CBA weekly

Published on March 20, 2007 under Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release

CBA ENTERS FINAL WEEK OF REGULAR SEASONPlayoff spot, individual records still up for grabsThe Continental Basketball Association today enters the final week of the 2006-07 season with one team clinching a playoff spot and two teams battling for the remaining one. There are also many individual marks that are being chased in the remaining days of the season.By virtue of a 98-95 [5.5-1.5] victory Sunday night against Albany, the Yakama Sun Kings have clinched the best record in the CBA, and will host Games 3, 4, and 5 of the CBA Finals. The National Conference Champions Sun Kings currently have a 33-11 won-loss record, and are closing in on the all-time record for most wins in a 48 game schedule. The 1984-85 CBA champion Tampa Bay Thrillers hold the 48 game record, finishing the regular season with a 35-13 record. The Sun Kings are also rapidly approaching the record for most quarter points in a 48 game season, 221 by the 1986-87 Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers. The Sun Kings currently have 215 points with four games left to play.The American Conference battle is still yet to be resolved as the Albany Patroons hold a seven point lead on the Minot Skyrockets, with each team having only three games remaining. The Patroons travel to Minot to take on the Skyrockets on Wednesday, and then continue their road trip and face Indiana on Friday and Sunday. The Skyrockets host the Patroons Wednesday, and then travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Xplosion Thursday and Friday. The winner of the American Conference will host the Yakama Sun Kings in Games 1 and 2. These contests will take place on Tuesday, March 27 and Wednesday, March 28. Game 3 will be played Friday, March 30. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will take place Sunday, April 1, and Tuesday, April 3.- Desmond Ferguson (Minot Skyrockets) presently has 157 3-point field goals, good for 2nd all-time, and trailing only Carl Thomas who had 175 3-pointers in the 1995-96 season.- Ronnie Fields (Minot Skyrockets) currently has 5,114 career CBA points, and is only three shy of passing Sherman White for 20th place among all CBA/Eastern League players since 1946.- Shaun Fountain (Indiana Alley Cats) needs only seven points to have 1000 points in a season. Fountain is currently leading the CBA with a 22.6 ppg. average and steals 2.6 spg. If Fountain finishes the season as the leader in points and steals, he will join only Ronnie Fields as players to lead both categories in a season. - Nick VanderLaan (Butte Daredevils) is pulling down 11.5 rebounds a game for the Daredevils.- Galen Young (Yakama Sun Kings) could become the tallest player ever (6'7") to lead the CBA in assists. Young is currently dishing out 6.8 apg.- Kenyon Gamble (Minot Skyrockets) is ninth all-time with 148 blocks in a season, the record is 190 by Jimmy Carruth in 1996-97.- Jamario Moon (Albany Patroons) needs nine steals to become only the third player in CBA history to average 2 blocks and 2 steals a game over a season. He will join Bob McCann (1989-90) and Charles Jones (1979-80) if he accomplishes this feat.- Marvin Phillips (Albany Patroons) will play 49 games this season, if he plays in the final 3 contests for the Patroons, becoming the twentieth player in CBA history to appear in more games than the each team is scheduled; Phillips began the season with the Pittsburgh Xplosion.- Robert Griffin (Utah Eagles, Yakama Sun Kings, PIttsburgh Xplosion) is the first player since Patrick Okafor in the 2004-05 season to play for three teams in a season.- Malik Moore (Great Falls Explorers) would have to almost double his current point total (720) to catch the CBA Montana-based franchise scoring record, held by the Golden Nuggets Ron Valentine who scored 1386 points in the 1981-1982 season.

DID YOU KNOW?Two coaches in this year's NCAA Championship basketball tournament have CBA pedigrees. Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon played for the La Crosse Catbirds in 1988; and Florida's Billy Donovan (the defending NCAA champion) was a member of the 1989 Rapid City Thrillers.

CBA ALUMNI REPORT

Former CBA Coach Larry Krystowiak to coach NBA's Milwaukee Bucks

The Continental Basketball Association is pleased to announce that former CBA head coach Larry Krystkowiak was named the new head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Krystkowiak replaces Terry Stotts, who also had ties to the CBA, formerly as an assistant coach with the 1991-92 Fort Wayne Fury.

