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CBA 1 Continental Basketball Association 1

Butterflies and basketball; a new rivalry begins in Michigan

November 15, 2004 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release


Boise, ID (November 15, 2004) — When the expansion Michigan Mayhem hosts the Great Lakes Storm at the L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon, MI on Friday night, there will be plenty of butterflies in the building as the 2004-05 CBA season tips off. Those butterflies will fill the stomachs of players and coaches from both teams, along with Mayhem front office personnel, as a new basketball rivalry begins in the state of Michigan, and a new franchise takes its first steps.

"I am very nervous because it is going to seem like all eyes are going to be on me," stated Mayhem Owner Jannie Scott to a local Muskegon newspaper. "But our community is excited and we will finally be able to see the results of what it means to have a professional basketball team after a year of hard work."

The Mayhem will be under the direction of first-year head coach Reggie Fox, who captained the 1996 Sioux Falls Skyforce to a CBA title. In six CBA seasons (1989-91, 1992-93, 1994-97) Fox averaged 14.9 points and 3.1 assists per game. In the playoffs, however, he raised his level of play to average 18.1 points and 4.0 assists per game over 37 postseason contests. It was his work ethic and all-out effort that helped him earn a CBA title, and those same qualities will be evident on the team he will lead in its first year.

"I think what you will see is, the players that we have on our team, they will be great examples of what he truly was when he played in the CBA," remarked Fox's Assistant Coach Durand Watkins. "He was not the captain of a CBA championship team just by luck. He showed those leadership skills and that is what has gotten him where he is today."

One of those players that Fox hopes will take on his characteristics is CBA veteran Cory Hightower. The 6-foot-7 guard is entering his fifth CBA campaign, averaging 17.4 points and 4.1 rebounds so far in his career, and looks to be the player that Mayhem fans should expect to see as the go-to guy early in the season.

"He will be that guy that, if we are in an end of quarter situation, we will look to him to help win that quarter," added Watkins.

Joining Hightower is fellow veteran guard Rob Dye, who has played two seasons in the CBA. The Mayhem also have two seven-foot centers on their roster in Cory Reader from Metro State, and Kareem Poole from Arkansas.

"It is challenging trying to get the players that we need to fit in to our philosophy so we can be competitive on the floor," Watkins added. "We are looking for guys who are going to compete every night. It is hard right now to look at our strengths and weaknesses, because technically we do not have any yet since we are an expansion team. Being products of the CBA, though, you know we are going to work hard."

That hard working attitude is what the Mayhem hopes will keep fans in Western Michigan excited about the newest team in the world's oldest professional basketball league. And with four days left until the franchise ultimately transitions from dream to reality, the excitement level in Muskegon is giving the team the inspiration it needs to achieve its goal of being competitive from the opening tip.

"It is pandemonium around here," said Watkins. "We are excited to have professional basketball back in Western Michigan and we are trying to put a competitive team on the floor so our fans will enjoy coming out to games. As far as winning, you always want to set goals. Life, and basketball itself, is full of goals and you have to set them high.

"We do not want to go out on the court just to be out there."

Joining the Mayhem on the court for Friday's opener is the Great Lakes Storm, who is making the trip 170 miles west from Birch Run, Michigan. The Storm heads into the 2004-05 season under the direction of CBA veteran head coach Russ Bergman, who is returning to coaching, and the CBA, after four years as a scout for the Utah Jazz.

"I felt like a surgeon who was observing instead of operating," said Bergman. "It got to be very boring after a while, and I had a burning passion to be back on the bench. I am really excited to be back and I am just glad to have the opportunity to be able to coach a team again."

Bergman last coached the Idaho Stampede from 1998-2000, after leading the Oklahoma City Cavalry from 1994-1997, including a CBA Title in 1997. He currently ranks 15th on the CBA's All-Time Coaches Winning Percentage list at .532 (133-117), while he also ranks 15th in CBA Playoff victories (17) and 13th in Playoff Winning Percentage (.515).

Despite the records and rankings of a veteran coach, however, Bergman still looks at the Storm as a new entity, as he has elected not to bring back any players from the past couple of seasons. He heads into this season with an expansion team mentality, saying that both the Storm and Mayhem are equal when the season begins on Friday.

"I look at it as if we are an expansion team," remarked Bergman. "We do not have anybody coming back from last year's roster. We are just like an expansion team too, so I do not feel like we have an advantage over them at all."

One advantage that Bergman will have on his squad is 11-year veteran forward Willie Simms. Simms ranks second all-time in the CBA in points scored with 7,610, and 5th all-time in rebounding with 2,783. He is also the all-time leader in CBA games played at 508, and is second in minutes played at 15,466.

"Willie brings a real mental and physical toughness, and hopefully that will rub off on the rest of the team," stated Bergman.

With Simms' experience, and a lot of new faces on the roster, Bergman plans to use an up-tempo style of play to get everybody involved in the game, including the fans.

"We are going to do everything we can to make it an up-tempo game, because the fans like to watch that and the players like to play that," added Bergman. "Hopefully we will have some players like Voshon Lenard and Damon Jones (both of whom he coached in the CBA and are now starring in the NBA). We need some of those players that can pull up and shoot the three on the break."

One player who might fit that description is guard Donnie Boyce, who has played three seasons in the CBA with the Yakima Sun Kings, and has had two stints in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks. Boyce is a player with enough CBA experience to help the team understand the CBA's quarter-point system, and help teach Bergman's philosophy of understanding quarter-points and how they relate to wins and losses in the CBA.

"We worry about winning the first quarter, and then worry about winning the game," said Bergman. "If you win the first quarter it gives you a better chance to win the rest of the game. I think the quarter-point system is great for the fans. If somebody is getting beat pretty good going into the fourth quarter, at least it gives them incentive to play hard and win the fourth quarter even though they may lose the game."

Win or lose, however, Friday night's historic game is one that both teams are looking forward to as a new Michigan basketball rivalry begins.

"I love to coach in front of packed houses, and I like for my players to play in front of packed houses," said Bergman, referencing the expected sellout at the L.C. Walker arena, which seats 5,000. "It will be great for us to go into that kind of environment.

"I just hope there are butterflies going through my stomach."

Given the circumstances and anticipation surrounding this game and this season, there should be plenty of butterflies in Muskegon on Friday night.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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