MONROVIA – Amid raucous cheers and thunderous applause, Monrovia High School kept history alive through a special ceremony recognizing the 50th anniversary of its first boys basketball CIF Southern Section Championship title.

“When students work together to achieve a goal, the results are often impressive – in the case of the 1967 Monrovia High School basketball team, they were historic,” Monrovia Unified Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian said. “It is important to highlight these accomplishments, even 50 years later, to remind students that hard work can transform dreams into reality.”

The Feb. 9 celebration, which took place during halftime of the final boys varsity home game, recounted the thrilling tale of the 1967 game as the school unveiled a commemorative banner based on an illustration displayed in the school 50 years ago. The banner will hang in the gym paying homage to the team’s history and inspiring future players.

“Monrovia is a close-knit, proud community with an unparalleled sense of school spirit,” Monrovia High School Principal Kirk McGinnis said. “It is essential to keep the memory of our accomplishments alive to remind current and future students of the greatness we have achieved and can achieve again.”

On March 11, 1967, Monrovia High School an undefeated El Segundo High School team in the state championship. In a nail-biter of a game, Monrovia outscored El Segundo by six points in overtime to take the prize, 62-56. The 1967 title was the school’s first CIF championship win.

Honoring the memory of their predecessors, Monrovia High’s varsity boys basketball team triumphed over San Marino High School in their final home game with a shot at the buzzer, winning 51-49.

“I have been announcing at Monrovia High School’s games for 10 years – the love our community has for its student athletes is outstanding,” MUSD Board Vice president Terrence Williams said. “I feel very fortunate that I could be here along with my dear friend David Brubaker, who brought this idea to our attention and also knew the coaches and players that we pay tribute to on behalf of the 1967 champs with the rest of this excited crowd. The boys’ win tonight definitely adds to that excitement.”

PHOTO CAPTION

022317_MUSD_BASKETBALL: Monrovia High School’s varsity boys basketball team celebrates its victory over San Marino High School below a newly unveiled banner commemorating the school’s 1967 CIF Southern Section Championship title. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the school’s first CIF championship win.