Krystkowiak started the season as an assistant coach with the Bucks, after spending the previous two seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Montana. Krystkowiak led the Grizzlies to two NCAA appearances as well as two Big Sky Conference Championships.

His head coaching debut however, started in Boise, Idaho with the Stampede in 2003-04. The Stampede finished the regular season with a 34-14 record and defeated the Gary Steelheads to advance and ultimately lose in the finals against the Dakota Wizards.

"This is a great opportunity for Larry to move up the ladder and take the reigns of the Bucks," said CBA Director of Operations Dennis Truax. "His time with the Stampede will surely help him with the Bucks and we wish him the best of luck this season and for the future."

KEITH SALSCHEIDER NAMED CBA PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Explorers guard led team with 91 points in four games

The Continental Basketball Association is pleased to announce that Keith Salscheider has been named the CBA Player of the Week for the week ending March 19, 2007. This is the first time a Great Falls Explorer has received this award.

The 6'5" guard from Christian Heritage College ('03) was top scorer this week for the Explorers. On Monday, March 12, Salscheider led Great Falls with 22 points, including 3 3-pointers, in a game against Yakama; he would add 15 more markers when the two teams faced each other two days later. Then, in a home-and-home series against Great Falls' in-state rivals, the Butte Daredevils, Salscheider scored 28 points in a Great Falls 102-100 [5-2] victory, including going 6-for-7 from 3-point range. In the return match Sunday, March 18, Salscheider continued his torrid scoring pace, with 26 points, including 4-for-6 from behind the arc, in Great Falls' 105-90 [6-1] win.

Other players receiving consideration for Player of the Week honors are:

Kareem Reid, Albany

Anthony Richardson, Butte

Will Caudle, Indiana

David Harrison, Minot

Corey Minnifield, Pittsburgh

Ralph Holmes, Yakama

TEAM REPORTS

Albany Patroons (28-17, 185.5 QP, 4.12 AVG, 1st place, American Conference)

Albany's playoff future rested in the next three games on the schedule - a road contest against division foe Minot, and two back-to-back matches against the Yakama Sun Kings. In the Wednesday night matchup at the Minot Municipal Auditorium, the Patroons got past the Skyrockets 107-100 [5-2] in a tough physical scrap of a contest. With the game tied 93-93 in the match, the Patroons went on a 14-7 tear in the final moments. Felipe Lopez and Kwan Johnson each had 22 points in the contest; John Strickland added 18 markers. Kareem Reid had 10 assists; while Felipe Lopez pulled down nine boards. The Patroons returned home to the Washington Avenue Armory for their last two regular season contests, a two-game series against the Yakama Sun Kings. In the opening Saturday night contest, the Patroons came out victorious in a hard-fought 103-98 [5-2] matchup. With the score tied at 98 apiece and only 40 seconds left on the clock, John Strickland took a shot - missed it - then got his own rebound and a putback; Kareem Reid added a 3-pointer in the final seconds to seal the victory. Kwan Johnson led the Patroons with 28 points, including three straight treys to start off the night; Jamario Moon scored 10 points, pulled down 12 strays, and blocked four shots. Albany hosted Yakama on Sunday night as the Patroons' final regular season contest; but the Sun Kings took a 98-95 [5.5-1.5] closely knotted victory on their way home. Kwan Johnson had 27 points on the night; Kareem Reid's 22 points were augmented with 11 assists.

Butte Daredevils (19-26, 138.0 QP, 3.07 AVG, 3rd place, National Conference)

Back in the friendly confines of the Butte Civic Center, the Daredevils hosted the National Conference-leading Yakama Sun Kings on Thursday night. Even though the Daredevils could only dress eight men that night, they scored a major upset, beating Yakama 97-93 [5-2]. The Daredevils were fueled by two of their All-Stars, David Bell (23 pts) and Anthony Richardson (21 pts), while Anderson and Anthony Ferreira each pulled down 7 rebounds apiece. The victory was sealed with David Bell's 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game, and Anthony Richardson capped the win with two free throws in the closing seconds. On Friday night, the Daredevils hosted the Great Falls Explorers for a home-and-home series; despite only dressing seven players and falling behind early, the Daredevils worked up a comeback, only to lose 102-100 [5-2]. Nick VanderLaan led the Daredevils with a season-high 32 points; VanderLaan also had 16 rebounds on the night. On Saturday night, the Montana matchup moved to Great Falls, and the Daredevils came up short in the game, losing 105-90 [6-1]. Anthony Richardson came on strong with 26 points; Nick VanderLaan added 16 points and 14 more rebounds, collecting boards like a contractor at Home Depot.

