CBA weekly report

by CBA Press Release
Published on March 5, 2002 under Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)

CBA COACHES OF THE MONTH

The Continental Basketball Association announced on March 1 that Dakota Wizards Head Coach Dave Joerger was named National Conference Coach of the Month and Grand Rapids Head Coach Mark Hughes earned American Conference honors for February.

Joerger has the Wizards sitting on top of the National Conference with a 20-10 record and a league best 4.4 quarter point average. In February he guided them to a 6-2 record and a 4.75 quarter point average, a significant improvement from their 5-4/3.83 marks in January. The Wizards defeated the second place Fargo-Moorhead Beez in two of their three February meetings, helping Dakota widen their quarter point average lead over the Beez by nearly half a point. This is Joerger's second Coach of the Month Award in this, his first season in the CBA.

Hughes won Coach of the Month honors for January after leading the Hoops to a 7-6 record and a 3.73 quarter point average. In February he improved the team's marks to 9-5 with a 4.07 quarter point average, earning this season's first back-to-back coaching awards. Hughes has won the award five times throughout his six years as head coach in Grand Rapids. Under his guidance, the Hoops moved from third place in the conference standings to start the month, to second place to end the month. On Feb. 9 Hughes was honored for his seven years as a player and/or coach in Grand Rapids when his Jersey #44 became the first retired in the Hoops organization's 13-year history.

Also receiving consideration for Coach of the Month in the National Conference was Fargo-Moorhead's Rory White (6-4, 3.6 quarter point average). In the American Conference, Sioux Falls' Paul Woolpert (8-6, 3.75 quarter point average) was the other candidate.

CBA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

The Continental Basketball Association announced on March 4 that Grand Rapids Hoops guard James Collins was named American Conference Player of the Week and Dakota Wizards guard Miles Simon earned National Conference Player of the Week honors for the period of Feb. 24-March 2.

Collins, the 6-4 Florida State (‘97) standout, posted 24 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in three contests (2-1). In a Feb. 25 win over the Gary Steelheads (115-80) and a Feb. 26 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce (107-102) Collins was a model of consistency, posting identical performances of 25 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. This is Collins' third season in the CBA, second consecutive with the Hoops. During the 1998-99 season he spent time with the La Crosse Bobcats and Quad City Thunder, earning two Player of the Week Awards with the Thunder. In 1997-98 Collins, the 1997 second round draft pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, played 23 games with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Simon, Arizona's ('98) 1997 Final Four MVP, led the CBA in scoring last week with 25 points per game, to go along with an average of 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals. The Wizards were 2-0, with both wins coming at the expense of the Saskatchewan Hawks. In a 113-99 victory on Feb. 26, Simon posted game highs in points (28) and assists (9). He is tied with Rockford's Jeff Sanders for the most Player of the Week awards this season (4). Adrian Griffin set the record for total Player of the Week awards in one season with five in 1998-99 as a member of the Connecticut Pride.

Other players receiving consideration in the American Conference were Rockford's Kelley McClure (23.3 ppg, 5 apg), Rockford's Dickey Simpkins (21 ppg, 12.3 rpg) and Sioux Falls' Randy Livingston (18.3 ppg, 9.5 apg). The other players considered in the National Conference were Saskatchewan's Willie Murdaugh (20.5 ppg, 8-14 from the three-point-line) and Dakota's Shawn Daniels (18.5 ppg, 9 rpg).

CBA TRANSACTIONS

03/04/02
-Fargo-Moorhead waived Johnny Tyson.

03/03/02
-Sioux Falls signed Henry James and placed Mark Davis on the Inactive Reserve List.

03/01/02
-Fargo-Moorhead signed Rico Hill and waived Darren Little.
-Gary placed Leon Smith on its Active Roster and waived Jamie Kendrick.

02/28/02
-Sioux Falls signed Edwin Daniels.

