Today, Ogletree and Sullivan own two sets of season tickets to the Crimson’s game—one located on the  new floor seats and the other a handful of rows behind the Harvard bench.

But some of the breakfast regulars have taken on an even larger role than simply a casual fan. Ogletree has emerged as a mentor figure to some Crimson players, particularly sophomore Kyle Casey.

“It’s definitely been a really good experience,” says Casey of his relationship with the professor. “To have such an important leader on campus that always has an open door for you is good, and it’s a great experience to have time to spend time with him and get to know him.”

According to Amaker, this connection between the Harvard basketball program and the local academic community is another positive product of the monthly breakfasts.

“For these guys to come to our games and then to meet the players—they’ve been incredibly supportive in that way,” Amaker says. “That’s another way that all this is such a positive impact not only just for us or me, but certainly for our players.”

But mentoring isn’t all that Amaker receives from his breakfast peers. According to the coach, he also receives a good deal of coaching advice.

“They have all kinds of advice,” Amaker says. “Believe me, they have all kinds of advice and questions and substitutions. They don’t hold back at all. We have a good time with that too.”

But while the breakfasts serve as a forum to bounce around coaching advice, most members maintain that their primary purpose hasn’t changed since Sullivan, Manly, Ogletree, and Amaker met for the first time—to develop friendships and connections to the community.

“Boston over the years has lost a lot of talented people because they haven’t been comfortable here, so you want to be sure that that doesn’t happen here,” says Taylor of the city’s complicated racial history. “It’s really a very helpful kind of network.”

And at the end of the meal when its time to pick up the check, it is Amaker who often steps up.

“I want to do that,” Amaker says. “I’ve been able to reach out and pick it up. That’s been fun for me to be able to do.”

—Staff writer Martin Kessler can be reached at martin.kessler@college.harvard.edu.