CBA Weekly

January 17, 2008 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release

CBA ALL-STAR CLASSIC TEAMS ANNOUNCED

New faces, veterans make up league's Jan. 22 showcase game in Yakima, Wash.

The Continental Basketball Association has announced the players that will represent the American and National Conferences at the 2008 CBA All-Star Classic, which will be held January 22, 2008 at the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash., home of the Yakama Sun Kings.

For the American Conference, the Albany Patroons will send center Amal McCaskill, the CBA's leading rebounder, and G/F Nat Burton to the game. The Minot Skyrockets will be represented by the active career point leader Ronnie Fields, in his third All-Star Classic appearance, as well as Kevin Rice and Sidney Holmes. The East Kentucky Miners will have three representatives at the All-Star Classic; James "Boo" Jackson and Josh Pace, as well as the newly-signed Mike Dean, who earned his totals as a member of the Rio Grande Valley SIlverados. The Pittsburgh Xplosion's two representatives will be Shaun Fountain, in his second All-Star Classic; and John Strickland, who was recently signed by the Xplosion after a stint with Minot. Representing the Atlanta Krunk will be Steve Thomas. Due to injuries to Ronnie Fields and Kevin Rice, their spots will be filled by Minot's Marshall Phillips and Atlanta's Zeck Marbury.

The Yakama Sun Kings fans will be able to cheer four of their own players on the National Conference roster, as Jason Sasser, Desmond Ferguson, Jermaine Blackburn and Moochie Norris will represent the National Conference squad. Norris and Ferguson made the All-Star Classic squad for the second time in their careers. Joining them will be Butte's Odell Bradley (his second All-Star Classic appearance) and rookie Aaron Cook; the Oklahoma Cavalry's Daryan Selvy and Marvin Phillips; Nate Green of the Great Falls Explorers; and Demorris "Toby" Smith of the Rio Grande Valley Silverados.

Participants in the 3-point "Long Distance Shootout" and Slam Dunk Contest will be announced at a later date.

CHRIS DALEO, PAUL WOOLPERT NAMED ALL-STAR CLASSIC COACHES

Both coaches earn their fourth All-Star Classic coaching assignments

Yakama Sun Kings head coach Paul Woolpert and Minot Skyrockets head coach Chris Daleo will once again pilot the CBA's top talent, as both men will coach their confernece's respective All-Star teams at the 2008 CBA All-Star Classic on January 22, 2008 in Yakima, Washington. Woolpert's Yakama Sun Kings have a 21-1 record, the strongest start ever to a CBA season; while Daleo's 17-6 record is tops in the CBA's American Conference.

This will be the fourth All-Star coaching stint for both men; Woolpert has a 2-1 record in the All-Star Classic, having coached the 2000, 2006 and 2007 games, winning the last two contests. Daleo has a 1-2 record in the CBA's showcase game, patrolling the sidelines in the 2003, 2005 and 2006 All-Star Classics, and winning the 2005 game in Gary, Ind. This will also be the second time Woolpert and Daleo have coached against each other in the All-Star Game; in 2006, Woolpert's Western Conference All-Stars surpassed Daleo's Eastern Conference All-Stars 119-110.

Woolpert has a chance not only to tie Eric Musselman's record for most All-Star Game coaching victories with three wins (Musselman won the 1990, 1992 and 1997 All-Star Games), he could also become the first head coach to win three consecutive All-Star Classics.

DID YOU KNOW?

Odell Bradley of the Butte Daredevils became the third player-coach in CBA history, joining Andre McCarter (Maine, 1979-80) and Freeman Blade (Anchorage, 1981-82).

TIM ELLIS EARNS CBA NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Yakama guard steps in, helps Sun Kings continue to win

The Continental Basketball Association is pleased to announce that Tim Ellis of the Yakama Sun Kings has been named National Conference Player of the Week for the week ending January 13, 2008. This is the fourth time this season a member of the Sun Kings has earned this award; Ellis is the third player from the team to be named Player of the Week, joining Jason Sasser (twice) and Jason Forte.

In Yakama's 125-99 Saturday night victory over Butte, Ellis, normally a reserve, was placed into the starting point guard position. He responded with 18 points and 11 assists in 28 minutes of play, spurring his team to victory. "That was fun," said Ellis to the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper. "I've never played the point, but I accept the challenge. It's something to add to my resume."

