Former basketball stars invited to stepon the floor one more time

    BANGOR — As Bangor says goodbye to the Bangor Auditorium, making way for the new Cross Insurance Center, basketball players past and present are being called to take the court at “The Mecca” a final time during The Final Buzzer Shoot Around — an event to benefit the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 16.

    “While this is a fundraiser for the Hall of Fame, what was more important to us was giving the thousands who played there a way to celebrate the past and welcome the future,” said Bill Burney, a Cony High School basketball star from 1967-69 and founding member of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame. “Memories were made on that wood floor and the emotions tied to the Auditorium  run deep for a lot of us. Especially for kids who came from small schools, the feeling of playing in that place, it’s unforgettable.”
    Organizers of The Final Buzzer Shoot Around include a number of former players who knew the appeal of being able to take the court again and they’ve designed the two day event with that in mind. The “shoot around” portion for past players is organized by eras on Saturday with women’s and men’s alumni games ending the night. On Sunday, the floor will be open to the public. Fans are encouraged to attend one or both days.
    “A ‘shoot around’ is basically a chance to shoot baskets,” Burney said. “It’s pretty simple, but it’s also the best way we could think of to let as many people as possible have a chance to be a part of it.”
    Shoot Around times begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for those who played between 1956 and 1974. The women’s alumni game is set for 5:30 p.m. with the men following at 7:30 p.m. The court opens to the public from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 17. Visit www.mainebasketballhalloffame.com to register and for more information.