The BCL was founded in 1972, after the Baltimore high school basketball season culminated in the MSA Championship game, Mt.
The goal was to make a separate division from the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA), which served as the league for all high school athletics in the Baltimore area, public or private.
Other notable coaches in the league included Mark Amatucci, formerly of Calvert Hall College, who won a national championship in the early 80s, Cokey Robertson, formerly of St. Maria Goretti High School, Pat Clatchey of Mount Saint Joseph, William Wells formerly of St. Frances Academy, Jerry Savage formerly of Loyola Blakefield, and Dan Popera formerly of Archbishop Curley High School.
After the conclusion of the season, the BCL sponsors a league tournament held at Loyola College's Reitz Arena.
Many former BCL players later played collegiate basketball at NCAA Division I schools, with some advancing to the NBA: Towson Catholic Owls Calvert Hall Cardinals Spalding Cavaliers Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders Archbishop Curley Friars Goretti Gaels Mount Saint Joseph Gaels St. Frances Panthers