Slam announce inaugural season roster
October 1, 2005 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Bellingham Slam News Release
Bellingham, WA. The ABA Bellingham Slam professional basketball team announced the players slated to make up the team's 10-man active roster for their inaugural season. Eight of the players were signed based on their performance in the Slam's final tryout camp on Saturday, September 17th at Whatcom Pavilion. They join Caleb Gervin and Kevin Woodberry who were signed by the team in August.
Mike Bush, 26, forward, started on both the basketball and football teams during his tenure at Washington State. He wasa signed by the NFL's San Francisco 49ers following his senior year but was released before playing a game. Last year, Bush played pro basketball with Residence in Luxembourg's second division, averaging 23ppg and 11 rpg.
Brian Dennis, 25, center, averaged nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks his senior year at Western Washington. He holds the Pac West/Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) record for career field goal percentage at 62.2%. Last season, Dennis averaged four points and seven rebounds for the ABA Western Conference Champion Bellevue Blackhawks.
Brandon Hartley, 23, guard, averaged 19 points per game in two seasons with Saint Martin's College, putting him ninth among GNAC career scoring leaders. he is ranked second in the GNAC in career steals with an average of 2 per game.
Drew Langstraat, 25, forward, is a 1999 graduate of Lynden High School. He played twoi seasons at Western Baptist before transferring to California Baptist. He averaged 15 points and six rebounds his senior year, earning him all-conference honors, Langstraat also played one year of volleyball at Cal Baptist, winning the NAIA national championship in 2004.
Michael Parker, 23, forward, averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds in two seasons with Evergreen State. He scored a career high 41 points against Eastern Oregon. He was named NAIA honorable mention All-American his senior year. Last season, Parker played professionally with the Limerick Lions in Ireland, where he averaged 21 points a game.
Craig Roosendaal, 22, forward, is fresh off his senior season at Western Washington, where he finished ranked second in the GNAC for career three-point field goal percentage at 47.4%. He scored a career high 29 points against Saint Martins. Last season, Roosendaal was ranked 14th in the entire NCAA and 7th in Division II for three-poiint field goal percentage at 47.3%.
Jacob Stevenson, 24, guard, is a Bellingham native who played four seasons at Western Washington, averaging 13 points and four assists per game over his carer. He reachaed the NCAA Division II semifinal game with the Vikings in 2001. In 2002, he was named a GNAC All-Conference team honorable mention. Stevenson also sits ninth on the Pac West/GNAC all-time scoring list with 1320 points.
T.J. Williams, 25, center, played two season at Eastern Washington after transferring from Edmonds Community College. In two seasons, he averaged five points and four rebounds for the Eagles. Named to the Big Sky All-Academic team in 2003, Williams also set an EWU record with 109 personal fouls in 2002-2003.
Kevin Woodberry, 25, guard, was the second player along with Caleb Gervin, 25, guard previously announced. The Slam's ten active roster players, plus several reserve players, will be led by coach Bob Ridnour as they prepare for the team's home opener on Tuesday, November 22nd against the ABA's Western Conference Camps, the Bellevue Blackhawks.
For more information, contact Kip Leonetti, 360 734 SLAM or email admin@bellinghamslam.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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