mzracing76
12-19-2004, 06:19 PM
CBA LEAGUE LEADERS
SCORING
1. Britton Johnsen Idaho........................ 7 153 21.9
2. Billy Thomas Dakota........................ 11 238 21.6
3. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................. 7 148 21.1
4. Mark Jones Great Lakes................... 14 291 20.8
5. Kasib Powell Great Lakes................. 14 283 20.2
6. Stais Boseman Rockford.................. 10 200 20.0
7. Jemeil Rich Gary............................. 11 219 19.9
8. Alpha Bangura Sioux Falls................ 13 250 19.2
9. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls............... 13 246 18.9
10. David Graves Gary........................ 11 207 18.8
REBOUNDING
1. Charles Gaines Michigan.................... 9 109 12.1
2. John Thomas Sioux Falls.................. 12 124 10.3
3. Carlos Daniel Yakima...................... 12 123 10.3
4. Jackie Butler Great Lakes.................. 13 129 9.9
5. Lonnie Jones Gary............................ 11 109 9.9
ASSISTS
1. Jemeil Rich Gary............................. 11 125 11.4
2. Marlon Parmer Yakima.................... 11 111 10.1
3. Billy Keys Dakota............................. 11 104 9.5
4. Randy Livingston Sioux Falls.............. 13 103 7.9
5. Ronnie Fields Rockford.......................... 8 49 6.1
STEALS
1. Ronnie Fields Rockford.......................... 8 27 3.4
2. Jemeil Rich Gary................................. 11 36 3.3
3. Stais Boseman Rockford...................... 10 29 2.9
4. Ezra Williams Great Lakes...................... 7 19 2.7
5. Billy Keys Dakota................................ 11 23 2.1
BLOCKS
1. Lonnie Jones Gary................................ 11 50 4.5
2. Sam Clancy Idaho................................ 13 26 2.0
3. Jackie Butler Great Lakes...................... 13 20 1.5
4. Kareem Poole Michigan......................... 12 18 1.5
5. Scott Burrell Idaho................................... 9 9 1.0
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
1. Darrin Hancock Gary.......................... 43 63 0.683
2. Tim Frost Sioux Falls........................... 10 15 0.667
3. Charles Gaines Michigan..................... 58 96 0.604
4. Albert Burditt Sioux Falls..................... 21 35 0.600
5. Lonnie Jones Gary............................. 65 110 0.591
FREE THROWS
1. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................... 29 29 1.000
2. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls................... 77 82 0.939
3. Darrick Martin Michigan........................ 32 35 0.914
4. Ray Young Gary.................................. 27 30 0.900
5. Louis White Idaho................................ 32 36 0.889
THREE POINT SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
1. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls................... 17 31 0.548
2. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................... 15 29 0.517
3. David Graves Gary.............................. 23 46 0.500
4. Donald Williams Idaho.......................... 15 33 0.455
5. Robert Griffin Michigan........................... 9 20 0.450
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Top Performances in the CBA (Through 12/18/04)
Top 5 Points
39 Kaniel Dickens (Idaho) vs Great Lakes 11/27/04
36 Brant Bailey (Rockford) vs Gary 11/21/04
35 Marlon Parmer (Yakima) vs Dakota 12/10/04
35 Shelly Clark (Gary) at Rockford 11/21/04
32 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Yakima 12/14/04
32 Mark Jones (Great Lakes) vs Sioux Falls 12/08/04
32 DeSean Hadley (Sioux Falls) at Great Lakes 12/08/04
32 Stais Boseman (Rockford) at Sioux Falls 11/23/04
Rebounds
22 Jackie Butler (Great Lakes) vs Rockford 12/11/04
17 Randy Livingston (Sioux Falls) vs Rockford 11/23/04
Field Goals Made
14 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Yakima 12/14/04
14 Mark Jones (Great Lakes) vs Sioux Falls 12/08/04
Field Goal Attempts
24 Jackie Butler (Great Lakes) vs Rockford 12/11/04
Free Throws Made