Great Falls Explorers (23-23, 156.0 QP, 3.39 AVG, 2nd place, National Conference)

The Explorers returned to the Four Seasons Arena for their game against the Yakama Sun Kings, but despite 30 points from Malik Moore, Great Falls lost their sixth straight game, 123-112 [6-1]. Jovan Harris added 26 for the Explorers (21-23), who won the first quarter 37-28 before Yakama came back to take a one-point lead at halftime. In a home-and-home series that began Friday night at the Butte Civic Center, the Explorers defeated the Daredevils 102-100 [5-2]. Keith Salscheider was top dog for the Blue and White, scoring 28 points - including going 6-for-7 from 3-point range. Marc Mazur added nineteen points; Jamar Howard contributed 18 points and 6 rebounds. The Explorers hosted Butte on Saturday night, and the luck of the Irish went with the Blue and White that night, as Great Falls prevailed over the Daredevils 105-90 [6-1]. Keith Salscheider continued his torrid scoring pace, with 26 points, including 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Travis Garrison earned a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.

Indiana Alley Cats (23-22, 158.5 QP, 3.52 AVG, 3rd place, American Conference)

Don't tell the Alley Cats that the season is over; they're still on the prowl. On Friday night at the Anderson Wigwam, the Alley Cats hosted the Minot Skyrockets for a two-game series. The first matchup, on Friday night, saw the Alley Cats rip a 119-106 [6-1] victory from their division rivals. Carl Edwards hit 30 points on the night; double-doubles were generated by Will Caudle (21 points, 10 rebs) and Josh Murray (14 points, 12 boards). Veteran Chandler Thompson's 19 points included 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point range; Thompson also generated three steals on the night. Sunday afternoon's matchup at the Wigwam proved to be a tough affair, as neither the Alley Cats nor the Skyrockets were about to let this game go away. It took an overtime period to decide this one, but in the end the Alley Cats lost 116-115 [4-3]. Shaun Fountain, the CBA's leading scorer, led the Alley Cats with 26 points and 6 assists; Will Caudle stepped up his game with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Chandler Thompson finished the game with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals. In the final game of the week, a Monday night home affair against the Pittsburgh Xplosion, the Alley Cats rose to the occasion, ripping apart the Black and Gold 130-117 [6-1]. In the win, Carl Edwards (27 points, 11 rebounds) and Josh Murray (26 points, 15 boards) paced the Alley Cats, who outrebounded their opponents 63-36. Shaun Fountain had 12 points and 8 assists on the night.

Minot Skyrockets (28-17, 178.5 QP, 3.97 AVG, 2nd place, American Conference)

