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Buffalo Silverbacks Consider Moving Pro Ball Team to Southtowns

February 20, 2007 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Buffalo Silverbacks News Release


East Aurora, NY - The Buffalo Silverbacks announced today that they will be playing one of their final home games of the season at Iroquois High School in Elma, NY in order to test the "Southtowns" market for local draw and to consider moving the team there permanently. The decision was made primarily based on the overwhelming support received from the Sahlen "Do Your Best, Never Quit" community outreach initiative in East Aurora, Elma, Marilla, Wales, Lancaster, Depew, Hamburg and Orchard Park.

"We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Southtowns region" stated Modie Cox, player/assistant coach and lead speaker of the "Do Your Best, Never Quit" initiative. "In particular, we've grown a special relationship with the EMW Boys & Girls club, which happens to be located directly across from Iroquois High School." The Silverbacks are so close to the EMW Boys & Girls Club in fact, that 50 percent of the ticket proceeds for Wednesday night's game will go directly to benefit the club.

Modie continues, "All season long the most prosperous ABA (American Basketball Association) teams that we played against were ones located in more rural settings, where the community truly embraced them. The one that stands out the most is the Vermont team. Located in Barre, VT which is 40 minutes from any major city, people came out and stood in the cold for an hour to get in. It was a sold out house. Our goal is to replicate those same results in the Southtowns, except the waiting in the cold."

Jim Coatsworth, Director of the Club added "The Silverbacks have brought so much joy to this club that can't be measured. It makes me proud to have a part in putting this all together, and if the Silverbacks do decide to move to the Southtowns, it would only be better for all of us who live here."

The Buffalo Silverbacks game at Iroquois High School starts at 7:00pm, Wednesday, February 21st. Iroquois HS is located at 2111 Girdle Road in Elma, NY. Admission: $10 Adults, $5 Children 14 and under.

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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