WA Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball will be returning to play at TD Garden on Sunday, Jan. 18 for the first time since 2018. The girls’ team will be playing against Acton-Boxborough at 11:30 a.m. The boys’ team will be playing against Falmouth at 1:00 p.m.
Teams across the state will be playing at the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational, where games start at 8 a.m and continue until 8:30 p.m. This is an annual tournament that honors Andrew James Lawson, a young man with Down syndrome who was excellent at sports before he died of cancer.
The opportunity to play at the Garden has been in the works since last year, when owner of Hoop Mountain, a youth basketball organization, Steve Gibbs granted Boys’ Basketball head coach Christopher Bramanti a spot in the tournament.
“I’ve known [Gibbs] for quite a long time, and he always asked me to go. It just seemed like this might be a good opportunity this year, so I kept the lines of communication open,” Bramanti said.
Both WA teams and cheerleaders hope to collectively sell 800 tickets to the game, individually and by flyers with QR codes posted on the school’s walls.
“Each player has to sell eight tickets and the whole program is aiming to fill the stands with family, friends, and hopefully neighbors, teachers, and classmates,” senior Girls’ Basketball captain Kaitlyn Pepin said.
According to the Girls’ Basketball head coach Camille Desrochers, the team has connected more since the beginning of the season because of the opportunity to play at such a renowned arena. After receiving the news that they would play at the Garden, the team was excited and ready to take on the challenge.
“I’m super excited. I watched my older sister play at the Garden when she was a senior, so now that I get to experience it as a senior it is a really cool moment for me,” senior Girls’ Basketball captain Olivia Pillsbury said.
According to the coaches of both teams, they hope that their players dedicate themselves to preparing for the game, while realizing how unique the opportunity to play at the Garden is. For most athletes, it might be the only time they get to play on a professional court, especially one that is home to the Celtics. They are slowly starting to incorporate more extensive training into their practices, since the game is still weeks away.
“We have a lot of games to prepare for before the game at the Garden, but we are just looking to get better everyday and keep taking steps forward,” senior Boys’ Basketball captain Teddy Hirbour said.
According to both coaches, they hope this experience will inspire future athletes at WA to improve their skills, so that one day they can return to the Garden.
“I grew up in Boston, so being a Celtics fan my whole life, this is as cool as it gets. I think for [all] kids who are part of a team and experience [this] together—to play in the best place that you can around here—I think [this] is an awesome opportunity,” Desrochers said.
According to Bramanti, his team has been progressing well this season and improving daily. The Boys’ Basketball players are also looking forward to playing at the Garden.
“They’re pretty happy, it’s a [great experience]. We’ve done it a couple of times before, and it’s so unique to play on the court where a lot of legends have played,” Bramanti said.
To attend the game, viewers will have to buy a $20 general admission ticket that includes a seat, a t-shirt, and a ride on the fan bus intended for Westford Academy students only.
