On December 11, the men's basketball team at St. Joseph's University focused on a Philadelphia-style showdown against Villanova University.

But on December 12, after a 78-75 loss to the Wildcats, the Hawks of St. Joseph's focused on how they could help the less fortunate.

For the sixth straight season, the team joined head coach Phil Martelli and Tom Maroon, from the university's campus ministry, on a late December afternoon to take part in one of life's lessons. The team heard about what life was like for children from deprived homes, and then the team set about making a difference for those families.

Even though some of the players have heard the same dialogue for three or four years, it never gets old.

"Each year builds on what you have learned from the last year and it just gets more special as the years go on," said fifth-year senior Frank Wilkins. "You go into it knowing how much of a difference this makes. The first couple years you kind of wonder if this is really worth it, if it really matters to people. And having done this for five years, I know how much of a difference it makes and it makes me want to put that much more into it."

When Martelli came to St. Joseph's in 1995, he talked to the seniors at the time about a way to give back to the community. Helping out at Christmas was what seemed to fit the best, and each year the seniors reaffirm that by continuing the tradition.

The team starts with a group discussion led by Maroon, then takes shopping lists to a local store to purchase gifts for the families. Finally, the team delivers the gifts itself, making that a special time for the families as well.

"It is not the presents we deliver that makes this special, but our presence with the families," Martelli said. "It is easy to donate something, but what makes this special is the interaction; it is priceless."

"I was ready to go as soon as I heard," said John Bryant, who was one of five Hawks participating for the first time.

"I've always enjoyed giving to people, especially having a younger brother. Maybe because I still have that youth in me. I like shopping for toys and to see (the children's) faces when I give presents to them. It's a feeling that I just can't explain."

The team met the three families on December 19 when they delivered the gifts.

"Meeting the kids is the best," added Wilkins on the experience. "When you go shopping, they are just names on a piece of paper. When you see them and you put a face to the name, it makes it that much more personal."

Perhaps even more personal than that loss to Villanova.