Other players receiving consideration for Player of the Week included: Rod Nealy, Rio Grande Valley; Odell Bradley, Butte; Nate Green, Great Falls, Daryan Selvy, Oklahoma.

JOHN DEGROAT EARNS CBA AMERICAN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Second week in a row for Xplosion forward

The Continental Basketball Association is pleased to announce that John DeGroat of the Pittsburgh Xplosion has been named American Conference Player of the Week for the week ending January 6, 2008. DeGroat is the first player to hold the award for two consecutive weeks since Desmond Ferguson, then of the Minot Skyrockets, won it two consecutive weeks in the 2006-07 season.

DeGroat, a 6'6" forward from the University of Pittsburgh, helped keep the Xplosion on a six-game win streak. His efforts included 25 points in the first of two victories over Great Falls in Pittsburgh; 20 points, including 10-for-10 from the foul line in a win over Rio Grande Valley; and a 31-point, 17-board tally in a rematch victory over the Silverados.

Other players receiving consideration for Player of the Week included: Lucious Jordan, Albany; Andre Owens; Josh Pace, East Kentucky; Ronnie Fields, Minot.

CBA TEAM REPORTS

Albany Patroons (11-9, 76.5 QP, 3.83 AVG, 3rd place, American Conference) Albany's struggles at home continued, as the Great Falls Explorers took a 105-100 [5.5-1.5] victory over the Patroons Thursday night at the Armory. Amal McCaskill led all Pats in scoring with a double-double of 29 points and 19 rebounds; Jamaal Miller went 2-5 from the three-point range; one of those three-pointers was a 60-foot third-quarter buzzer-beater that brought the crowd to its feet in cheers. Albany fared better in the return match Friday night, defeating Great Falls 100-83 [6-1]. Amal McCaskill notched 24 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots; Nat Burton added 19 points, and DayShawn Wright scored 14 points of his own.

Atlanta Krunk (8-14, 59.0 QP, 2.68 AVG, 5th place, American Conference) The Krunk went from the chilly confines of their home gymnasium to the relatively balmy prairies of North Dakota to play the Minot Skyrockets. The Tuesday night contest was not successful for the Krunk, as the Peachtree City crew lost 118-86 [6.5-0.5] to Minot. Both Terrance Hunter and Steve Thomas had double-doubles for the Krunk; Hunter amassed 18 points and 16 rebounds; while Thomas garnered 19 points and 12 boards. Minot finished the two-game series with the Krunk by defeating the Atlanta visitors 97-81 [6.5-0.5], with Andre Owens' 26 points leading all Krunksters. Terrance Hunter had a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds; Hunter and Zeck Marbury had four steals apiece for Atlanta. Minot returned with the Krunk to Atlanta's home gym, John H. Lewis Gymnasium at Morris Brown College, but the results were the same - another tough Krunk loss, 114-106 [5.5-1.5]. Waki Williams garnered 27 points for the Krunk; Zeck Marbury's 26 points included 13 assists; while Steve Thomas had a team-record 21 rebounds to go with his 12 points.

Butte Daredevils (13-11, 88.0 QP, 3.67 AVG, 2nd place, National Conference) Traveling on a four game road trip without their head coach, Patrick O'Herron, the Daredevils employed Odell Bradley as player-coach. The experiment didn't work in the first game at Oklahoma, as the Daredevils were demolished 121-101 [7-0]. Bradley and Aaron Cook both scored 21 points apiece to lead their team; Blake Sholberg's six rebounds were tops for the team. In the Wednesday night rematch, Player-coach Odell Bradley pumped in 29 points to lead the Daredevils to a 99-90 [5-2] victory over Oklahoma at the Great Plains Coliseum. Bradley led a four-player march into double digits in scoring as Martane Freeman backed him with 20 points, Blake Sholberg scored 17 and Aaron Cook shot in 16. Benson Callier led the Knievel crew on the boards with 11 rebounds. A visit to the Yakima SunDome did not help the Daredevils' fortunes Saturday night, as the Sun Kings dominated Butte 135-99 [6-1]. Bradley did score 28 points to lead the team, while Martane Freeman (17 points, 11 boards) and Jibril Hodges (18 points, 10 assists) had double-doubles for the Daredevils.

