CBA Finals Preview
by Sam Amico
Published on March 21, 2008 under Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
The Oklahoma Cavalry may be the best team in all of minor league basketball. The Minot Skyrockets will be trying to prove that isn't the case.
That's the story behind the best-of-five CBA Finals, which tip off Saturday in Lawton, Okla.
Actually, there's no guarantee Game 1 will tip off Saturday -- as the Skyrockets were stranded in Minneapolis on Friday after their flight to Oklahoma was cancelled because of lousy weather conditions. "Right now, it's looking bleak," Skyrockets coach Chris Daleo told ProBasketballNews.com on his cell phone at the airport.
But the championship series will go on at some point, so let's start by talking about the Cavalry.
They are coached by former NBA All-Star Michael Ray Richardson. Yes, the same Michael Ray Richardson who was bounced from Albany last season after making what some perceived to be controversial ethnic comments.
But that's ancient history. Today, Richardson is a proven coach with a track record of having led two different teams to the championship series in two years.
And this year's Cavalry features more than just the coaching of Richardson. They also possess the CBA's Player of the Year, Daryan Selvy, and Defensive Player of the Year, Marvin Phillips. They won 13 straight games in February and eliminated Yakama from the playoffs -- the same Yakama team that finished with a remarkable 43-5 mark during the regular season.
The secret to the Cavs' success is simple.
"We just have 10 great guys who want to win," Richardson told PBN. "Our guys are unselfish and willing to rely on one another."
The Cavs are confident, poised, and physical.
Did we mention confident?
When asked how his team was able to defeat powerful Yakama, Richardson said, "We were just a much better team. Our inside game was a lot stronger. Defensively, we are a great team."
Meanwhile, the Skyrockets are led by CBA coaching veteran Chris Daleo. They have been very good all year, finishing atop the American Conference standings in the regular season at 38-10. They then beat Pittsburgh in the playoffs to advance to the finals.
"We have all the components," Daleo said. "If teams want to go small against us, we can do that. If they want to play us big, we can do that, too."
The Skyrockets also features one of the CBA's all-time greats in Ronnie Fields. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged a team-high 21.4 points per game this season, and is just one of five players in league history to score 6,000 points for his career.
"Doing a good job defensively on Ronnie Fields is a big key for us," Richardson said. "Seventy percent of their offense seems to go through him."
Other top Skyrockets include forward Ray Cunningham (18.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg), veteran guard Kevin Rice (13.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg), and forward Sidney Holmes (10.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg), whom Daleo describes as "our utility man." Kevin Johnson, who replaced guard Marshall Phillips (left for Germany), is another key Skyrocket.
The bench is also strong with the likes of Lee Scruggs, Darius Mattear, and Christopher Reaves.
As for the Cavalry, the 6-7 Selvy is a physical swingman who not only averaged 22.7 points, but 6.5 rebounds. Phillips, also 6-7, is a double-double waiting to happen, finishing the regular season at 12.9 points and 10.0 boards per game. Others such as forwards Nate Green and Shawn Daniels -- and even point guard Brandon Dean -- added to the Cavs' rugged style.
"They're deep and physical," Daleo said. "That's what hurt Yakama. They gave up a lot inside and we'll have to work hard not to do the same."
Sam Amico is the editor of ProBasketballNews.com. He can be reached at amico@probasketballnews.com.
CBA FINALS (Best-of-five)
Minot vs. Oklahoma
Game 1: at Oklahoma; Saturday, March 22, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: at Oklahoma; Monday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.
Game 3: at Minot; Wednesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4 (if necessary): at Minot, Friday, March 28, TBA
Game 5 (if necessary): at Minot, Saturday, March 29, TBA
Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from March 21, 2008
- CBA Finals Preview - OSC Original by Sam Amico
- Selvy Named CBA Player of the Year - Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
