The IAABO 95 Greater Lowell Holiday Basketball Tournament has a new home.
This year’s champ will compete for the titles at Lowell High School’s brand new gymnasium. The tournament will take place from December 27-29 and will feature host school Lowell and Westford, who have both been on the pitch since the start in 1977.
The rest of the field consists of Haverhill, Groton-Dunstable as well as a quartet of New Hampshire schools: Windham, Londonderry, Pinkerton and Pelham. The action begins on December 27 as Groton-Dunstable take on Windham at 2pm, followed by Westford Academy-Londonderry, Haverhill-Pinkerton and Lowell-Pelham. The semi-finals will be played the following day, with the championship scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on December 29.
“We are delighted to be one of two teams that have been there since day one,” said Lowell sporting director David Lezenki. “We are proud to be part of this great tournament and proud to partner with IAABO 95.”
It began as the Greater Lowell Holiday Basketball Tournament in 1977, the brainchild of Greater Lowell IAABO 95 Secretary-Treasurer George (Pete) Sheehan, rules interpreter Larry Cavanaugh Sr. and members Tony Romano Sr. and Larry Kelleher. At the time, Romano was the head men’s basketball coach at Lowell University and Kelleher was his assistant. The tournament’s original home was the Costello Gymnasium at ULowell, now UMass Lowell.
“It was a great opportunity to introduce our campus to high school athletes,” said Kelleher, who served as the MIAA North Basketball Tournament Director for years. “A crowded Costello gym was like a Celtics game for many kids, it really impressed them. The gym was packed and when it rocked it was a fantastic atmosphere.
At first, Lowell and Westford were on the local teams, and the appeal of the tournament was so strong that it was able to attract teams from all over the North East. Some of these away teams were Holy Cross (NY), Providence Central (RI), South Portland (Maine), Bishop Hendrickson (RI), Windsor (Conn.), and St. Peter’s (NJ).
“The visiting teams, especially the New York Metropolitan teams, have generated a ton of interest in the tournament,” Kelleher said. “Lowell and Lawrence were the only two holiday tournaments in the area at the time and the visiting teams generated huge fan interest. It was great for the kids, great for IAABO, great for ULowell, and great for basketball.
As the tournament evolved, the venue changed from the Costello Gymnasium to several local venues, including the Tsongas Arena. John Rafferty, the current IAABO 95 rules interpreter and holiday tournament president for 15 years and the late Alex Robinson christened the first-ever basketball game at Tsongas Arena in a first-round tournament celebrations). It was Rafferty who helped bring the tournament back to the college setting of Costello Gymnasium.
“We had five great years at Costello,” Rafferty said. “But when UML moved to Division 1, NCAA rules prohibited us from playing high school season games in a division. 1 place. It was sad to leave, but we found a wonderful new home at Lowell Catholic.
Lowell Catholic had just opened Keith Gymnasium and the small school division was sent back to the tournament. IAABO 95 and the Holiday Tournament donated a scoreboard for the site, and a great seven-year run ensued. As was the case with many tournaments at the time, the COVID pandemic caused a drop in team officials, volunteers and interest.
Lowell Catholic then maintained its own small school tournament, and a large format of eight school teams moved to Westford Academy for two seasons, before Lezenski and Lowell High stepped in and offered to host. Lezenski was instrumental in bringing in 495 Dodge/Chrysler Jeeps as a tournament sponsor, as well as Adidas as an equipment sponsor for the tournament.
“I’m thrilled to partner with these great companies to help raise the profile of student-athletes,” Lezenski said. “I hope these sponsors and the new venue will go a long way in attracting new fans to the age-old tradition of the tournament. We look forward to a bright new future.
Rafferty is excited about what he hopes will be a venue that will remain the host school for years to come.
“I believe the new Lowell High School Gym, new sponsorships and the tireless efforts of Dave Lezenski will lead the tournament into a new era of prosperity,” said Rafferty, noting that the tournament has raised over $120,000. intended for scholarships to senior graduates. “I’m honored to carry on the legacy of those who started this tournament, and I believe our move to the new gymnasium at Lowell High School will be a bridge to the future of this tournament.”