Southern Crescent inks Benitez to lead defending WBA Champs

February 28, 2005 - World Basketball Association (WBA)
Southern Crescent Lightning News Release


Under new ownership, the Southern Crescent Lightning have hired the always energetic Ricky Benitez to serve as GM and Head Coach, as they get ready to defend their 2004 WBA Crown. Benitez, no stranger to the WBA, was at the helm of the Bristol Crusaders last season.

Benitez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved to the United States in 1974 at the age of nine. He played basketball and baseball in Tampa, Florida, eventually being nominated for the All Century Team in Tampa Bay, as an athlete in baseball and basketball and also as a basketball coach. Ricky has five years of professional coaching experience, serving as a Head coach in the ABA, USBL and the WBA, while also coaching in Venezuela. His first professional coaching job was in the CBA with the Gary Steelheads as an assistant.

He also was an assistant at Miami Dade Community College and coached the Team Nike Tampa AAU Team to the State and National Championship in 1996 and 1997. Further success in the coaching ranks saw Benitez lead high school basketball and Jr. high basketball teams to the city championship in Tampa.

Benitez was also a member of the Special Operations Response Team in the U.S. Army Military Police 1983 - 1985. Permanently residing in Tampa, Florida with wife Melinda and son Nicolas, Benitez also has an older son, Ricky Jr.



World Basketball Association Stories from February 28, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central