The Guinness World Record for the longest basketball game is now held by Nebraskans.

At 2:00 Monday afternoon, Grand Island Heartland Lutheran students and alums beat the previous record, but they didn't do it to get in the books -- they did it to help with bond payments for their two-year old school.

"They look pretty tired by they're still going. They're determined to make it," said Mary Langenberg, spectator.

"We're trying to break the Guinness World Record for the longest basketball game. The current record is 72 hours," said Lloyd Wagnitz, Heartland Lutheran basketball coach.

"For the love of our school and the game and our coach came up and said to us, you know, our school needs money," said Ben Rauert, 2009 HLHS senior.

"Our school school is in a campaign to raise $500,000 by getting 500 people to chip in $1,000 and what these boys are doing, their goal is to raise $1,000 a piece," Wagnitz said.

"This is the first time I've actually played basketball, an official game in this gym. When I played basketball, we didn't even have a gym," said Brett Thomas, 2005 HLHS graduate.

"They're doing it to save their school and i think that's really honorable," said Shiela Wall, spectator.

"There's times when the Bengay was so strong it was hard to even stand over there. A lot of tape. We have a lot of swollen ankles, swollen knees, blister all over the bottom of their feet but just look at them. They're playing like crazy," Wagnitz said.

"I rolled my ankle earlier so that's a little sore," Thomas said.

"To reach that goal and see these guys do this for their school is just amazing," Wagnitz said.

The 24 players took a two hour break Monday afternoon, using break time they'd accumulated under Guinness rules, but they played until 7:07 Monday night -- making the record 77 hours, 7 minutes and 7 seconds on the 7th of July.

Players have already raised more than $34,000 for their school.