time to make sure everyone’s schedules lined up, which is why the banquet was held nearly two months later.

According to the team’s coach, Skippy Wilcox, it was well worth the wait.

“This is unbelievable,” Wilcox said more than once. “It’s so sweet. We’re very touched.”

Onset Foursquare members greeted the players as they entered the church hall wearing sky blue shirts with the team’s logo. Appetizers and dinner preceded an awards ceremony.

Sullivan said the church was impressed not only with the win, but with how the girls conduct themselves both on and off the court.

“We see these young people maintaining good grades, being proactive and taking responsibility,” said Sullivan. “We want to celebrate all of that.”

Sullivan said the church decided to sponsor the team as part of its mission to be active in the community. Championship or not, Sullivan said they would have been just as proud of the girls at season's end.

“We adopted a saying when the season started,” said Sullivan. “The sky is the limit.”

And next year, who knows, maybe the team will deliver another championship for their proud sponsor.