CBA 1 Continental Basketball Association 1

Gary, Rockford First To Secure Playoff Spots

February 17, 2006 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release


Boise, ID (February 17, 2006) - The Gary Steelheads and Rockford Lightning became the first two teams to clinch a spot in the 2006 Continental Basketball Association Playoffs thanks to Gary's 123-95 (6.5-0.5 QP) victory over the Michigan Mayhem last night. With the win, neither Gary nor Rockford can finish below Michigan in the Eastern Conference, assuring them of a spot in the CBA postseason.

Gary moved into first place in the Eastern Conference and improved its record to 24-15 with 161.5 quarter points and a 4.1 QP average. While both Gary and Rockford each have a quarter-point average of 4.1, Gary's QP total (161.5) is ahead of Rockford's (159.5) for first place. If the playoffs were to begin today, Gary would be the No. 1 overall seed thanks to its advantage in total quarter points over the Western Conference leaders, Yakama Sun Kings (150.0 QP).

Last night's win was the Steelheads' eighth in a row, one off the franchise record of nine set during the 2003-04 season. Gary is three wins away from the franchise's single-season record of 27, also set during the 2003-04 campaign.

The race for the third and final spot in the Eastern Conference is still up for grabs between Albany (14-25, 2.8 QP avg.) and Michigan (7-30, 2.1 QP avg.). In the Western Conference, all four teams are still very much alive for the three spots with Sioux Falls (22-16, 3.9 QP avg.), Idaho (20-18, 3.7 QP avg.), and Dakota (17-22, 3.2 QP avg.) all within striking distance of Yakama.

The CBA regular season ends on Sunday, March 12. The playoff dates and times will be determined based on the order of finish and arena availability.

There are four games in the CBA scheduled for tonight, including Rockford at Albany (7:35 p.m. EST), Michigan at Gary (7:05 p.m. CST), Dakota at Sioux Falls (7:05 p.m. CST), and Yakama at Idaho (7:10 p.m. MT).

2006 CBA Playoff Format

This season's CBA Playoffs will include the top three teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences (six total teams). The three highest quarter-point averages in their respective conferences will qualify for the playoffs. The six teams will play three contests each in the first round in a round-robin format versus the three playoff qualifiers from the opposite conference. The three teams from each conference will be seeded one through three based upon their quarter-point averages during the regular season. The two top teams in each conference, along with the second-place team with the better quarter-point finish, will play two home games and one road game. The two third-place teams in each conference and the second-place team with the lower quarter-point finish will play two road games and one home game.

For the first time since the CBA began using quarter points to determine regular-season standings in the 1981-82 season, the league will be using quarter points to decide which teams advance from the first round of the playoffs. The two teams that accumulate the most total quarter points in their respective three first-round games will advance to play in the CBA Finals. Potential ties will be broken first by head-to-head playoff play. If two or more teams are tied, or if two teams that did not play each other in the playoffs are tied, then the team that is the higher seed will advance.

The finals will be a two-out-of-three game series using a (1-2) home-court format, with the lower seed hosting game one and the higher seed hosting games two and three (if necessary). Quarter points will not be used in the CBA Finals.

CBA Quarter Point System

The quarter point system is unique to the CBA. Regular season conference standings are determined by points won, with a team receiving three points for winning a game and one point for winning a quarter (four quarters in each game). If a quarter is tied, teams split the point. No points are awarded for overtime. Therefore, there are seven possible points to win in each game.

2006 CBA Playoff Scenario (based on league standings as of the Feb. 17, 2006)

Eastern Conference Western Conference

1) Gary - 4.1 avg. 1) Yakama - 4.1 avg.

2) Rockford - 4.1 avg. 2) Sioux Falls - 3.9 avg.

3) Albany - 2.8 avg. 3) Idaho - 3.7 avg.

Gary (1A) would host Yakama and Sioux Falls, travel to Idaho

Yakama (1B) would host Rockford and Albany, travel to Gary

Rockford (2A) would host Sioux Falls and Idaho, travel to Yakama

Sioux Falls (2B) would host Albany, travel to Gary and Rockford

Idaho (3A) would host Gary, travel to Rockford and Albany

Albany (3B) would host Idaho, travel to Yakama and Sioux Falls



Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from February 17, 2006


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