Included in the first class are 16 players, five coaches, one official and one contributor. In addition to the Inductees, the MBHOF will honor the 1944 Waterville High School basketball team. Seventy years ago this group of Waterville boys captured the imagination of the entire state when they won both the State and New England Championships.

Moreover, the MBHOF will pay respects to a list of Legends of the Game who were instrumental in the early development of Maine basketball. These luminaries will be honored with a special plaque at the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame Concourse in the Cross Center.

Players become eligible for induction 20 years after their playing days are over. Coaches with 20 years of experience are eligible immediately; those whose careers were less than 20 years must wait ten years after their last coaching assignment for eligibility.

The induction ceremony is the first of what will be an annual event for the MBHOF.

It is hoped that everyone who has been involved with Maine basketball will value and share in the spirit of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame which will stand as "A Lasting Memorial to a Maine Tradition."

The Maine Basketball Hall of Fame is housed on the second floor of the new Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. There is an ongoing effort to turn the MBHOF Concourse into a showcase of the history of Maine basketball.

Basketball fans can order banquet tickets by visiting the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame website, www.MaineBasketballHallofFame.com. The cost is $ 40 per ticket; the Induction ceremony is open to the public. People interested in supporting the Hall of Fame can become a 'Friend of the Hall' for $ 25. 'Friends of the Hall' will receive a MBHOF decal for display in their car windows.