The Scituate High School boys' basketball team became the third squad to be introduced to the Zoo Crew (ZC), a group of Portsmouth High students who sit in the stands directly behind the basket the visiting team shoots at during the second half.

The ZC works its most powerful magic after halftime. Every time a player goes to shoot a free throw, he is greeted by a sea of screaming, arm-waving youths clad in white T-shirts with The Zoo Crew emblazoned in red across the front, the official uniform of the super fans.

When Scituate walked off the court after losing by nine points, the Zoo Crew's unofficial record went to 3-0 and its unofficial ego rose a few points.

"We try to make it tough for other teams and we support Portsmouth," said Brendan Solecki, a senior who along with Dan Desmond and John Sleeper, is credited with forming the group. "The Scituate coach said we made it hard for them and it was like they were down 10 points before the game started."

Portsmouth High Athletic Director and interim boys' basketball coach Mike Lunney, along with school vice principal John Blaess, have monitored the group and given the Zoo Crew the okay to act like, well, like fanatics.

"It's a new phenomenon," Lunney said. "It's a rated-G version of what's going on at the college level. As long as they're positive, not taunting anyone or getting personal with the referees, it's okay. It's actually become a pretty cool thing. It's kind of become like an official club."

Before the Zoo Crew developed, most of the students who now make up the group used to sit in the bleachers at the south end of the gym under the basket anyway. They just weren't organized. Three league home games into the season, that changed.

"It kind of all started when some kids came to a game with their faces painted," Solecki said. "Then Sleeper came up with the name and Desmond got the T-shirts."

The ZC ranks quickly grew and now number more than 30 students whose job is to root, root, root for the home team as loudly as possible while, at the same time, not belittling the visitors.

"We're rowdy," Solecki said. "But everything is good-natured. We never go after the other team's players. We just try to be loud."

As opponents dribble the ball up the floor during the second half they're not only met with a stiff Portsmouth defense but with a horde of students jumping up and down and causing a ruckus.

"It adds to the atmosphere," Lunney said. "Our (players) get excited by it and it's a different atmosphere for opposing teams. Opposing coaches think it's great. So that's a good thing."

ZC members get ideas on how to improve their schtick by watching college basketball games, or more accurately, watching college basketball fans who attend games, on television. Soon their may be more props, new chants, or new choreographed movements exhibited by the Zoo Crew. And as long as it stays clean and sportsmanlike, it's a go.

"They're doing it the right way," Lunney said. "They run stuff by me or John and we give them the thumbs up or down. As long as they keep it positive, it's a great thing."

Zoo Crew members

The Zoo Crew population continues to grow as the season progresses. The following participants, to the best of one of their own crew's recollection, have been with the group since it screamed together for the second time in a game against Fatima.

Brett Arcouette

Jimmy Ayars

Jono Bixby

Garrett Borrosh

Matt Burns

Ben Carawan

Drew Christianson

Dan Corrigan

Dan Desmond

Sam Desmond

Dan Dugan

Phil Dugan

Jeff Ferzoco

Joe Giacobbi

Nick Grande

Alex Hartnett

Chris Labbe

Whit Lakin

Chris Levesque

Andrew Marshall

Connor McLeod

Dave Nelligan

Kyle Peyton

Matt Rogers

Brian Seamen

John Sleeper

Brendan Solecki

Peter Weatherby

Dale Yates-Berg

BY STEVE ROGERS

srogers@eastbaynewspapers.com