Minot Skyrockets 110, Chicago Steam 84

[DakotaWiz]

Hey Fellas,
Scorers for us:
Spears 24 points, 11 boards
Scruggs 14 points, 11 boards, 2 blocks
Fields 18 points, 7 boards, 7 assists
Parran 17 points, 4 assists
Brandon Smith 17 points, 10 boards -- Rookie
Miles 8 points 5 boards
Davison 2 points, 6 assists
O'Quinn 2 points, 2 rebounds 5 fouls
Griffin 8 points, 7 boards, 4 steals
Alvin Jones -- DNP, hamstring
43% from field, 27% from 3, 72% from FT

Top 3 For them:
Eric Smith 23 points, 5 boards, 7 assists, 5-10 3point
Chris Hopson 21 points, 9 boards, 3 assists
Mike Henderson 20 points, 10 boards
37% from field, 40% from 3, 53% FT

Overall good game, lost 1 QP, but Chicago led in the 3rd quarter at one point.

Skyrockets 20 28 26 36
Steam 21 19 22 22

Smaller crowd, but having home opener on a Wednesday didn't help.

[psbf]

Nice win for the Skyrockets. I notice that the crowds in the CBA have been down, although it's early. Any figures?

[DakotaWiz]

Nothing announced... Temps up here are -20 below (Not counting windchill) and the opener is on a Wednesday... Should get better!

[psbf]

I hope you're right and I realize this is mid-week. But it seems to me that fans don't really find ABA opponents as interesting as league rivals(imo).
My guess is that attendence was around 1,000. The picture in MDN looked almost empty.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I hope you're right and I realize this is mid-week. But it seems to me that fans don't really find ABA opponents as interesting as league rivals(imo).
My guess is that attendence was around 1,000. The picture in MDN looked almost empty.

I don't think the ABA opponents have anything to do with attendance. Attendance is down as a sign of the times. What are minor league hoops teams doing differently to bring-in fans?!? Ponder that question. Also, weather isn't a factor. Everyone knew there would be sub-zero temperatures in Minot before this franchise was purchased from Apex. Personally, I think the Skyrockets should have been allowed to die on the vine. Wasn't anything learned from Minot's IBA experience?

[panchess]

..blizzard conditions in North Dakota and 250,000 customers without power due to an ice storm in the Albany region aren't. Both of those circumstances made the Today Show this week, and would impact attendance.

I agree with Ken that the ABA opponents are having relatively little impact on attendance, and that says something about any future direction the CBA might have.

[psbf]

You're probably right, and I'm glad to see the ABA teams fulfilling their responsibilities. But attendence is down, regardless of the reason. Hopefully it will pick up, though.

[basketball facts]

Hey Chuck, how did my man Monte O'Quinn do in the game? I saw posted here that he had 2 points, 2 rebounds and five fouls. I know you disagreed, but I think that I proved my point. He stinks!

[Chuck the Writer]

Hey Chuck, how did my man Monte O'Quinn do in the game? I saw posted here that he had 2 points, 2 rebounds and five fouls. I know you disagreed, but I think that I proved my point. He stinks!

Geez man, what is it with you and Monte O'Quinn? Did he stiff you for an autograph or something and it snapped your opinion of him? Give it a rest. Yeah, he's not part of the CBA All-Star Team, but I'm sure he could still outshoot you in a game of HORSE.

[basketball facts]

No actually I'm mad because I told him clearly that I wanted a double quarter with cheese and he served me a big mac instead. I distinctly remember ordering a double yet he screwed up. Well you know what they,"you always get screwed at the drive through." Chuck you are never wrong

[panchess]

If Monte O'Quinn isn't any good, Minot will get him off the roster pretty quick. That hasn't been a problem up there in the past.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

If Monte O'Quinn isn't any good, Minot will get him off the roster pretty quick. That hasn't been a problem up there in the past.

Monte O'Quinn certainly didn't last long with the USBL Gary Steelheads and he only lasted the pre-season with the IBL Gary Steelheads. He's a big wide body though...but he does collect a lot of fouls.

[FreezinUpHere]

I don't think the ABA opponents have anything to do with attendance. Attendance is down as a sign of the times. What are minor league hoops teams doing differently to bring-in fans?!? Ponder that question. Also, weather isn't a factor. Everyone knew there would be sub-zero temperatures in Minot before this franchise was purchased from Apex. Personally, I think the Skyrockets should have been allowed to die on the vine. Wasn't anything learned from Minot's IBA experience?


Weather isn't a factor?? Even hardy North Dakotans rarely venture out when its deathly cold outside. As in -40* windchills.... like die from exposure if you get stuck or stranded. As others have stated, the crowds weren't bad considering the Wed. tip-off and the horrendous chilly conditions. Have you ever been to ND Mr. Kenny?? How do you know so much?? Minot had a nice crowd last night and it'll only get better. This ABA stuff is a different breed but it's fast and furious. Ticket-buyers have been entertained in Minot thus far and the owners and volunteers seem to be making a nice effort to keep pro ball in town. What was there to learn from the so-called ''IBA experience''? Nothing bad surely....... only that Minot likes and supports pro ball and that it's a viable basketball community regardless of the league.

Kenny, I really miss your little lover's spats with Daleo....... why don't you go find him and stay away from the PC for awhile.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Weather isn't a factor?? Even hardy North Dakotans rarely venture out when its deathly cold outside. As in -40* windchills.... like die from exposure if you get stuck or stranded. As others have stated, the crowds weren't bad considering the Wed. tip-off and the horrendous chilly conditions. Have you ever been to ND Mr. Kenny?? How do you know so much?? Minot had a nice crowd last night and it'll only get better. This ABA stuff is a different breed but it's fast and furious. Ticket-buyers have been entertained in Minot thus far and the owners and volunteers seem to be making a nice effort to keep pro ball in town. What was there to learn from the so-called ''IBA experience''? Nothing bad surely....... only that Minot likes and supports pro ball and that it's a viable basketball community regardless of the league.

Kenny, I really miss your little lover's spats with Daleo....... why don't you go find him and stay away from the PC for awhile.

Have I ever been to North Dakota?!? No. I haven't been to South Dakota either. Doesn't stop me from understanding that some of the coldest mean temperatures in the continental United States can be found there. Brutal weather should have been anticipated long before bringing a franchise to town.

Viable basketball community regardless of the league?!? Maybe, but I have my doubts. The IBA and Apex experiences were red flags.