The 3,000 people who live here love the island's charm.

Lanai city is only 1-square mile with a handful of restaurants and stores.

Heck, up until last year, this was their jailhouse.

And everyone knows everyone.

"It is a different life. It's a good life. You see young kids on their bicycles riding to school. You see a lot of people walking around. It's a very close community," said one Lanai woman.

We all feel the cost of living in paradise but here it's even steeper.

Everything from eggs and milk to clothes and cars is shipped from Oahu with a heftier price tag.

Ninety-seven percent of the land is owned by Castle and Cooke, so most residents are renters in these plantation-style homes.

And the one gas station on the isle pumps out fuel at $4.59 a gallon.

Tough times or not, nothing will keep these people down. Especially not here at Lanai High School where the Pine Lads and Pine Lasses will do anything to put their teams on the map.

And so will their parents.

"I have to work extra job just to support my children. Four of my children are in the sports and I love them to be involved," said Lanai parent Cathy Lamay.

This is the only school on the island, so every road trip takes them to either Maui or Molokai.

It's Friday morning when we find the boys' varsity basketball team getting ready for it's voyage to the Valley Isle.

This weekend's opponent -- Seabury Hall.

After going to first period, the boys load up and drive down to Manele Boat Harbor.

For scheduling reasons and to keep costs down they travel by ferry not plane.

They check in, load their bags and very quickly start to relax.

"I don't ever wanna hear you say...I want it that way!," sang some of them on the ferry.

This is one of three trips the team will take.

For some, it's their only chance to get off the island.

After a one hour ride, they arrive in Lahaina.

The players wait for another hour as their coaches grab the rent-a-cars.

It's a nice chance to reflect on the significance of their mission.

"The whole community is telling us it's good what we're doing right now how we just practice hard and we represent Lanai, and how we have a chance at going states," said Lanai basketball player Russell Lamay.

When coach comes back, they're off again.

They have some time to grab a bite.

Pick up a few things.

Country boys in a big city.

"For the girlfriend," said one basketball player showing this shirt.

"I got jeans," said another.

Now it's another half-hour drive to Baldwin High School where they set-up camp in one of the classrooms.

They scrub down wrestling mats, which will be their beds for the night.

They've got two hours to rest-up.

Soon it's time to lace-up and get ready, then its another 45-minute drive to Makawao.

The game is big. They can seize first place in their division with a victory.

"Number one, the word is Puukahi! We've been saying it all season. Puukahi means unity, one team boys! We're gonna win this together as a team!," said Lanai head coach Generoso Fernandez Jr.

The contest is tight, back and forth.

Lanai trailed by as much as 7.

"Right? They only going be up by 3. Hardwork on 3. 1, 2, 3, Hardwork!," Fernandez Jr. said.

But the time runs out, and the Pine Lads falls short 58-53.

And yet in the bigger picture, this game, this trip isn't just about a win or a loss. 

It's about growth, comradery and a chance to see life from a different perspective.

In two days you can guarantee nothing much changed on the island of Lanai. But that's not true for 12 young men who call it home.

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