East Kentucky Miners (13-13, 88.0 QP, 3.38 AVG, 4th place, American Conference) On Monday night, the Miners and Sun Kings dueled again at the East Kentucky Expo Center. Unfortunately for the Miners, they fell behind 28-18 in the first quarter and spent the rest of the evening catching up to Yakama, and when a 3-point shot by Ed Horton failed to fall in the hoop, East Kentucky lost 121-118 [5-2]. Marcus Heard was the top scorer for the Miners, with 26 points; Josh Pace had 23 points and 8 rebounds in a losing effort. The Miners fared better Wednesday night as they hosted the Rio Grande Valley Silverados, taking the victory 119-90 [6.5-0.5] to improve to a .500 won-loss record. James "Boo" Jackson led East Kentucky with a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds; Jackson leads all CBA players in double-doubles; he also blocked two shots and recorded a pair of steals. Jason McLeish and Josh Pace each had 18 points for the Miners.

Great Falls Explorers (7-18, 56.0 QP, 2.24 AVG, 4th place, National Conference) The Explorers began a 10-game road trip with a new coach (Rick Turner) and a revamped roster. Their first matchup, against the Pittsburgh Xplosion, turned out sour for the Blue and White, as the Xplosion took the game 133-110 [7-0]. Marlyn Bryant's 29 points were the high-water mark for the Electric City crew, while Kevin Menifee's 23 points included 11 rebounds. As several former Explorers joined the current lineup for their second game in Pittsburgh, aside from taking the third quarter 39-35, the Explorers fell for the second time on the road, losing 128-101 [6-1]. Mike Peeples had 22 points and 14 rebounds, tops in both categories among all Explorers players. The Explorers had better success in Albany, winning the opening game of a two-game series against the Patroons 105-100 [5.5-1.5]. Nate Green notched 28 points, 11 rebounds and five steals; newly-signed Jason Clark also had 11 rebounds on the night. The Explorers could not get a second victory in Albany, losing 100-83 [6-1], despite 19 points from Mike Peeples and a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for Jason Clark, in his second match as an Explorer.

Minot Skyrockets (16-7, 110.0 QP, 4.78 AVG, 1st place, American Conference) The Minot Skyrockets played host to the Atlanta Krunk for two games; in the Tuesday night opener, the Magic City quintet completely dominated their guests, taking a 118-86 [6.5-0.5] victory in front of 1,438 at the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Veterans Ronnie Fields and Ray Cunningham accounted for 23 points apiece, Cunningham's 23 were augmented with 11 rebounds for a double-double. The Skyrockets finished off the Krunk with a 97-81 [6.5-0.5] victory on Thursday night. Although Kevin Milliner's 22 points led all scorers, he was only one of four Skyrockets in double-figure scoring; the other three players amassed double-doubles on the night - Ronnie Fields (11 pts, 10 assists); Marshall Phillips (14 pts, 10 rebounds) and Ray Cunningham (19 pts, 11 rebounds). Friday night, the two teams traveled to Morris Brown College and John H. Lewis Gymansium. Once again, it was a complete domination by the Skyrockets over the Krunk, with a 114-106 [5.5-1.5] victory for the Magic City team. "The Amazing One," Ronnie Fields, became "The Ageless One," dropping 22 points for the Skyrockets; while Marshall Phillips added 26 to lead all Minot players in scoring. Sidney Holmes was the top rebounder with 12 boards; he also added 10 points to the game.

Oklahoma Cavalry (9-10, 63.0 QP, 3.32 AVG, 3rd place, National Conference) Perhaps reports of the Cavalry's demise were premature, as Oklahoma destroyed the Butte Daredevils in Lawton 121-101 [7-0] to climb back over the .500 mark. Daryan Selvy amassed 26 points, 8 assists and 3 steals for the Cavalry; Curtis Haywood added 21 points; Marvin Phillips' 17 points included 9 rebounds. The second game, however, saw the Daredevils take a 99-90 [5-2] victory to split the two-game series. Point leaders of the game for the Cavs were Marvin Phillips with 27 points and Curtis Haywood with 17.

