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Red Division awards time

by Derrick Pearson
February 23, 2005 - American Basketball Association (ABA)


Its awards time in the ole ABA Western (Red) Division and in order to do such a thing, it is required that a few guidelines be set in place. First, it is incredibly hard to place some deserving players on the All-Red team due to circumstances beyond their control. Teams folding, better contracts elsewhere or simply moving on, its hard to place some players on the team. Also, consideration may or may not be given due to lack of detailed information on some players, once again, due to team issues, lack of stats provided or simply bad luck in missing games when your team is or was visible. Before the masses rise up in anger and protest, please understand that this is just MY opinion based upon the games that I have seen and conversations with executives and players in the division.

First of all, my apologies to Cedric Ceballos, Alex Austin, DeJaun Wheat, James Penny, Rudy Williams, Chris Baert, Adam Parada and anyone else left off because of limited schedules, folded teams, lack of stats or moving on. Quality players, quality people and absolutely worthy of consideration. But when it comes to being put on the all division team, I wanted guys that are finishing the year on a team that's playing in the division, playing on a regular basis and those that are actually listed on a roster and playing games. If the league hasn't listed you as a current player or I haven't received information on recent games played, I couldn't put you ahead of the road warriors still fighting the fight. The depth of the ABA is noted by the names of those that didn't make the list. I could have easily taken those left off this list and put together a pretty special unit. That having been said, here goes....

Honorable Mention

Yuta Tabuse (LB), Fred Vinson (LB), Curtis Millage (UT), Ty Hayes (UT), Curtis Slaughter (Ont), Keith Bean (Ont), Demetrius Porter (CV), Jelanni Janisse (Ont), Maurice Spillers (Or), Ramel Lloyd (Or)

All of the above players have "next level skills". Tabuse leads the talented Long Beach Jam with his Tasmanian devilish energy and ball handling ability. Vinson is a brutally hot shooter, specializing in last minute three pointers for Long Beach. Millage has regained his shooting confidence and has become that key go scoring option for Ike Austin down the stretch. Hayes has the curse of playing behind Arceneaux and Tucker for Utah, but his 17 plus points and 5 rebounds a game average tells the larger story. Slaughter is streaky and can shoot Ontario into a lead with the flick of a wrist. Bean is a force inside with nice mid range on his jumper. Porter has the curse of playing in no where land on a tough team, but shows the ability to score and quarterback even in tough situations. Janisse came off the bench too many games for Ontario for my liking, and that's only because he does everything well in game situations. Spillers is a highlight film waiting to happen and has huge scoring nights to show for it, while Lloyd is a scorer in the truest since, all with long minutes in transitional situations for LA and Orange County.

The Big Ten

Nate Driggers (UT), Gene Shipley (TIJ), Juaquin Hawkins (LB), Darwin Carter (LA), Darryl Dorsey (LV)

The second five could actually beat the first five. Driggers is a professional basketball player, with all of the court smarts and veteran savvy. His addition to Utah makes them scary. Shipley may be the biggest inside presence in all of the ABA. Scores, rebounds and blocks shots all without getting out of the system. Hawkins is a defensive gem with sneaky offensive skills, but can get lost in the Jam offense with all of its other talent. Carter is a shooter that can make tired defenses sad. Great range, no memory and no conscience makes for a great shooter. "Magic" Dorsey fits the name and really is fun to watch, especially on the defensive end of the floor where he gets easy baskets and gets the Rattlers into transition quickly.

The Starting Five

Clay Tucker (UT) Harold Arceneaux (UT) Lou Kelly (LV) Derrick Dial (LB) Eric Sandrin (Belle)

"The Show" Accented spent this ABA season reminding ABA fans why he got the nickname. A better shooter than remembered and a stronger rebounder than given credit for, its his offensive hunger that makes him special. Right shot in the right spot at the right time. Money. A better defender than even he is aware of.

Kelly is a big man with a little mans skills and a big mans heart. Complete game with complete skills, and with Dorsey by his side makes Vegas a force in the playoffs, even with limited games actually played. His All-Star game MVP makes a nice fit for the skills shown.

Dial is complete in his offensive game and doesn't get enough credit for defensive abilities. Quick off the floor and into his shot, even quicker on the release, Dial can get his shot off in difficult spots easily. His long range jumper is tough to defend because of his quickness to shooting spots on the floor.

Sandrin has a case of the basketball "nasties". Can bang inside with the premier inside players in the league, but can drive them crazy taking them outside the arc for his three point shooting abilities. Quicker off the floor to block shots than appears, but can be streaky enough to carry Bellevue far in the playoffs.

Player of the Year

Clay Tucker

Tucker has the swagger and ego of a star and deservedly so. The best player on the best team in the league has proven down the stretch in key wins that the ball belongs in his hands in any tough situation. Game winners versus Arkansas and Ontario, plus key plays to break open games against Vegas, Bellevue and Long Beach are superb examples of why Tucker deserves the title as the Division and Leagues best. Meaningful plays on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, ridiculous minutes played and balance, Tucker has done it all for the top ranked Snowbears. The target on Utah's back meant direct pressure on Tucker, and he shined. There may be players with better stats, but none can claim bigger plays in bigger games with better results.

Coach Of the Year

Ike Austin (UT)

Austin took a group of lesser names, took on the bulls eye of being a league-wide target, moved on past the loss of key players (as is the case in most ABA cities), dealt with whispers of lack of competition in the Red Division and then took his team on the road to face a tough Arkansas club in Little Rock. As teams head into the playoffs, Austin and the Snowbears still wear the bulls eye, and as a matter of fact, are wearing it proudly.

Best Arena

Pyramid-Long Beach

Maybe its the California sun or the red hot smoking' dancers or the pre-game little leaguers, but the Jam put on a great show. Well it with a quality in its locker rooms and staffing, the Pyramid stands alone out top of the Divisions facilities.

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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American Basketball Association Stories from February 23, 2005


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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