Scarborough Basketball Association gears up for 30th anniversary. Scarborough Basketball Association gears up for 30th anniversary. Founded in 1996 by Sam Moncada, the club now serves 2,500 boys and girls.
The Scarborough Basketball Association (SBA) is gearing up to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026, a big milestone for any sports organization, but especially so for a local Scarborough non-profit club.
SBA president Sam Moncada told MPulse Scarborough that when the association was founded in 1996 there were only 30 basketball clubs in Ontario. Today there are over 250.
The sport is growing in popularity every year and the SBA is now proud to serve 2,500 boys and girls ages 4-19 across all skill levels from house league to elite.
The Blues, as the SBA teams are known, boast an impressive alumni with former players playing professionally all over the world, including the NBA.
Moncada said the SBA sees itself as a “stepping stone,” helping kids develop the basketball skills, but also character traits, that they will need to excel in their basketball career and life beyond the court. As Moncada said, “We help kids attain their dreams.”
These days, those dreams can be pricey. Basketball, like all youth sports, has become increasingly professionalized, with paid specialized coaching, training camps and tournaments all adding up. Even the cost of permits to use school gyms has skyrocketed over recent years.
In order to keep costs down so basketball is accessible to all Scarborough kids, the SBA is always fundraising and gladly accepting donations. They are currently running three fundraisers: selling holiday cards, selling access to the Vertical Rise discount app and 50/50 raffle tickets.
With the season off to a strong start, the club is looking forward to hosting both boys and girls tournaments in the U10-U17 A and AA categories. Teams from across Ontario will gather in November to compete for the gold at TAT Stadium in Scarborough. Go Blues!
