Community unites for 25th year of Scarborough Holiday Hoops Basketball Tournament

5th grade girls, Gorham Rams courtesy photo/ Will Blanche

The Scarborough Basketball Boosters recently held the 25th Annual Holiday Hoops Basketball Tournament, a well-established tradition that has become a staple in the community. The event, organized by the Scarborough Basketball Boosters, took place Dec. 27-28 at Scarborough High School in Scarborough.

“The tournament started 25 years ago by William Adams and John Daley,” said Will Blanche, the tournament director. “After them, Don Briggs and Doug Adams ran the tourney before handing it over to me 10 years ago. I have had many assistants over the years and it wouldn’t be possible without them.”

“This year, there were five assistant tournament directors that spent a significant time at the school with myself and my wife,” he said. “There were 65 teams in the tournament this year. At times there were four games going on at the same time at the high school. We had to fill 215 volunteer slots to make it happen and rely on the high school basketball players to fill most of them. We had over 3000 spectators come through the door.”

5th grade boys Scarborough courtesy photo/ Will Blanche

The tournament has grown into a highly anticipated community gathering, attracting middle school basketball teams from various towns in central and southern Maine. “We have teams that travel an hour and a half to participate; one team from New Hampshire and one from coastal Maine,” Blanche said. “The furthest team came from the Lake Winnipesaukee area of New Hampshire, driving an hour and a half to get here.”

Blanche said the event focuses on town teams, “We do not allow AAU or regional all-star teams. We have always kept this as a town team tournament. Our goal is to provide a top-quality holiday tournament for both boys and girls.”

The Scarborough High School’s Alumni and Plummer gyms hosted the games, utilizing three courts to accommodate simultaneous matches. The tournament had both boys and girls divisions, spanning grades five through eight.

The list of champions of the tournament in each division include:

• 5th grade girls: Gorham Rams
• 6th grade girls: Scarborough Hurricanes
• 7th grade girls: Westbrook Paper City Hoops
• 8th grade girls: Gardiner
• 5th grade boys: Scarborough (Red)
• 6th grade boys: Ole Port
• 7th grade boys: Greely
• 8th grade boys: Oceanside

The tournament adopted a pool play format, guaranteeing each team a minimum of three games. Two board-certified referees oversaw each match, and teams displayed varying levels of skill, all vying fiercely for the championship in their respective age groups.

Sponsor support played a vital role in ensuring the tournament’s success. Pape Chevrolet, a long-time lead sponsor, along with Pine Tree Seafood, contributed significantly to sustaining the event.