Enter Joel Chretien.

The Chretien family lives and breathes basketball. With three daughters involved in the game, the Chretiens just about reside at their local stadium. But when the junior season ended in September of last year, the Chretiens faced months away from the game.

“Our season doesn’t start until March, so there was a gap from September to March with no basketball,’’ Joel said.

So, to maintain their association with the sport they love, the Chretiens jumped on board the South Dragons’ rampaging bandwagon.

“The sport has become a big part of our lives and the South Dragons were a new club so we thought we would join up and start being involved,” Joel said.

The Chretiens signed on as members and haven’t looked back. Late last year Joel received a call from Dragons headquarters offering him the chance to reserve a corporate box at the next home game, an opportunity the family grabbed.

“We were Dragons members and we received a call to ask if we wanted a box at Vodafone Arena and we thought, ‘why not?’” Joel said.

“It’s good be in the stands but it’s even better to be on the court - we loved it!”

After their first courtside experience the Chretiens were hooked.

“The following week was my birthday and I said to my family, ‘let’s see if we can get the box for another night.’ After that we booked in for the rest of the season,” Joel said.

With their weekly fix of basketball assured, life couldn’t get any better for the Chretiens. Then, at the Dragons v Wildcats clash last December 30, Joel was randomly selected from all South Dragons’ members as the winner of a trip for two to the USA.

Joel will soon redeem his prize with one lucky relative in tow. But with such a hoops-crazy family, the choice will not be easy!

“I will take my wife or one of my kids and we could probably combine it with a trip to France, where I come from,” Joel said.

Despite having no prior interest in the national league, the family is now well and truly addicted to the elite competition. With the 2006-07 Philips Championship season still under way, Joel and his family are already looking ahead to next year.

“We’re brand new fans,” Joel said.

“The only game we had ever been to before we joined the Dragons was to see the Tigers against the Titans, and that was years ago.”

“Now we have been to every one of the South Dragons’ games played in Victoria, except for Ballarat.”

Having kept close tabs on the Dragons all season, Joel is optimistic of the team’s finals prospects.

“They’ve certainly got the potential, our boys are doing the best they can,” he said.

From member to corporate box-holder and now winner of South’s major members’ prize, Joel Chretien has had a remarkable season.

When he’s not baking pastries at The French Bakehouse on the Mornington Peninsula, it’s a sure bet you’ll find Joel and his family courtside at a game.