Skyrockets bring ABA basketball to Silicon Valley

May 4, 2005 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Minot Skyrockets News Release


San Jose, CA. Today, the San Jose Skyrockets officially announced plans to bring ABA basketball center court this November at the Civic Auditorium in San Jose. Brother and sister team-owners James and Kazumi Hasegawa bring the excitement of professional basketball and family entertainment to the community of San Jose.

"I welcome the San Jose Skyrockets to a great city for sports," said Mayor Ron Gonzales. "We look forward to having a professional basketball team that will be exciting for local sports fans and an excellent addition to our community."

Raised in Japan and California, both Kazumi and James offer a multi-cultural and multi-lingual background that enables them the ability to relate to San Jose's diverse community. "We are committed to building alliances with the local business and community members," said Kazumi, "and are prepared to make the Skyrockets one of the best teams within the ABA. We're very pleased and proud to be a part of this wonderful organization, and look forward to the upcoming 2005-2006 season."

Kazumi Hasegawa, an attorney, specializes in business with immigration and employment related issues. Previously, she was corporate counsel for Square Enix, Inc. one of the leading publishers and distributors for the entertainment software for Playstation and Nintendo. Joining the ever-growing rank of female owners within the ABA, her interest in becoming an owner stems from her passion for basketball as well as her work as team counsel for the Ontario Warriors.

James Hasegawa is a third-generation physician of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He holds a Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine (MTOM) degree and is licensed to practice acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine nationally and in California. An avid L.A. Lakers fan, James welcomed the opportunity to be involved as an owner of an ABA team through Kazumi and looks forward to making a positive impact on the community.

With their first game scheduled for November, the San Jose Skyrockets will soon be announcing a Head Coach and General Manager, tryout camps and other important information relating to sponsorships and tickets.

For more information, contact Kim Stowe at 408 839 8750 or email kim@reverbinc.com or visit www.abalive.com.

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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