16 DeSean Hadley (Sioux Falls) vs Rockford 11/23/04
Free Throw Attempts
19 Jemeil Rich (Gary) vs Michigan 11/23/04
3-Point Field Goals
7 Kaniel Dickens (Idaho) vs Great Lakes 11/27/04
Field Goal Attempts
13 Stais Boseman (Rockford) at Sioux Falls 11/23/04
Blocked Shots
12 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Rockford 11/27/04
Steals
8 Ronnie Fields (Rockford) vs Michigan 12/07/04
Personal Fouls
7 Lonny Baxter (Yakima) vs Sioux Falls 12/03/04
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
HOME AWAY
W L W L W L QW* PTS. Avg Last 5 Streak
================================================== =============================
Great Lakes Storm 6-8 5-1 1-7 30.5 48.5 3.5 2-3 LOST 3
Rockford Lightning 5-5 5-0 0-5 17.5 32.5 3.3 3-2 LOST 1
Gary Steelheads 5-6 4-0 1-6 19.5 34.5 3.1 2-3 WON 1
Michigan Mayhem 3-9 3-2 0-7 17.0 26.0 2.2 1-4 LOST 2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
HOME AWAY
W L W L W L QW* PTS. Avg Last 5 Streak
================================================== =============================
Dakota Wizards 9-2 7-1 2-1 26.0 53.0 4.8 5-0 WON 9
Sioux Falls Skyforce 9-4 5-0 4-4 33.0 60.0 4.6 2-3 LOST 2
Idaho Stampede 8-5 6-1 2-4 26.0 50.0 3.8 4-1 WON 3
Yakima Sun Kings 3-9 3-5 0-4 22.5 31.5 2.6 2-3 LOST 2
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CBA ANNOUNCES CHAPMAN AS DIRECTOR OF FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT
Boise, ID (December 7, 2004) — Longtime professional basketball veteran Eric Chapman has been appointed as the first Director of Franchise Development for the Continental Basketball Association, it was announced Tuesday by the league. In this role, Chapman will be in charge of the league’s development of expansion cities and franchises, acting on a consulting basis to both the team and the league.
“I am excited by the opportunity to reconnect with the CBA,” stated Chapman. “The league has an increasingly valuable place in the world of basketball and it also provides exciting entertainment to fans in communities across the country. I look forward to the challenge of assisting the league as it continues to grow and develop in the years ahead.”
Chapman began his career in professional basketball in 1981, working as a media relations intern with the then World Champion Boston Celtics. He later took on a full time position with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant for marketing and media relations. The following season (1983) Chapman was promoted to the position of basketball operations assistant and video coordinator (the first in the club’s history). In that role he became actively involved in all phases of the club’s basketball operations during a span of seven years with the Warriors, under head coaches John Bach, George Karl and Don Nelson.
In 1990, Chapman left Golden State to rejoin Coach Karl with the Albany Patroons of the CBA, as the club’s Director of Player Personnel. The Patroons went on to post a record setting 50-6 regular season record, which still stands as the best regular season winning percentage in pro basketball history. Following the 1990-91 season, Chapman founded the scouting and consulting service known as “The Chapman Report” which he has owned and operated for the past 13 seasons. For its first seven seasons (1991-1997) the service focused on evaluating and reporting on CBA players, and has since expanded to include coverage of several other minor leagues, while making recommendations for player call-ups to an exclusive clientele that has included nearly two-thirds of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchises.
“Few administrators have experienced more basketball environments than Eric Chapman,” stated CBA Deputy Commissioner Wade Morehead. “His knowledge of professional minor league basketball is much greater than just player personnel. His analytical and research skills make him the ideal person for this venture and the CBA is a stronger league with his addition.”