AROUND THE CBA

DAKOTA: On Tuesday the Dakota Wizards won the first of a four game set with the Saskatchewan Hawks, 113-99. The Wizards (19-10) got 28 points from Miles Simon, the CBA's leading scorer and 23 from Danny Johnson. Dakota also got big games from Shawn Daniels (18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists) and Andy Panko (18 points). Chris Porter missed the game due to injury. The Wizards received five quarter-points for the win. On Thursday the Wizards outscored Saskatchewan 41-25 at the line and parlayed that into a 115-10 victory over the Hawks Thursday night. The Wizards (20-10) took six of seven-quarter points while beating Saskatchewan for the second time in three nights. Simon led a balanced scoring attack with 22 points for the Wizards. Daniels and Johnson chipped in with 19 points apiece and Panko added 18. Panko was perfect on 12 trips to the line while Simon, the CBA's leader in free throw percentage, hit all six of his freebies. Former Wizard Willie Murdaugh led the Hawks with 23 points and also dished out six assists. Sunday the Hawks were in Bismarck and they handed the Wizards a 123-112 loss. Panko led the Wizards with 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Wizards Porter, Johnson, and Courtney James scored 19, 17, and 16 points respectively. Andrell Hoard had 32 points for the Hawks. The Wizards received two quarter-points. The Wizards play the Hawks again on March 5 in the last of a four game series. The Wizards (20-11) are averaging 4.3 quarter-points per game and are in first place in the CBA's National Division.

FARGO-MOORHEAD: The Fargo-Moorhead Beez, along with Red River Valley Sports Medicine and WDAY, present Community Night March 5 at the Fargo Dome. Tickets for the FM Beez game on March 5 vs. the Rockford Lightning will be complimentary tickets courtesy of Red River Valley Sports Medicine and WDAY. There is a limited number of tickets and they are on a first come, first serve basis. The Beez picked up former Dakota Wizards Guard Rico Hill on March 1.

FLINT: After a two-week hiatus the Flint Fuze are back in action as they try to derail the Dakota Wizards quest for a National Conference title. They travel to Bismarck, ND for games on March 8 and 10. These games are critical if the Fuze are to maintain hopes of grabbing a post season berth.

GARY: The Steelheads activated center Leon Smith on Friday, March 1 and waived forward Jamie Kendrick. Smith had been on the Inactive Reserve List. Smith is the CBA's leading rebounder with 15.2 rebounds per game. The Gary Steelheads return home this weekend from an 11-game road trip and for the first time since Feb. 13. The Steelheads host the American Conference-leading Sioux Falls Skyforce on Saturday, March 9 at 7:05 p.m. and the Grand Rapids HOOPS on Sunday, March 10 at 3:05 p.m. The Luvabulls (Chicago Bulls Dance Team) will provide the entertainment at Sunday's game. The Steelheads have not played since Monday, Feb. 25. After playing seven games in 11 days, they will have had 11 days off. A win on Saturday night would tie last year's win total of 16 and also give the Steelheads nine home wins this season. That would also tie last year's mark for home wins. Forward Charlie Miller is fifth in the CBA in 3-point percentage, making 29 of 74 (.392). Forward Darrin Hancock is eighth, making 36 of 98 (.367). Center Jeff Stern is sixth in rebounds per game with 386 in 48 games with the Steelheads and Grand Rapids (8.0 avg.). The 6-foot-10 center is sixth in blocked shots with 54 in 48 games for a 1.1 average. Guard Gerald Brown has made 21 of his 23 free throw attempts (.913). He is averaging 18.4 points in his last five games and 6.6 assists. Forward Damian Owens is averaging 22.6 points per game over the last five games and 7.8 rebounds per game. Stern is averaging 11.0 rebounds per game over the last five games. Antwon Hall has made 25 of 51 three-pointers (.490)

GRAND RAPIDS: The Grand Rapids HOOPS went 3-1 for the week defeating the Gary Steelheads in their first matinee performance. While in Sioux Falls this past week the HOOPS split going 1-1. They then returned home to defeat the Skyforce for their final meeting in the regular season. HOOPS Head Coach Mark Hughes was named Coach of the Month for February. The HOOPS are gearing up for their longest road trip of the season (10 days). The team is also beginning the commitment to March-National Reading Month, visiting local schools to read and talk about the importance of reading to students.

