Ten teams

[psbf]

Now that the league has finalized with ten teams(5 in each Division), the schedules are out. I'd like to get action back into this board so I'd like to hear some thoughts on what you think about the upcoming CBA season?

[Chuck the Writer]

My feeling is that with eight new teams in the league, plus with Albany and Yakama returning, this is going to be a season that will show basketball fans what the CBA has going for it.

It's too early to tell which teams will be the powerhouses, as right now the only players we do know are going to be out there are Desmond Ferguson and Dayshawn Wright in Minot - and Coleco Buie and Armon Gilliam in Pittsburgh. Paul Woolpert, Chris Daleo and Micheal Ray Richardson will return as head coaches (Richardson with the Patroons, Woolpert with Yakama, Daleo with Minot), and five new coaches will patrol the sidelines.

I'm sure that as soon as the rosters fill out with CBA returnees, draft picks, veterans and wildcards (i.e., players that were previously overlooked, a la Albany's Jamario Moon or Yakama's Cheyne Gadson), we will see how the league will develop.

I'm curious as to whether Willie Simms will break Tico Brown's all-time points total (Simms is less than 300 points away), whether Ronnie Fields will reach the Top 10 all-time in points, whether TJ Thompson and Roger Powell Jr. will prove that their rookie years were just a sign of things to come, whether Richard Dionne can return to Yakama as more than just a benchwarmer; whether any of the juco talent that was the Michigan Mayhem can step up to the plate, a la Jason Boucher or Johnnie White; whether Randy Holcomb or Chris Alexander will find a new team to latch on to after helping the Steelheads reach the CBA finals; etc.

I'd also like to see which CBA stars will get their chance to play in the NBA this year via call-ups. I'd also like to see which teams will sign a former NBA star (i.e., Olden Polynice, Jayson Williams, Roy Tarpley) to help bolster their lineup or to give the player an opportunity to "shake off the rust" for either one last run in the NBA or maybe a tune-up for a European contract.

[heavesrock]

These are my predictions for standings.

East
1. Minot
2. Pittsburgh
3. Indiana
4. Albany
5. Atlanta
West
1. Yakima
2. Butte
3. Great Falls
4. Utah
5. Vancouver

[psbf]

Unfortunately, we lost Vancouver and Atlanta for this season, which now leaves the league with just 8 teams. Indiana has always given us problems (we were winless last year vs. them in the ABA), so hopefully that will change this season. If the Alley Cats play the same as they had last season, it should be Indiana and the Xplosion as the top two in the East. Too early for me to call on the other teams.

[tony-o]

So for this season it is Yakima, Utah, Great Falls, and Butte in the West and Albany, Minot, Pittsburgh and Indiana in the East. This is already looking like a solid league. Not to mention the CBA will have Vancouver, Atlanta, Miami, SoCal, the LA Aftershock, the Lethbridge Canadians, the Hawaii Volcanoes, and the teams in Bend, Seattle, and Spokane in the season after the next. This league has a bright future ahead of them.

[Pounder]

If Vancouver just went south (even for "hiatus"), don't count your chickens in the other Northwest eggs.

[psbf]

I'm holiding my breathe that there are no other surprise foldings, while anticipating the start of the season. I can't wait for the Xplosion to return to action and to see the new league.