In conjunction with his scouting service, Chapman went back to the CBA on the team level when he joined the Omaha Racers as a part time assistant coach for the 1992 CBA playoffs. After resuming his scouting service the following season, he was asked at mid-season to join the Omaha club full-time in the dual capacity of Assistant Coach and Director of Player Personnel. Chapman accepted the position on February 11, 1993, with the club mired in last place. After engineering several key personnel moves, the club won 14 of its final 16 games to qualify for the playoffs, as the Racers went on to complete a Cinderella season by winning the 1993 CBA Championship. That summer Chapman also served as the chief scout for Team U.S.A., which won the gold medal in the COPABA World Championship Qualifying Tournament held in Puerto Rico. This marked the first time that a squad of CBA players and coaches had ever represented the United States in an international tournament.
Chapman went on to complete a total of six seasons with the Omaha club, before leaving in May of 1997 to join the expansion Idaho Stampede as the club’s first ever Director of Player Personnel. Building a team from the ground up, he maneuvered the Stampede through five different drafts (expansion, dispersal and college) before the team had ever played a game and helped acquire enough talent to have the expansion Stampede qualify for the playoffs in both of its first two seasons.
Following the 1998-99 season Chapman left the Stampede to concentrate more time and energy to his scouting business which by then had expanded to include coverage of college basketball as well. During Chapman’s nine seasons in the CBA (with Albany, Omaha and Idaho), his teams qualified for the playoffs every year, reached the league’s conference finals five times, and achieved rare consecutive appearances in the CBA Finals (1993 & 1994), winning the title in 1993. He also has helped coach 35 different players that were called up to the NBA, including Mario Elie, Tim Legler, Michael Curry, Rusty LaRue, Rafer Alston, and Damon Jones.
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ALBANY PATROONS NAME RICHARDSON AS HEAD COACH
Boise, ID (December 14, 2004) — The Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association announced during a Monday press conference that Micheal Ray Richardson has been signed as the Head Coach of the revitalized franchise, pending league approval.
“We are delighted to have Micheal Ray Richardson re-join the Patroons as our Head Coach,” stated Patroons President and Owner Ben Fernandez.
Richardson played one season in the CBA with the Patroons during the 1987-88 campaign, leading the team to a 48-6 regular season record before winning the CBA Title. During the year, he posted 13.9 points and 3.1 assists per game. Prior to his season in Albany, Richardson played eight seasons in the NBA after being drafted in the First Round (4th overall pick) of the 1978 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. From 1978 through 1986, Richardson played for the Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and the New Jersey Nets, earning NBA All-Star honors four times (1981, 1982, 1983, 1986). He has played in 556 regular season NBA games with a career average of 14.8 points and 7.0 assists per game.
“This is a great opportunity for me and I am thrilled to be back in Albany with its great tradition,” remarked Richardson, who most recently served as the Community Ambassador for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets.
Also in attendance, and introduced at Monday’s press conference was former Knicks, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and Orlando Magic Head Coach Bob Hill, who was named as the Patroons Special Consultant for Player Recruitment.
“We owe it to the Albany fans to assemble the best talent available in our coaching staffs and players,” said Patroons Vice President and General Manager Jim Coyne. “The legacy of the Albany Patroons will continue.”
Added CBA Commissioner Gary Hunter, “The CBA is excited with the progress of the Albany Patroons organization. From their announced coaching staff to their early onslaught of season ticket sales, the Patroons will be a welcome addition to the league next season.”
The Patroons will begin play during the CBA’s 60th anniversary season in 2005-06 at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, New York. During the Patroons’ original tenure in the CBA, from 1982-1992, the team was instrumental in graduating players and coaches like Phil Jackson, George Karl, Bill Musselman, Sidney Lowe, and Rick Carlisle to NBA coaching status.
