CBA weekly review

by CBA Press Release
December 27, 2001 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)

CBA Press Release

NBA CALL-UPS

The CBA announced on Dec. 18 that Rockford (Ill.) Lightning point guard Mike James was called up by the Miami Heat. The call-up is the first of the 2001-02 season.

James, a 6-2 product of Duquesne University ('98) in Pittsburgh, began the season in Miami's training camp but was released on Oct. 26. Coming off back-to-back American Conference Player of the Week Awards in his first CBA season, James ranks second in the league in scoring (23.3 ppg), second in steals (2.9 spg) and on Dec. 13 he recorded the first triple-double of the CBA season, with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 117-109 loss to the Grand Rapids Hoops.

James appeared in five games (one start) for the Heat during the 2001 preseason and averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3 assists and 21 minutes. He will fill the roster spot vacated by Sean Marks who was placed on the injured reserve list.

CBA PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Flint Fuze forward Ira Newble was named National Conference Player of the Week and Gary Steelheads center Leon Smith earned American Conference Player of the Week honors for the period of Dec. 16-22.

Newble, a 6-7 University of Miami of Ohio ('97) product, averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals, and shot 51 percent (19 of 37) from the field and 94 percent from the foul line (15 of 16) in leading the Fuze to a 1-1 record for the week. This award marks the first of Newble's CBA career and the first given to the Flint franchise. Newble was a member of the Idaho Stampede from 1997-00 and last season played 27 games with the San Antonio Spurs.

Smith, the 1999 NBA first round draft pick out of Chicago's King High School, averaged a league high 21.5 rebounds coupled with 18.5 points in acquiring his first Player of the Week award. His efforts helped Gary to a 2-2 record including a 125-122 overtime victory over the conference leading Sioux Falls Skyforce in which Smith pulled down a season high 30 rebounds, the fourth highest single game total in CBA history. In his first CBA season the 21-year-old Smith is leading the league with 17 rebounds per game.

Other players receiving consideration for National Conference honors were Dakota's Miles Simon (27 ppg, 2.5 spg), Saskatchewan's Tim Winn (13 ppg, 13 apg), and Fargo-Moorhead's Ruben Nembhard (37 ppg, 12 rpg). The three other players also considered in the American Conference were Grand Rapids' Sean Colson (28.3 ppg, 10 apg), Sioux Falls' Silas Mills (24.3 ppg, 9 rpg) and Rockford's Ron Riley (25.5 ppg, 6 rpg).

CBA TRANSACTIONS

Dec. 18- Sioux Falls traded C Livan Pyfrom to Saskatchewan for future considerations.

Dec. 19- Saskatchewan waived G George Gervin Jr.

Dec. 20- Gary activated F Johnelle Slone from the Injured Reserve List and waived G Tony Harris. Grand Rapids signed F Terquin Mott and waived F Jamal Kendrick. Rockford signed F Kenneth Inge and G Kelly McClure, and waived F/G Chris Hollender.

Dec. 21- Rockford signed F Lazarus Simms, waived F Corey Brown and G Jo Jo English and traded F Jarrod Gee to Gary for F Corey Hightower.

Dec. 22- Fargo-Moorhead signed G Brian Green and waived F Sean Houston.

Dec. 24- Grand Rapids traded C Jeff Stern to Gary for future considerations. Gary waived G Randy Livingston.

AROUND THE CBA

DAKOTA: The Dakota Wizards continued their seven game road-trip with another match-up versus the Flint Fuze on Monday, Dec. 17. The Fuze, led by Desmond Ferguson (21 points) outscored the Wizards 102-96. Miles Simon was the leading scorer for the Wizards with 20 points. Next, Dakota traveled to Saskatchewan to battle the Hawks on Dec. 22. The Hawks outscored the Wizards 32-19 in the fourth quarter to grab their second victory of the season. Simon paced the Wizards with 25 points and 5 assists. The Wizards were in Sioux Falls on Christmas Day to visit the Skyforce in the last of seven road games. In a battle of conference leaders Simon scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter- including a game winning jumper in the final seconds as the Wizards surged to a 104-103 comeback victory. Dakota returns home to host the Gary Steelheads on Thursday and Friday nights; tip-off both night is at 7:05 at the Bismarck Civic Center.

FARGO-MOORHEAD: Beez forward Jermaine Walker remains the CBA's leading scorer at 24.1 points per game. On Christmas Night Walker's 29 points led the Beez to a 94-87 victory over the Gary Steelheads and on Dec. 23 he contributed 30 points to a 103-101 Fargo-Moorhead victory over the Flint Fuze. On Dec. 22 Ruben Nembhard led the Beez with 37 points and 12 rebounds in a 97-94 win over the Rockford Lightning. The Beez road tour stops in Grand Rapids on Dec. 27 and Rockford on Dec. 29.

FLINT: The Flint Fuze find themselves with two losses to end the week, but remain upbeat and confident. After two close losses, 117-112 at Rockford and 103-101 to Fargo-Moorhead at home, the Fuze are in third place in the National Conference. Fuze forward Ira Newble earned the expansion franchise's first award when he was named the third National Conference Player of the Week.