The Skyrockets hosted the Pittsburgh Xplosion at the Minot Municipal Auditorium (rebranded the "Launchpad"), but the Xplosion took a 108-104 [6-1] win over the Magic City quintet. Desmond Ferguson, however, was the hottest scorer on the floor, with 10 3-pointers and 41 total points on the night. The man called "Moneyball" was his hottest in the third quarter, as he scored 17 points and hit 4 3-pointers to keep Minot close in the contest. In the game, Minot had three players, Ronnie Fields, Ray Cunningham and Jitim Young finish with double-doubles in the loss. Fields had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Cunningham had 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, Young had 12 points and 11 assists, while David Harrison added 14 points and eight boards. The Albany Patroons were the next visitor to the Minot Municipal Auditorium, and after a close physical matchup, the Patroons left with a 107-100 [5-2] victory against their in-conference rivals. David Harrison was top scorer for the Red and Black, with 21 points; Desmond Ferguson's only points came on three 3-pointers; Ferguson is now 19 treys away from tying Carl Thomas for the most 3-pointers ever scored in a CBA season. Next up for the Black and Red was a two-game trip to the Anderson Wigwam to face the Indiana Alley Cats. In the first game on Friday night, the Skyrockets bowed 119-106 [6-1] to the Alley Cats. Desmond Ferguson had 21 points to lead the Skyrockets; he added another 3-pointer to his league-leading collection. Ray Cunningham was one rebound shy of a double-double (19 points, 9 boards), while Jitim Young was one assist shy of a double-double (15 points, 9 assists). With their backs against the wall, the Skyrockets played Indiana one more time at the Wigwam on Sunday night. The game went into overtime, and when Ray Cunningham sank two clutch free throws in the extra session, the Skyrockets took home a 116-115 [4-3] victory to stay in the playoff fight. Cunningham was the high scorer for the Magic City quintet, putting 21 points on the scoreboard. Kenyon Gamble had 9 rebounds; he also added seven blocked shots to his collection. Ronnie Fields finished the week with 5,114 career points, passing Greg Jones for 12th among modern (post-1979) CBA players in career points. Among the all-time CBA/Eastern League scorers, Fields now needs three points to pass Sherman White for 20th on the all-time list.

Pittsburgh Xplosion (9-35, 98.5 QP, 2.24 AVG, 4th place, American Conference)

Even though there are only a few games left in the season, the Pittsburgh Xplosion aren't rolling over for anyone. A road trip to North Dakota on Wednesday night gave the Xplosion another victory, this time a 108-104 [6-1] triumph over the Minot Skyrockets. Corey Minnifield scored 24 points; Lewis Monroe added a season-high 23 points, Rob Griffin put 21 points on the board. The Xplosion used a 12-2 run midway through the fourth quarter to surge ahead to victory, limiting Minot to two field goals over the final 4:20 to pick up the win. Eric Williams was the high rebounder for the Xplosion, with 11 boards. On Monday night, the Xplosion traveled west to face the Indiana Alley Cats at the Anderson Wigwam, but left with a 130-117 [6-1] loss. Corey Minnifield's 35 points were the high mark for Pittsburgh; while Eric Williams earned a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Yakama Sun Kings (33-11, 215.0 QP, 4.89 AVG, 1st place, National Conference)

The Sun Kings won their eleventh straight contest, this time with a 123-112 [6-1] road triumph over the Great Falls Explorers on Wednesday night. The game was actually close in the second half, after the Explorers shot a ten-point run to pull into a 75-75 tie. Then the Sun Kings tore the game open with a 33-point fourth quarter, on 15 of 23 shooting (65% overall). Ralph Holmes had 27 points on the night; Greg Stevenson's 22 points included 12 scores in the fourth period. Yakama actually scored a 66.2% completion rate in the game (51 of 77 attempts). Yakama's winning streak, however, came to an end at the Butte Civic Center on Thursday night, as the Daredevils upended the Sun Kings 97-93 [5-2]. Galen Young led the Sun Kings with 32 points and 11 rebounds; while Ralph Holmes added 15 points and 9 boards of his own. Next up for the Sun Kings was a two-game trip to Washington Avenue Armory, to face the Albany Patroons. Both teams battled hard in the St. Patrick's Day opener, with the Sun Kings bowing 103-98 [5-2] in a battle of division leaders. Ralph Holmes, one of six Sun Kings to score in double figures, led the team with 19 points; Galen Young earned a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. On Sunday evening at the Armory, the Sun Kings took the second matchup against the Patroons, winning 98-95 [5.5-1.5] and clinching home-court advantage in the finals. Elvin Mims was the top scorer for the Sun Kings, putting 25 points on the scoreboard; Chris Alexander had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards; Ralph Holmes lit up 24 points on the night.

Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from March 20, 2007

• CBA weekly - CBA 1
• CBA awards Governor's Trophy to regular season champs - CBA 1
• Keith Salscheider named CBA Player of the Week - CBA 1
• Skyrockets Make History - Minot Skyrockets

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