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THIS WEEK'S TEAM PROFILE
SIOUX FALLS SKYFORCE
February 14, 1989 - The Kemper Lesnik Organization announced its intention to place a CBA expansion team in Sioux Falls, SD. Based in Chicago, the company provided the city of Sioux Falls with its first professional sports team. The team's nickname, Skyforce, was selected from 1,045 entries submitted in a Name-the-Team contest. Head Coach Ron Ekker and the Skyforce made their debut in the Sioux Falls Arena on Nov.16, 1989, falling to the Rapid City Thrillers, 85-79, before a crowd of 5,125.
May 13, 1993 - Local ownership took hold when Sioux Falls businessmen Bob Correa, Greg Heineman, Roger Larsen, and Tom Walsh purchased the Skyforce from the Kemper Lesnik Organization. The four community business leaders quickly established three goals:
Provide Sioux Falls, fans, and corporate partners with the best family entertainment value in the area.
Provide Sioux Falls the best CBA franchise in America both on-and-off the basketball court.
Enhance the image of Sioux Falls as the best place to live in America.
Those goals remain the focus of the organization to this day. Greg Heineman (now the sole owner of the club) continues to build upon the foundation set up by he and his and partners in 1993. With his leadership, the organization is stronger than ever beginning the 2004-2005 campaign.
1994 - Flip Saunders was hired as head coach and led Sioux Falls to their first winning record (34-22) and their first playoff appearance.
1995 - After Saunders was appointed head coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, the Skyforce named Morris "Mo" McHone the new sideline captain. The Florida State alum went on to become the winningest coach in Skyforce history, compiling a 142-82 (.634) record from 1995-99. McHone led the Skyforce to the CBA Finals three times in four season, winning the Championship in 1996. He served as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from 1999-2002, before joining the Los Angeles Clippers staff in October of 2002.
In addition to Flip Saunders and Mo McHone receiving promotions to the NBA, the Skyforce have had 37 players called-up to the NBA in the past 14 seasons, including a record nine call-ups during the 1996-97 season. The franchise has led the CBA in attendance four of the last six years, and has drawn nearly 2 million fans since 1989
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SCORING
1. Britton Johnsen Idaho........................ 7 153 21.9
2. Billy Thomas Dakota........................ 11 238 21.6
3. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................. 7 148 21.1
4. Mark Jones Great Lakes................... 14 291 20.8
5. Kasib Powell Great Lakes................. 14 283 20.2
6. Stais Boseman Rockford.................. 10 200 20.0
7. Jemeil Rich Gary............................. 11 219 19.9
8. Alpha Bangura Sioux Falls................ 13 250 19.2
9. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls............... 13 246 18.9
10. David Graves Gary........................ 11 207 18.8
REBOUNDING
1. Charles Gaines Michigan.................... 9 109 12.1
2. John Thomas Sioux Falls.................. 12 124 10.3
3. Carlos Daniel Yakima...................... 12 123 10.3
4. Jackie Butler Great Lakes.................. 13 129 9.9
5. Lonnie Jones Gary............................ 11 109 9.9
ASSISTS
1. Jemeil Rich Gary............................. 11 125 11.4
2. Marlon Parmer Yakima.................... 11 111 10.1
3. Billy Keys Dakota............................. 11 104 9.5
4. Randy Livingston Sioux Falls.............. 13 103 7.9
5. Ronnie Fields Rockford.......................... 8 49 6.1
STEALS
1. Ronnie Fields Rockford.......................... 8 27 3.4
2. Jemeil Rich Gary................................. 11 36 3.3
3. Stais Boseman Rockford...................... 10 29 2.9
4. Ezra Williams Great Lakes...................... 7 19 2.7
5. Billy Keys Dakota................................ 11 23 2.1
BLOCKS
1. Lonnie Jones Gary................................ 11 50 4.5
