The Lancaster Minor Basketball Association began in the Spring of 1986 when Dave Kean and Dave Ring decided that a basketball organization in the western end of the city was long overdue. They contacted a small group of interested parents and in the fall of 1986, the Lancaster Minor Basketball Association was a reality - the league consisted of twenty-two teams of boys and girls, ranging in age fr
om eight to fifteen years. That year, two boys representative teams, Mini and Bantam, participated in Basketball New Brunswick Championship Tournaments. The fundamental philosophy of the LMBA, which remains in force today, is that the focus of the LMBA is the "house league". House league players participate as equally as possible, regardless of ability. At the same time, provision for representative team play was also introduced and since the focus of the Rep Team is competition culminating with the Provincial Championship Tournament the equal play provision was removed. That said it is expected that each Rep Team coach will have players participate as circumstances dictate. In 1987 the first Christmas Tournament was held in schools utilized by the LMBA. This tournament was for Bantam and midget age classes only. Teams from the Kennebacasis Valley, East Saint John, Moncton, River Valley and LMBA participated. In the fall of 1989 Dave Kean passed away and the tournament was renamed the "Dave Kean Coca Cola Hoops Classic". With the passing of Dave's wife, Bridget, the tournament was renamed in 2000 in honor of both Keans, "The Dave and Bridget Kean Memorial Tournament". From its inception in 1986 the LMBA has experienced growth in player participation and today hovers in the range of 325 players.