Pittsburgh Xplosion (15-11, 102.0 QP, 3.92 AVG, 2nd place, American Conference) Returning to the Steel City for a quick two-game homestand, the Xplosion were greeted by a Great Falls Explorers squad helped by a new coach (Rick Turner) and several new players. No problem for the Black and Gold, as they dominated the visitors 133-101 [7-0]. Tyrone Anderson was the top point-gainer for the Xplosion, with 27 markers on 13-15 shooting; John DeGroat (25 pts, 12 rebounds) and Albert White (18 pts, 10 assists) each garnered double-doubles for Pittsburgh. The Xplosion's second game against the Explorers was just as dominant, as the Black and Gold took a 121-108 [6-1] victory. Chaz McCrommon led Pittsburgh with 35 points; Shaun Fountain's 16 assists set a franchise single-game record; Fountain also had five steals. Next off was a two-game trip to the Rio Grande Valley to face the Silverados. On Friday night, Pittsburgh was down 76-71 with a few minutes left on the clock. Then the Xplosion went on an 8-0 run, capped by Kevin Mickens' bucket with 2:00 remaining that gave the Xplosion a 79-76 advantage. Albert White would later block a clutch layup attempt from RGV's Trent Eager, feeding the ball to Shaun Fountain, who hit a 17-foot pull up jumper - on a possession kept alive by an offensive rebound - with 13.9 seconds remaining to give Pittsburgh an 81-78 lead, and eventually an 85-80 [5-2] victory. John DeGroat's 20 points included a 10-for-10 run from the free throw line; Albert White's 19 points included six steals. The Xplosion made it six wins in a row with a 100-87 [6-1] victory over Rio Grande Valley, their second straight win over the Silverados. The game was capped by a 12-2 Xplosion run to seal the victory. John DeGroat led all scorers with 31 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, while Shaun Fountain added 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. "The fourth quarter, that's when it's clutch time, winning time," said DeGroat to a reporter from the McAllen Monitor. "That's the way we play it, no matter what. I was just trying to help my team and get a win."

Rio Grande Valley Silverados (3-22, 43.0 QP, 1.72 AVG, 5th place, National Conference)The Silverados visited Pikeville for a game against the East Kentucky Miners. In the first contest on Wednesday night, Rio Grande Valley bowed 119-90 [6.5-0.5] to the Miners. Rod Nealy's 21 points led all Silverados in scoring; Walt Waters had eight rebounds; Nate Johnson garnered four steals. RGV hosted the Pittsburgh Xplosion for a Friday-Saturday two-game series at the McAllen Convention Center; and had a five-point lead in the contest with minutes to go. But Pittsburgh made the plays late to snatch away an 85-80 [5-2] victory. Rod Nealy finished the contest with 26 points, he and Johnny Tyson (10 pts) were the only Silverados to reach double figures in the match. Tyson also garnered nine rebounds in the game. The Silverados lost another fourth-quarter heartbreaker to the Xplosion, losing 100-87 [6-1]. The Silverados trailed 83-80 with 9:31 remaining after Demorris Smith's slam off a Rod Nealy steal and assist. But then the Silverados missed nine of their next 13 shots and watched Pittsburgh go on a 12-2 run with the game in the balance. Smith had 30 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort; Renaldo Norman (20 pts) and Rod Nealy (10) also had double-figures for the Silverados.

Yakama Sun Kings (21-1, 126.5 QP, 5.75 AVG, 1st place, National Conference) The Sun Kings continued their torrid run through the CBA, notching their 20th victory against a single loss with a 121-118 [5-2] road victory over the East Kentucky Miners. Yakama's 12th consecutive road win is a new CBA record. Harvey Thomas put 30 points on the board, one of four Sun Kings with 20 points or more in the contest; Jason Sasser's 25 points included 12 rebounds; Ray Weathers had eight assists in the game. Returning home to face the Butte Daredevils, the Sun Kings were without their top guards, Moochie Norris or Jason Forte; however, with Tim Ellis in the point, Yakama clobbered the Butte Daredevils 135-99 [6-1] for the team's 21st victory. Desmond Ferguson's 30 points led all Sun Kings in scoring; his four 3-pointers gives him 399 for his career, just five long-distance bombs behind Rod Mason (404) for sixth place on the CBA's career 3-pointer list. Ellis finished the game with 18 points and 11 assists in 28 minutes of play. "That was fun," said Ellis to the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper. "I've never played the point, but I accept the challenge. It's something to add to my resume."

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Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from January 17, 2008

• CBA announces All-Star replacement - CBA 1
• CBA Weekly - CBA 1
• John DeGroat named to CBA All-Star Game - Pittsburgh Xplosion

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