2. Sam Clancy Idaho................................ 13 26 2.0
3. Jackie Butler Great Lakes...................... 13 20 1.5
4. Kareem Poole Michigan......................... 12 18 1.5
5. Scott Burrell Idaho................................... 9 9 1.0
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
1. Darrin Hancock Gary.......................... 43 63 0.683
2. Tim Frost Sioux Falls........................... 10 15 0.667
3. Charles Gaines Michigan..................... 58 96 0.604
4. Albert Burditt Sioux Falls..................... 21 35 0.600
5. Lonnie Jones Gary............................. 65 110 0.591
FREE THROWS
1. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................... 29 29 1.000
2. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls................... 77 82 0.939
3. Darrick Martin Michigan........................ 32 35 0.914
4. Ray Young Gary.................................. 27 30 0.900
5. Louis White Idaho................................ 32 36 0.889
THREE POINT SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
1. DeSean Hadley Sioux Falls................... 17 31 0.548
2. Ezra Williams Great Lakes.................... 15 29 0.517
3. David Graves Gary.............................. 23 46 0.500
4. Donald Williams Idaho.......................... 15 33 0.455
5. Robert Griffin Michigan........................... 9 20 0.450
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Top Performances in the CBA (Through 12/18/04)
Top 5 Points
39 Kaniel Dickens (Idaho) vs Great Lakes 11/27/04
36 Brant Bailey (Rockford) vs Gary 11/21/04
35 Marlon Parmer (Yakima) vs Dakota 12/10/04
35 Shelly Clark (Gary) at Rockford 11/21/04
32 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Yakima 12/14/04
32 Mark Jones (Great Lakes) vs Sioux Falls 12/08/04
32 DeSean Hadley (Sioux Falls) at Great Lakes 12/08/04
32 Stais Boseman (Rockford) at Sioux Falls 11/23/04
Rebounds
22 Jackie Butler (Great Lakes) vs Rockford 12/11/04
17 Randy Livingston (Sioux Falls) vs Rockford 11/23/04
Field Goals Made
14 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Yakima 12/14/04
14 Mark Jones (Great Lakes) vs Sioux Falls 12/08/04
Field Goal Attempts
24 Jackie Butler (Great Lakes) vs Rockford 12/11/04
Free Throws Made
16 DeSean Hadley (Sioux Falls) vs Rockford 11/23/04
Free Throw Attempts
19 Jemeil Rich (Gary) vs Michigan 11/23/04
3-Point Field Goals
7 Kaniel Dickens (Idaho) vs Great Lakes 11/27/04
Field Goal Attempts
13 Stais Boseman (Rockford) at Sioux Falls 11/23/04
Blocked Shots
12 Lonnie Jones (Gary) at Rockford 11/27/04
Steals
8 Ronnie Fields (Rockford) vs Michigan 12/07/04
Personal Fouls
7 Lonny Baxter (Yakima) vs Sioux Falls 12/03/04
----------------------------------------------------------------
EASTERN CONFERENCE
HOME AWAY
W L W L W L QW* PTS. Avg Last 5 Streak
================================================== =============================
Great Lakes Storm 6-8 5-1 1-7 30.5 48.5 3.5 2-3 LOST 3
Rockford Lightning 5-5 5-0 0-5 17.5 32.5 3.3 3-2 LOST 1
Gary Steelheads 5-6 4-0 1-6 19.5 34.5 3.1 2-3 WON 1
Michigan Mayhem 3-9 3-2 0-7 17.0 26.0 2.2 1-4 LOST 2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
HOME AWAY
W L W L W L QW* PTS. Avg Last 5 Streak
================================================== =============================
Dakota Wizards 9-2 7-1 2-1 26.0 53.0 4.8 5-0 WON 9
Sioux Falls Skyforce 9-4 5-0 4-4 33.0 60.0 4.6 2-3 LOST 2
Idaho Stampede 8-5 6-1 2-4 26.0 50.0 3.8 4-1 WON 3
Yakima Sun Kings 3-9 3-5 0-4 22.5 31.5 2.6 2-3 LOST 2
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CBA ANNOUNCES CHAPMAN AS DIRECTOR OF FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT
Boise, ID (December 7, 2004) — Longtime professional basketball veteran Eric Chapman has been appointed as the first Director of Franchise Development for the Continental Basketball Association, it was announced Tuesday by the league. In this role, Chapman will be in charge of the league’s development of expansion cities and franchises, acting on a consulting basis to both the team and the league.
