LYNN — The community at St. George Greek Orthodox Church always looks forward to the annual Harry Agganis Invitational Basketball Tournament. St. George hosts the tournament each year and welcomes Greek Orthodox church basketball teams from across the country. It’s an event that brings together a community that prides itself in keeping the Agganis legacy strong.
This year’s tournament, its 64th edition, begins Friday at Agganis Gymnasium in the St. George Greek Orthodox Church Community Center.
“I’ve been around a lot of things and there aren’t many that have survived for 64 years,” said John Meklis, who has stepped into the lead role of organizing the tournament in Bill Booras’ absence. “It’s kind of taken a life of its own. This year, for the first time ever, we have a women’s team, a girls high school team coming from Chicago and a boys high school team from Chicago, along with a men’s team from Chicago. The high school kids are basically the children of guys that played in it 20 years ago.”
Meklis, a Lynn native, said he was raised in the St. George community.
“I grew up at St. George,” Meklis said. “I grew up playing in the tournament as a kid, in the high school level and in the men’s division. I grew up with the Agganis legacy, through playing basketball in the church. I’ve been around it my entire life.
“It’s really special. It’s a big part of who we are. We really pride ourselves on the Agganis Tournament and the festival as two events that we bring to the Lynn community. We’re very proud to have this tournament and continue to carry it forward.”
In addition to the teams traveling from Chicago, other out-of-state teams will hail from Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire and New York.
“I enjoy seeing these guys that come from out of state and other towns rekindle friendships and make new acquaintances,” Meklis said.
One of the tournament’s highlights is the annual George “Maz” Mazareas award. Mazareas is a former Lynn School Committeeman. He played college basketball at Tufts and professionally in Greece. Mazareas is currently battling ALS.
This year’s winner is Steve Bulpett, longtime Celtics beat writer for the Boston Herald. The award will be presented to Bulpett Saturday at 5 p.m.
“Steve grew up very similar to George, playing basketball,” Meklis said. “Steve’s father was on the first Agganis basketball team ever. Steve’s been someone that has helped us keep the Agganis legacy alive. He’s been a strong representative of the Agganis Tournament.”
The championship games for the tournament’s three divisions (boys high school, men’s and women’s open) will be played Sunday afternoon.
A portion of the proceeds from the tournament will go toward the Ben Rivera ‘Find Your Wings’ Foundation. Rivera, Booras’ grandson, died last week at the age of 23.
