BEAVER FALLS (AP) — As the clock ticked down inside a New Castle gymnasium ending Beaver Falls High School’s quest for a state basketball title and its season, B.J. McBryde was nowhere to be found.

The 6-foot-6 sophomore wasn’t sulking in the locker room. Nor was he being taken to a hospital injured.

Instead, McBryde, a reserve player, was in a Butler County cabin with members of his church.

His decision to attend a weekend retreat was criticized by some teammates, peers and fans. They believe McBryde might have helped the injury-plagued Tigers defeat Farrell High.

But it also drew showers of praise. It’s not every day that athletics take a back seat to religion, especially in sports-crazy Beaver Falls, say his supporters.

Nationally, religion and sports collide somewhat regularly. But it’s seldom a headline issue unless it involves a star athlete.

Perhaps the most famous case centered on Sandy Koufax, the Los Angeles Dodgers great who refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day.

More recently, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf stirred controversy in 1996 for refusing to stand during the national anthem prior to National Basketball Association games. He said it would conflict with his Islamic beliefs.

In McBryde’s case, he is not the star of team. In fact, he seldom played unless the team had a healthy lead.

That’s not to say he’s destined to ride the pine. He’ll likely play a significant role next season because the Tigers will graduate a few players, Coach Doug Biega said.

His absence during the Farrell game was magnified because the Tigers were, for the most part, without three key contributors, Biega said.

Forward Dak Mobley was out with a broken arm; Kendall Dreher, a junior, played sparingly because of a bum knee; and Chaston Harris, another sophomore, missed school the day before the game and wasn’t allowed to play.

Some defended McBryde’s choice. And some questioned his loyalty to the team.

The retreat is a once-a-year event for the men of Bible Way Church of God in Christ in New Castle. It’s a chance for them to bond and reflect on their lives, said the Rev. John Young III, pastor of Bible Way.

Moreover, it’s a critical part of ministering, especially for impressionable teenagers, Young said.