“I am excited by the opportunity to reconnect with the CBA,” stated Chapman. “The league has an increasingly valuable place in the world of basketball and it also provides exciting entertainment to fans in communities across the country. I look forward to the challenge of assisting the league as it continues to grow and develop in the years ahead.”
Chapman began his career in professional basketball in 1981, working as a media relations intern with the then World Champion Boston Celtics. He later took on a full time position with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant for marketing and media relations. The following season (1983) Chapman was promoted to the position of basketball operations assistant and video coordinator (the first in the club’s history). In that role he became actively involved in all phases of the club’s basketball operations during a span of seven years with the Warriors, under head coaches John Bach, George Karl and Don Nelson.
In 1990, Chapman left Golden State to rejoin Coach Karl with the Albany Patroons of the CBA, as the club’s Director of Player Personnel. The Patroons went on to post a record setting 50-6 regular season record, which still stands as the best regular season winning percentage in pro basketball history. Following the 1990-91 season, Chapman founded the scouting and consulting service known as “The Chapman Report” which he has owned and operated for the past 13 seasons. For its first seven seasons (1991-1997) the service focused on evaluating and reporting on CBA players, and has since expanded to include coverage of several other minor leagues, while making recommendations for player call-ups to an exclusive clientele that has included nearly two-thirds of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchises.
“Few administrators have experienced more basketball environments than Eric Chapman,” stated CBA Deputy Commissioner Wade Morehead. “His knowledge of professional minor league basketball is much greater than just player personnel. His analytical and research skills make him the ideal person for this venture and the CBA is a stronger league with his addition.”
In conjunction with his scouting service, Chapman went back to the CBA on the team level when he joined the Omaha Racers as a part time assistant coach for the 1992 CBA playoffs. After resuming his scouting service the following season, he was asked at mid-season to join the Omaha club full-time in the dual capacity of Assistant Coach and Director of Player Personnel. Chapman accepted the position on February 11, 1993, with the club mired in last place. After engineering several key personnel moves, the club won 14 of its final 16 games to qualify for the playoffs, as the Racers went on to complete a Cinderella season by winning the 1993 CBA Championship. That summer Chapman also served as the chief scout for Team U.S.A., which won the gold medal in the COPABA World Championship Qualifying Tournament held in Puerto Rico. This marked the first time that a squad of CBA players and coaches had ever represented the United States in an international tournament.
Chapman went on to complete a total of six seasons with the Omaha club, before leaving in May of 1997 to join the expansion Idaho Stampede as the club’s first ever Director of Player Personnel. Building a team from the ground up, he maneuvered the Stampede through five different drafts (expansion, dispersal and college) before the team had ever played a game and helped acquire enough talent to have the expansion Stampede qualify for the playoffs in both of its first two seasons.
Following the 1998-99 season Chapman left the Stampede to concentrate more time and energy to his scouting business which by then had expanded to include coverage of college basketball as well. During Chapman’s nine seasons in the CBA (with Albany, Omaha and Idaho), his teams qualified for the playoffs every year, reached the league’s conference finals five times, and achieved rare consecutive appearances in the CBA Finals (1993 & 1994), winning the title in 1993. He also has helped coach 35 different players that were called up to the NBA, including Mario Elie, Tim Legler, Michael Curry, Rusty LaRue, Rafer Alston, and Damon Jones.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALBANY PATROONS NAME RICHARDSON AS HEAD COACH
Boise, ID (December 14, 2004) — The Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association announced during a Monday press conference that Micheal Ray Richardson has been signed as the Head Coach of the revitalized franchise, pending league approval.
