East Kentucky Miners to Compete In Historic Games
December 5, 2008 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
East Kentucky Miners News Release
PIKEVILLE, KY. - Professional basketball is returning to East Kentucky. In an historic partnership that was recently finalized, the East Kentucky Miners and other Continental Basketball Association (CBA) teams have agreed to play teams from the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the first month of the 2008-09 regular-season. The CBA, the world's oldest professional basketball league, currently consists of four teams. East Kentucky will tip off the 2008-09 season Thursday, Dec. 11 in a road game versus the ABA's Kentucky Bisons at the SportsCenter in Owensboro. The Bisons feature several players with Kentucky ties.
East Kentucky will return home to host the West Virginia Wild Sunday, Dec. 14 and Monday, Dec. 15 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in its first two home games of the season in additional CBA-ABA interleague contests.
"For the good of the game it was important to form this type of partnership and continue the continuity," said East Kentucky Miners Co-Owner Demetrius Ford. "The CBA is 65 years old. This is done in the very best interest of our league, our franchise and our fans. We'll continue to provide East Kentucky Miners fans with quality entertainment and basketball."
CBA teams Albany, Minot and Lawton-Fort Sill will also play ABA teams.
Any East Kentucky Miners-West Virginia Wild matchup will make for an immediate intriguing game given the proximity of the two professional basketball franchises.
Former Kentucky Mr. Basketball J.R. VanHoose is a member of the West Virginia Wild team. VanHoose, a Paintsville native, starred at Marshall University. He is a former NBDL draft pick.
The East Kentucky Miners opened training camp earlier in the week.
Among those in training camp for the Miners is legendary University of Kentucky Wildcat Wayne Turner.
In the CBA-ABA interleague games, the home team's league rules will apply.
Tip-off for Sunday's East Kentucky-West Virginia game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
Start time for Monday's matchup is slated for 7:05 p.m. Tickets for each of the upcoming East Kentucky Miners home games remain available. For more information on tickets, call the Miners office at 606/437-9715.
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