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CBA 1 Continental Basketball Association 1

CBA Weekly

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


CAVALRY KNOCK OUT SUN KINGS IN NATIONAL CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Defending champions ousted; Oklahoma reaches CBA Finals

With tonight's victory over the two time defending champion Yakama Sun Kings, the Oklahoma Cavalry advance to the CBA Finals. This is the first time the CBA Finals will be contested in the state of Oklahoma since 1997, when the Oklahoma City Cavalry defeated the Florida Beachdogs in six games.

The Cavalry swept the Sun Kings, two games to none, in the National Conference Finals. They defeated the Sun Kings 101-99 in Game One in Oklahoma and then concluded the series with a 103-90 victory tonight. This two game sweep ends the Sun Kings' season; counting postseason games, Yakama finished the season with a 43-7 record. The Cavalry will now wait to see the outcome of the Minot - Pittsburgh series. If Minot wins the series, Oklahoma will host games one and two with the remaining games in Minot. If Pittsburgh wins the series, they will host games one and two, with the final three games taking place in Oklahoma.

By winning the semifinal match, Micheal Ray Richardson returns to coach the CBA finals for the second consecutive season, with an opportunity to become only the fourth NBA player to coach a team to the CBA championships (Cazzie Russell, Lancaster 1982; Phil Jackson, Albany 1984; Henry Bibby, Tulsa 1990); Richardson could also become the first coach since Henry Bibby to win CBA championships as both a player and a coach (Bibby played on Cazzie Russell's Lancaster Lightning 1982 championship team). Oklahoma forward Marvin Phillips, who played with Richardson last season in Albany, also returns to the CBA finals.

PITTSBURGH ELIMINATES EAST KENTUCKY IN PLAY-IN GAME

Faces Minot in best-of-three American Conference series

On Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center, the Pittsburgh Xplosion defeated the East Kentucky Miners 129-121 in a special CBA play-in contest. The Xplosion will now face the American Conference regular season champion Minot Skyrockets in a best-of-three series, commencing March 17 and 18 at Minot, then finishing March 20 in Pittsburgh if a third game is necessary.

In the play-in contest, the East Kentucky Miners ran out to a 17 point lead, 42-25, but led by only 3, 54-51 at the half. The Xplosion managed to capture the lead 85-84 after the third quarter, before pulling away to a 129-121 win. All-Star John DeGroat was huge, scoring a team-high 31 points in the victory. Albert White had 21 points, Chaz McCrommon had 20 points and Lincoln Glass chipped in with 19 points. Jason McLeish had a game high 34 points for the Miners in defeat. James "Boo" Jackson had 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Mike Dean had 18 points and Josh Pace 17 points for East Kentucky.

JAMES "BOO" JACKSON EARNS CBA NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Miners forward receives award for first-year player with prior professional experience

The Continental Basketball Association is pleased to announce that East Kentucky Miners forward James "Boo" Jackson was named the 2007-08 CBA Newcomer of the Year, as voted on by the ten CBA head coaches.

Jackson, a 2005 Eastern Michigan alum, distinguished himself as one of the stars for the expansion Miners this season. He finished the year as the sixth leading scorer (21.4 ppg.) and the second leading rebounder (10.4 rpg.). Jackson led the CBA in offensive rebounds (3.9 rpg.) and shot 53.2% from the field. Jackson was a two-time American Conference player of the week for East Kentucky.

A member of the 2008 American Conference CBA All-Star Team, Jackson had a 40-point outburst against the Great Falls on February 13, his high scoring output for the season. Three times this season Jackson pulled down 20 rebounds in a game, good for second best this season in the CBA. Jackson was an integral part of the Miners success this season, leading them to a 26-22 record and a berth in the CBA Playoffs.

The CBA Newcomer of the Year award is given to an exemplary first-year CBA player with prior professional experience.

RONNIE FIELDS, DESMOND FERGUSON MOVE UP IN CAREER STATS

Sun Kings guard has triple-double in final week

As the 2007-08 season concludes, two of the CBA's veteran players, Minot's Ronnie Fields and Yakama's Desmond Ferguson, have moved up on several league statistical categories.

Fields is now 5th all-time in points scored (6,040), 7th all-time in field goals made (2,183), 6th all-time in free throws made (1,329), and 5th all-time in steals (736). He also ranks 12th in career 3-pointers made (345), 31st all-time in 3-point completion percentage (.362, with 345 of 952 3-pointers made), 37th all-time in assists (1.046) and 15th all-time in games played (337).

Desmond Ferguson, one of the CBA's greatest three-point shooters, is now fourth all-time in 3-pointers made, with 470 completions; the man nicknamed "Moneyball" is also second all-time in 3-point completion percentage, averaging .445 with 470 of 1,057 long-distance shots completed.

Yakama Sun Kings forward Jason Sasser enters the Top 100 on the points list, landing at #82 with 3,116 career points and #91 on the field goals list, with 1,174.

Marshall Phillips of the Minot Skyrockets is currently 51st all-time in free throws made, with 765; he also is 99th all-time in games played, with 191 games.

Albert White joins the 3-point tally list, as he is now 73rd all-time in 3-pointers with 143; while Yakama guard Moochie Norris is now at #38 on the CBA all-time assist list with 1,036 dishes.

2007-08 CBA COACH OF THE MONTH

Each month, one coach from the CBA will be chosen as Coach of the Month, based on the team's highest quarter-point average during the month of eligibility. The award will be announced on the first of every month.

Nov. 2007, Paul Woolpert, Yakama

Dec. 2007, Patrick O'Herron, Butte

Jan. 2008, Paul Woolpert, Yakama

Feb. 2008, Micheal Ray Richardson, Oklahoma

Mar. 2008, Chris Daleo, Minot



Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from March 17, 2008


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