Cumberland high school basketball tournament shutting down after 63 years

A Catholic high school basketball tournament in Cumberland, billed as one of the most prestigious in the nation, is going on hiatus, according to tournament organizers.

Cumberland-based Wamba Caravan #89 of the International Order of Alhambra announced in a news release Aug. 23 that it is putting the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament on “indefinite hiatus.”

“After discussions over the past several months following the 2023 event, Wamba Caravan leadership made the decision because of tournament production costs, the rapidly changing landscape of high school basketball, an increasing amount of national postseason events, state athletic association regulations and school scheduling philosophies that made securing the traditional eight-team field for the ACIT difficult in recent years. While on hiatus, the Caravan will consider re-envisioning the ACIT in various formats, including as an in-season showcase event in the future,” the organization said in its news release.

The winner of the Baltimore Catholic League annually was invited to the tournament.

BCL Commissioner Jack Degele said in a news release that he was disappointed to hear of the tournament’s demise.

“The Baltimore Catholic League is saddened by this news, as the ACIT partnered with us to host our league champion and at-large teams as part of their fields since the beginning of the BCL in 1971-72,” Degele said. “BCL teams took on schools from around the country and Canada as part of the most prestigious Catholic tourney in the nation, and two of our schools – Calvert Hall during its undefeated national championship season of 1982 and St. Frances in 1996 – earned the ACIT title.

“On behalf of our schools, we sincerely thank the Wamba Caravan and the hundreds of volunteers and workers who made the ACIT a special weekend of prep basketball and fellowship every March in Cumberland,” Degele said.

The event typically attracted eight of the top Catholic high school basketball teams in the nation, including the winner of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, often powerhouse DeMatha Catholic. DeMatha won the tournament 27 of the 61 times the event was held, including in 2023 at Frostburg State University.

More than 100 alumni of the event went on to play on the NCAA Division I level and several starred in the NBA.

“With the support of the local community, our sponsors and scores of dedicated volunteers, the ACIT grew to reach incredible heights thanks to legendary schools, players and coaches over the years. With the leadership of general chairmen Joseph Divico and Joseph Carter, what began as the idea for a community fundraiser rose to national prominence and provided a lifetime of memories for fans and everyone involved with the event.” said Alex Brant, tournament co-chairman. “The members of Wamba Caravan #89 are grateful for those memories and the resources they raised for those in special need of support.”

Wamba Caravan donated the majority of tournament proceeds to programs and institutions such as the Special Olympics, the Pratt Program at Bishop Walsh School, the Brandenberg Center, Friends Aware, New Hope, Boy Scout Troop 89, and other programs to assist the developmentally disabled. 

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