BASKETBALL CLUB
Galatasaray High School’s Basketball Team is one of Turkey’s most well-established teams. Mekteb-i Sultani (“Galatasaray Imperial High School,” an old name of the school), which continues to be a window to the West since its establishment, adopted this American sport and introduced it to Turkey. The team had its best season in 1985 when it became the national champion and went on to earn second place in the world finals. It has also set a challenging benchmark for the current team. They train three times a week despite busy school schedules and start each game with the aim to win, regardless of their rivals. Today, the team is the uncontested favorite in the Beyoğlu district tournament, even other special tournaments, where anything but winning the championship is seen as a failure. Galatasaray High School Basketball Team is a living example of sports and school working together.