GARY: The Steelheads embark on their longest road trip of the season so far. They are on the road from Dec. 27-Jan. 5 for five games. They play three games in three days when they play at Dakota on Dec. 27 and 28 then at Sioux Falls on Dec. 29. They play New Year's Eve at Fargo-Moorhead and Jan. 3 at Grand Rapids. They return home on Sat. Jan. 5 to face the Saskatchewan Hawks, then play at Flint the next afternoon. The Steelheads are the only CBA team to have their games on the World Wide Web at www.sportsjuice.com. It will be Boy Scout Night on Saturday, Jan. 5 when the Steelheads host the Saskatchewan Hawks. Boy Scouts will be honorary ball boys and also participate in time out contests. The Midtown Biddy Basketball will have two teams play a "mini-game" on Jan. 5. They will play five minutes at halftime. The Steelheads visited the St. Francis Center for Youths at St. Margaret Medical Center in Dyer, Ind. on Dec. 19. They brought Steelheads gifts to the teens and also played basketball, ping pong, foosball as well as talked with the youth. They also participated in the Highland Elks Club Hoop Shoot the same night. It was part of a "Say No To Drugs" campaign. The Steelheads Holiday Basketball Clinic on Sunday, Dec. 23 was a success. It was held at the Omni 41 Health Club in Schererville, Ind. and co-sponsored by Omni 41 and the Times of Northwest Indiana newspaper. Campers got instructions from Steelheads players and coaches as well as souvenirs and autographs.

GRAND RAPIDS: Tom Wilson, President/CEO of the Pistons, and Joel Langlois, President/Owner of the Grand Rapids HOOPS announce the formation of a new marketing partnership in the West Michigan region. The partnership will focus on a marketing and advertising campaign that will feature both team logos, promoting "big game" pro basketball in Michigan. In Grand Rapids the HOOPS will promote Pistons games, create special VIP Bus Party trips to the Palace of Auburn Hills, distribute Pistons pocket schedules, and sell Pistons merchandise at the Delta Plex. The Pistons will promote the HOOPS in their media, provide special guest appearances at the Delta Plex by coaches, ex-players, Pistons mascots and dance teams. Both organizations are looking to expand corporate sponsorship and share major sponsorship with Grand Rapids based Meijer, Inc. and media partners WXSP TV and WBBL Radio. HOOPS forward, Willie Simms is continuing to climb the CBA's All-Time list in many categories.

ROCKFORD: After a hard-fought 116-109 (5.5 QP) win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce in Rockford on Sunday and a 104-102 (5-2) Dakota Wizards' win at Sioux Falls on Christmas night, the Lightning can take over first place in the American Conference if they earn six quarter points on Thursday night when they take on the Skyforce again in Sioux Falls. The Lightning own a 4.1 quarter-point-per-game average entering Thursday's contest; the Skyforce lead the CBA's American Conference with 4.4 QP/game. A Rockford win would place the Lightning at 4.25 QP/game while Sioux Falls would drop to 4.23, giving the Lightning first place in the conference. The two teams square off this Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. at the Rockford MetroCentre with a tape-delayed broadcast on Newstalk 1440 WROK at 10:00 p.m. Rockford then hosts the Grand Rapids Hoops on Sunday night at 7:35 p.m. with a live broadcast on Newstalk 1440 WROK. Fans can purchase tickets by calling the Lightning offices at (815) 874-4232.

SASKATCHEWAN: The Hawks split their weekend series with the Dakota Wizards on Dec. 22 and 23. Tim Winn's 13 points and 13 assists paced the Hawks to a 99-91 victory Saturday but his 22 point, 9 assist effort Sunday came up short in a 120-83 loss. The Hawks travel to Flint for back-to-back games on Dec. 28 and 29 and will face the Wizards on New Years Eve.

SIOUX FALLS: The Sioux Falls Skyforce ended a six-game road swing, dropping their final two games. After falling to Gary 125-122, the Skyforce traveled to Rockford, to see the Lightning turn them away, 116-109. In the Gary game on Dec. 21, Skyforce guard Ray Weathers went 17-of-22 from the field, and finished with 42 points. The 17 FG's made ties him for the most made by a player in a single game with Reggie Jordan, Henry James and Eric White. Weathers' 42 points ties him for the sixth-highest point total in team history. In the same game, Steelhead forward hit 9-of 13 shots from behind the three-point arc, the most ever by a Skyforce opponent. Leon Smith also grabbed 30 rebounds, the second-most by a Skyforce opponent. Jerome Lane ripped down 33 rebounds on 3/20/96. The Skyforce now begin a nine-game homestand.

PRIMETIME PERFORMANCES

Sean Colson of the Grand Rapids Hoops finished one rebound shy of a triple-double in a 107-92 loss to the Gary Steelheads on December 18th. Colson scored 39 points, dished 10 assists and made 9 rebounds

Leon Smith of the Gary Steelheads pulled down a CBA season high 30 rebounds, the fourth highest single game total in CBA history, in a 125-122 overtime victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on December 21st. Smith also scored 20 points and made 3 assists.

Ray Weathers of the Sioux Falls Skyforce poured in a CBA season high 42 points on 17 of 22 (.773) from the field, 3 of 5 (.750) from the foul line and 5-8 (.625) shooting from the three-point-line in a narrow 125-122 loss to the Gary Steelheads on December 21st.

Ruben Nembhard of the Fargo-Moorhead Beez posted 37 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in a 97-94 win over the Rockford Lightning on December 22nd.

Terquin Mott led the Grand Rapids Hoops to a 94-84 victory over the Gary Steelheads on December 22nd by contributing 27 points, 16 rebounds and 4 steals.

THIS WEEK IN CBA HISTORY

On December 30, 1999 the Yakima Sun Kings pulled down 80 rebounds in a 103-90 victory over the La Crosse Bobcats, tying the mark set by the Detroit Spirits on January 4, 1983 in a 101-107 loss to the Ohio Mixers. The Bobcats would again fall to the Sun Kings on April 2, 2000 in the first-ever single elimination CBA Finals.

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