“We are delighted to have Micheal Ray Richardson re-join the Patroons as our Head Coach,” stated Patroons President and Owner Ben Fernandez.
Richardson played one season in the CBA with the Patroons during the 1987-88 campaign, leading the team to a 48-6 regular season record before winning the CBA Title. During the year, he posted 13.9 points and 3.1 assists per game. Prior to his season in Albany, Richardson played eight seasons in the NBA after being drafted in the First Round (4th overall pick) of the 1978 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. From 1978 through 1986, Richardson played for the Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and the New Jersey Nets, earning NBA All-Star honors four times (1981, 1982, 1983, 1986). He has played in 556 regular season NBA games with a career average of 14.8 points and 7.0 assists per game.
“This is a great opportunity for me and I am thrilled to be back in Albany with its great tradition,” remarked Richardson, who most recently served as the Community Ambassador for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets.
Also in attendance, and introduced at Monday’s press conference was former Knicks, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and Orlando Magic Head Coach Bob Hill, who was named as the Patroons Special Consultant for Player Recruitment.
“We owe it to the Albany fans to assemble the best talent available in our coaching staffs and players,” said Patroons Vice President and General Manager Jim Coyne. “The legacy of the Albany Patroons will continue.”
Added CBA Commissioner Gary Hunter, “The CBA is excited with the progress of the Albany Patroons organization. From their announced coaching staff to their early onslaught of season ticket sales, the Patroons will be a welcome addition to the league next season.”
The Patroons will begin play during the CBA’s 60th anniversary season in 2005-06 at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, New York. During the Patroons’ original tenure in the CBA, from 1982-1992, the team was instrumental in graduating players and coaches like Phil Jackson, George Karl, Bill Musselman, Sidney Lowe, and Rick Carlisle to NBA coaching status.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS WEEK'S TEAM PROFILE
SIOUX FALLS SKYFORCE
February 14, 1989 - The Kemper Lesnik Organization announced its intention to place a CBA expansion team in Sioux Falls, SD. Based in Chicago, the company provided the city of Sioux Falls with its first professional sports team. The team's nickname, Skyforce, was selected from 1,045 entries submitted in a Name-the-Team contest. Head Coach Ron Ekker and the Skyforce made their debut in the Sioux Falls Arena on Nov.16, 1989, falling to the Rapid City Thrillers, 85-79, before a crowd of 5,125.
May 13, 1993 - Local ownership took hold when Sioux Falls businessmen Bob Correa, Greg Heineman, Roger Larsen, and Tom Walsh purchased the Skyforce from the Kemper Lesnik Organization. The four community business leaders quickly established three goals:
Provide Sioux Falls, fans, and corporate partners with the best family entertainment value in the area.
Provide Sioux Falls the best CBA franchise in America both on-and-off the basketball court.
Enhance the image of Sioux Falls as the best place to live in America.
Those goals remain the focus of the organization to this day. Greg Heineman (now the sole owner of the club) continues to build upon the foundation set up by he and his and partners in 1993. With his leadership, the organization is stronger than ever beginning the 2004-2005 campaign.
1994 - Flip Saunders was hired as head coach and led Sioux Falls to their first winning record (34-22) and their first playoff appearance.
1995 - After Saunders was appointed head coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, the Skyforce named Morris "Mo" McHone the new sideline captain. The Florida State alum went on to become the winningest coach in Skyforce history, compiling a 142-82 (.634) record from 1995-99. McHone led the Skyforce to the CBA Finals three times in four season, winning the Championship in 1996. He served as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from 1999-2002, before joining the Los Angeles Clippers staff in October of 2002.
In addition to Flip Saunders and Mo McHone receiving promotions to the NBA, the Skyforce have had 37 players called-up to the NBA in the past 14 seasons, including a record nine call-ups during the 1996-97 season. The franchise has led the CBA in attendance four of the last six years, and has drawn nearly 2 million fans since 1989
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