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ATTLEBORO - There are three minutes left in the third quarter, and the score is 30-12.

The gym at St. John's School is loud as heck, filled with cheers and busy chatter up on the balcony and the constant half-shuffle of feet on the floor below.

And then, total silence.

There's been a foul and the free-throw line is surrounded.

Dayspring Christian Academy is up to 13 points now, but it's still not looking good. And if they lose this game to Seton Academy, they're out of the St. John's invitational double elimination tournament.

This is the middle of the three-week tournament, in its 28th year as a fundraiser and fun-making end-of-the season event for area Catholic and Christian schools.

"It's for fun, because it at a great time when the other season ends," said Chris Adams, a St. John's parent who has been the tournament director for the last three years. "So, it adds a tournament to everyone's schedule."

Every year, the tournament raises between $10,000 to $15,000 for the school. A couple years ago, St. John's was able to install a new speaker system.

Nearly 40 teams compete each year, paying $150 each to get in on the hoop action and hopefully go home with a trophy awarded to the winners of each of six divisions.

It takes about two months to organize the event.

"This year, it was strictly open to schools. We used to allow parishes to enter teams as well, but they could pool players and it was an unfair competition," Adams said. "It's just a lot of fun for the kids and their families. It's family oriented. We just inherited a tradition, and we'll pass it over to the next group of parents."

"Because you can support everybody."

Delia Tinory was more than nervous thinking about her next game, though it wouldn't be a tournament-eliminating loss if her 5th grade girls team lost to the sixth-graders.

She's really a swimmer, she explains, not a basketball player. But the 11-year-old dribbles every year for her school, playing on St. John's team.

"It's our school, and you can support everybody," Tinory said. "Tomorrow, we have to play girls who are older than us and are really good."

"I think it's great."

Delia's mom, Susan, doesn't profess to be the most active volunteer at the tournament.

Parents for each grade are assigned certain duties, so the burden of manning say, the concession stand like she is, doesn't fall on just a couple of people.

Her husband also volunteers, because the couple have another St. John's child, Christian, who is playing on the 8th-grade boys team.

"I think the tournament is great," Susan Tinory said. "You see the third graders and recall when your own child was there and now how they've changed."

"Shoot!"

Manny Bedoya, of Johnston, R.I., is having a terrific time watching his son, Juan, play for Seton Academy.

He's a basketball dad.

In addition to playing for Seton, Juan really enjoys the St. John's tournament and right now is playing in another tournament as well.

"We have another game to go to after this. We're here just for the game, and had to come an hour before," Bedoya said. "We're full with basketball on the weekends. But it's good. We can't go to the mall or something, because we're here, at the game as a family."

"It keeps them out of trouble."

Jack DaSilva, whose son Joaquin plays for Seton, isn't as much of a basketball dad. Joaquin plays just for the school and this tournament.

"But I think it's great for the kids," DaSilva said. "It keeps them out of trouble and they learn."

"We're a basketball family."

Twenty-two years ago, Carla Diciaccio married her husband and married into a basketball life.

She had four boys, who all opted to play the sport.

Her husband is the coach for Dayspring, where her son Jeffrey is playing basketball now.

"He loves it," Diciaccio said. "We've been a basketball family since we married. This tournament is a good opportunity to play outside of their regular league."

REBECCA KEISTER can be reached at 508-236-0336 or at rkeister@thesunchronicle.com.