ROCKFORD: The Rockford Lightning finish up their three-game road trip Tuesday night in Fargo battling the FM-Beez after going 2-0 on the first two parts of their road trip to the Dakotas last week. They began the trip in Fargo with an 89-79, 5 quarter point win, then traveled to Sioux Falls on Saturday night and defeated the first-place Skyforce, 121-95, earning 6.5 quarter points. If the Lightning grab five quarter points Tuesday night, they will be tied with the Grand Rapids Hoops for second in the American Conference. The Lightning host a three-game homestand starting on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Saskatchewan Hawks, now led by former La Crosse Bobcats Head Coach Bill Klucas. The game is Union Night, where union groups of 10 or more that call for advanced tickets by Thursday morning receive discounted tickets for the game. It is also Wear Blue Night, where all fans are encouraged to join the Lightning players in wearing blue clothing to the game, as the squad wears their royal blue road uniforms for the first and only time at home this year. Saturday night brings the Hoops to the MetroCentre at 7:35 p.m. for a second-place showdown, and the game is Rally Towel Night, where the first 500 fans receive free rally towels with entertainment provided by Crunch, the Minnesota Timberwolves' mascot sponsored by WREX-TV 13 and 97ZOK. On March 10, the Lightning will entertain the Skyforce for their first of four consecutive contests against the American Conference's first-place squad. Tip-off will also be at 7:35 p.m. For tickets to all these contests, call the Lightning at (815) 874-4232.

SASKATCHEWAN: After two losses to the Dakota Wizards in Saskatoon (Feb. 26: 113-99 and Feb. 28: 105-98) the Hawks traveled to Bismarck and found redemption, handing Dakota only their second home loss of the season with a 122-113 victory. The Hawks will try to make it two in a row in Bismarck on March. 5. Since joining the team in January, Willie Murdaugh and Sean Lampley have taken over scoring duties, each averaging over 17 points per game.

SIOUX FALLS: The roster continued to change for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, as well as more injuries to players, as the 'Force went 2-3. Sioux Falls defeated Rockford 100-94 on Feb. 24 behind 36 points and 12 rebounds from Silas Mills. Randy Livingston then turned in his finest game of he season with 30 points, six rebounds and nine assists as the Skyforce dropped Grand Rapids on Feb. 26. Two nights later, Sioux Falls never got out of the gate in a 105-98 loss to the Hoops, as Terquin Mott hit for 35 points and 12 rebounds. On Saturday, March 3, 4,689 loyalists turned out on Boy Scout night, but the Skyforce came out flat, and Rockford cruised to a 121-95 win. Forward Eric Taylor cracked his nose in the second quarter, adding another injury to the season. The club then traveled to Grand Rapids, and lost by 10 to the Hoops.

PRIMETIME PERFORMANCES

Silas Mills of the Sioux Falls Skyforce poured in 36 points on 9-14 shooting from the field and pulled down 12 rebounds in a 100-94 (.643) triumph of the Rockford Lightning on Feb. 24.

James Collins was a model of consistency for the Grand Rapids Hoops in a Feb. 25 win over the Gary Steelheads (115-80) and a Feb. 26 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce (107-102), posting identical performances of 25 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Dickey Simpkins posted game highs in points (24) and rebounds (17) for the Rockford Lightning in an 89-79 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead Beez on Feb 26.

Travis Conlan of the Grand Rapids Hoops recorded the seventh triple double of the CBA season with a 22 point, 10 rebound, 13 assist performance in a 105-98 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Feb. 28.

Terquin Mott led the Grand Rapids Hoops to a 105-98 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Feb. 28 behind a 25 point—12 rebound effort. He also blocked 2 shots and made 2 steals.

THIS WEEK IN CBA HISTORY

On March 9, 1982 Ron Davis of the Anchorage Northern Knights scored 61 points, good for the fourth highest single game point total in CBA history, in a 170-155 victory over the Alberta Dusters. Davis' shares the mark with himself, having scored the same point total 8 days earlier in a 138-129 loss to the Maine Lumberjacks.

Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from March 5, 2002

• CBA weekly report - OSC Original by CBA Press Release

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