In the winter of 1977 one parent and a group of nine year old boys had just finished a season of hockey. The parent, Graeme Gibbons, looked around for an activity in the summer and settled for basketball.

The team was entered in the EDJBA U10 competition. Graeme coached the team into last position on the ladder. They scored 83 points while their opponents scored 519 points. It is interesting to note that the coach and four of that original team took out the U17A reserve premiership eight years later in 1985, having picked up a number of flags in the the intervening years.

It didn't take long for the project to catch on around East Ivanhoe Primary School. The Club was nomadic in those days, but with increasing interest and the need to develop an identity, the Club took over management of the Rosanna East High School centre as a home venue. By 1983 the Club was fielding eleven teams.

The small group of parents who spent enormous amounts of time in promoting the idea of a game and a club which would develop children's skills and enjoyment within a community environment also dreamed of a centre close to home which would encourage those aims.

The East Ivanhoe Special Purpose and Creative Education (SPACE) Centre was opened by the Premier, The Hon. John Cain in 1983 and the Ivanhoe East Junior Basketball Club became the first tenant.

With a "home ground" advantage, expansion took off at an enormous rate. At the start of 1990, the club was fielding almost 50 teams covering ages from 6 to 18 and all standards from "A" grade to "D" grade. Expanding into venues at Ivanhoe Boys Grammar School and Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School.

Not only is the Club providing sporting activity for a great many children, but it is also an avenue for leadership opportunities for young people, who are largely responsible for refereeing games and coaching teams. In this way, the sense of community spirit of one individual has developed into a major community facility within this area.