Dionne’s Disciples are hard to miss at any boys basketball game. The mass of black shirts stands right next to the court making sure the opposing team is more preoccupied with their chants than making the next shot.

When the group isn’t distracting rival players, it is cheering on guard James Dionne, the namesake of the group. The idea for the Disciples came after a conversation between Dionne and fellow junior Paul Balland, the group’s creator.

“The idea for Dionne’s Disciples was born after a conversation between James and me,” he says. “He said that I had to come to all of his games, and I said I’d bring other people and we would cheer for him like District of Caron or Antawn’s Army like the Wizards games. He said, ‘Dionne’s Disciples’. I don’t know what it was, but the name rolled off the tongue, and at the time it sounded like gold.”

The week before the season started, Balland created a faceboook group that gained over 100 members in a week. Dionne, a backup point guard, did not take the group seriously when it was formed.

“At first I thought it was funny, but as people continued to join I appreciated it,” he says. “I was pleased people supported me.”

The Disciples are identified by their trademark black shirts with Dionne’s picture and “Dionne’s Disciples” on the front. On the back is Dionne’s number two with one of his favorite quotes. The shirts were designed by junior Nima Mohseni and the group has sold over 30 so far.

According to Balland, the group supports Dionne in his quest for playing time and creates energy and excitement for the boys through cheering and heckling. Within MCPS guidelines of course.

Though the Disciples have roughly 150 members on Facebook, only a core group of 40 people represent them at games. However, Balland believes the group has increased the support for the team.

“Dionne’s Disciple’s have definitely added to the attendance,” he says. “Because of the immediate popularity we have received, we had a really strong first attendance against Watkins Mill. We managed to fill an entire section and I think we were an effective sixth man for the varsity basketball team.”

Due to the Disciples’ popularity, some players wondered as to whether they would focus too much on Dionne and not enough on the actual team. Dionne does not believe that this it true.

“We were at Richard Montgomery and half the fans were wearing the shirts,” he says. “Obviously they were there to support the team more than me, but whatever brings fans to the game.”

The group plans on continuing throughout this season and the 2010-2011 season in order to support Dionne in his senior year.

“The joke is what really sparked the initial turnout to the games,” Balland says. “But after being in the stands, the students get into the game and are great fans for our varsity basketball team.”