Bayno, Grayer Earn Coaching Awards

Published on February 1, 2003 under United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Ohio Valley Greyhounds News Release


Boise, Idaho (Feb. 1, 2003)— The Continental Basketball Association announced today that Bill Bayno of the Yakima Sun Kings and Jeff Grayer of the Great Lakes Storm, were respectively named National Conference and American Conference Coaches of the Months for January. This is the first CBA award for each.

In his first season in the CBA, Bayno has the Sun Kings knocking on the door of the conference leading Dakota Wizards, trailing the defending champions by a .3 quarter point average (22-12, 143.5 total, 4.2 avg.). In January Yakima posted a league-best 11-2 record (.846) and 5.3 quarter point average (68.5 total), a 1.6 improvement over December's mark of 3.7 (6-5, 41 total). Going into February, the Sun Kings are in the midst of a season high seven-game winning streak. In January the Sun Kings also produced three Player of the Week awards for forward Damien Cantrell, and a CBA-to-NBA call-up for forward/center Paul Shirley (Jan. 8 to Atlanta).

Bayno, a veteran coach at the collegiate level, won three conference championships and earned four post-season berths in five seasons as head coach at Nevada-Las Vegas (1995-2000). His resume also includes assistant coaching positions under University of Memphis Head Coach John Calipari (Massachusetts, 1988-95), Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach Larry Brown (Kansas, 1986-87), and San Antonio Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo (Seton Hall, 1985-86).

Grayer, a second-year CBA head coach, led the Storm to an 8-5 record and a 4.0 quarter point average (51.5 total) in January, an American Conference-best 1.4 improvement over their December average of 2.6 (4-9, 34 total). Great Lakes also produced January Player of the Week awards for guards James Head and Jermaine Jackson, and a CBA-to-NBA call up for Jackson (Jan. 30 to Atlanta), his second of the season.

Last season, Grayer led the Great Lakes franchise to a 14-6 (.700) home record (17-23, .425 overall) and sent two players (Jackson and Ira Newble) to the NBA. As a player, the Iowa State legend ('88) was drafted in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft (13th overall) by the Milwaukee Bucks and would go on to play over nine years in the NBA.

Also receiving consideration for Coach of the Month in the National Conference was Dakota's Dave Joerger (6-4, 3.4 quarter point average). In the American Conference, Rockford's Chris Daleo (8-5, 4.0 quarter point average) was the other candidate.

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