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The Christmas Day playing experience: The 1984 Terps’ holiday away from the mainland

Scooters, snorkeling, and Christmas Day basketball.

It was 1984 and Maryland men’s basketball was off to Honolulu, Hawaii, to play in the Rainbow Classic tournament, where it would face Iowa on Dec. 25 — the only time in program history the Terrapins have played on the holiday until this season.

Back then, the team still flew commercial, which, to say the least, is not ideal for super tall basketball players on an 10-hour long flight. The 1984-85 squad featured Maryland legend Len Bias, Adrian Branch, Derrick Lewis, Keith Gatlin and Jeff Baxter, among others.

When they landed, Johnny Holliday, the voice of Maryland Athletics, specifically remembers head coach Lefty Driesell telling players it was a business trip, not a vacation.