By Tom Bannister

As most know, Somerville High School has one of the most storied histories in Massachusetts High School Basketball that dates back almost 75 years. In those dominant years that stretched from the early 1940’s until the early 1980’s, Somerville was a constant contender for sectional and state titles.

In the famed Tech Tourney days, Somerville took home the Class A championship seven times including the final Tech Tourney ever played in 1971. Somerville would show up with 7,000 plus fans for those games. When the Highlanders would win, which happened often, the crowds would march from North Station to Highland Avenue chanting “S-O-M-E-R-V-I-L-L-E” and singing the school alma mater “Somerville leads the way”.

This season, the Highlanders are going to get a chance to compete on the sacred parquet floor of the Boston Garden (now known as the TD Garden). The TD Garden will be hosting the “Good Sports High School Invitational” on January 10, 2015. Somerville will take on Belmont at 12:30 pm. Tickets are $12.00 and includes admission to seven other marquee high school games including teams such as Andover, Central Catholic, Newton North, St. John’s Prep, Malden Catholic, Arlington Catholic, and Mansfield.

Head Coach Mark Antonelli and the Highlanders are calling on all students, faculty, alumni, and community members to come out, wear their red and blue, and rock the Garden the way only Somerville can.

Each participating school is required to sell 400 tickets. Tickets will be available through the SHS Athletic Department.

Please contact Athletic Director Nicole Viele 617-625-6600 ext. 6161 nviele@k12.somerville.ma.us or Head Coach Mark Antonelli mantonelli@k12.somerville.ma.us for ticket information.