Steelheads game notes

April 14, 2007 - United States Basketball League (USBL)
Gary Steelheads News Release


Fish Hooks

- THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between the Steelheads and the Wildcats, with Gary winning the first game last night, 114-79. This is the second USBL game for the Gary Steelheads. It is also the second USBL game for the Jackson Wildcats, following the end of their dormancy and relocation to Jackson from Glen Falls, New York.

- 31 TURNOVERS...NO PROBLEM: Traditional basketball wisdom says that high turnover numbers spell defeat. But it didn't bother the Steelheads in their victory last night. Despite 35 miscues, the Steelheads still prevailed by 35 points! Most of those turnovers occurred in a ragged second quarter, when the Wildcats closed the gap to three points. But from there, it was all Gary. The Steelheads answer to the turnover issue was to force 33 Wildcats by the final horn.

- BOARD ROOM: The Gary Steelheads ruled the Boards against the Wildcats, generating twenty more possessions for their efforts. Coming off the bench, center Chris Alexander still managed to grab 8 rebounds, while Jermaine Blackburn added 7. Four other Steelheads added 6 rebounds apiece.

- THOSE WHO PLAY TOGETHER START TOGETHER: Coach Cliff Levingston surprised everyone with an unanticipated starting lineup for Friday night's Jackson game. Looking at some late arrivals and little time to blend some of his new cast, he chose to start a unit that had been playing together since early training camp. The decision yielded excellent results. An added benefit was that some of the team's most talented players provided an incredible spark coming off the bench! The Steelheads started forwards Jermaine Blackburn and Adam Schaper, center Chris Garnett and guards Rob Griffin and Louis White.

- IT'S SHOWTIME: You'll hear the phrase, "It's Showtime" a great deal at Steelheads games. That's because the team is now owned and operated by a new ownership group, Showtime Sports and Entertainment. The following principals compose this group: Jewell Harris Jr., Esq., Darnail Lyles, Esq., Dr. Adolphus Anekwe, Dr. Olusegun Ishmael, Dr. Paul Okolocha, Dr. Basil Ubanwa and Ben Richmond (owner of Family Mobile Medical and the Beach Café Restaurant). Jewell Harris Jr. is President, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel. Showtime Sports and Entertainment came about in an effort to better diversify ownership of the franchise, to assure its long term stability and viability. The company also will be involved in other entertainment promotion.

- FROM CBA WORST TO CBA FIRST: The regular season performance of the Gary Steelheads during the 2005-2006 season constitutee one of the great single-season turnarounds in CBA history. During 2004-2005, the Steelheads finished at the bottom of the league with a 17-31 record and 135½ quarter points (2.8 QPA). In 2005-2006, Gary improved a net total of 24 games from 14 games under .500 to 10 games over .500 at 29-19. They raised their quarter point average to 4.10, an increase of 1.3 quarter points per game over the previous year. And the Steelheads won an incredible 25½ more quarters of basketball than the previous year.

- WATCH OUT FOR THAT CLIFF: The Steelheads named former Chicago Bulls forward Cliff Levingston to succeed Jaren Jackson as head coach on November 21st, 2006. He joined the Steelheads as an assistant on February 8th. Levingston played on the Chicago Bulls' first two championship teams and was a fan favorite. He was originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1982 NBA Draft, going ninth in the first round. He retired from the game in 1995. In 2000, Levingston began his coaching career as an assistant coach in the CBA with the Ft. Wayne Fury. In 2001, he served as an assistant coach with the Dodge City Legend of the USBL. After a year as a college assistant at St. Francis, he returned to Dodge City as head coach. His Legend team won the USBL title, and Levingston was named USBL Coach of the Year. During 2003-04, Levingston served as an assistant for the Harlem Globe Trotters. Two years ago, he coached the St. Louis Flight of the ABA.

- HOW THE STEELHEADS WON IN THE CBA: The Gary Steelheads finished their last CBA season with a best-ever franchise record of 29-19. But this alone did not deliver the top seed in the playoffs. Yakama, Sioux Falls and Rockford all had more wins. But Gary was more efficient than any other team in winning quarters. The Steelheads won 110 quarters of basketball, six more quarters than any other team in the league. With each quarter having a value of one quarter point, this surplus of quarter victories made the difference. The USBL does not use a quarter point system.

- A DAY TO REMEMBER FROM 2005-2006: Success over the length of a professional basketball season requires that a number of diverse elements come together. Timing and talent are key ingredients, and the Steelheads had both in abundance during 2005-2006. But, arguably, one moment may stand out among many as the key to the team's success that year. The date was December 21st, 2005, when the Gary Steelheads acquired center Chris Alexander from the Dakota Wizards and signed power forward Edmund Saunders. At that time, the Steelheads were being outrebounded by a whopping 9.8 rebounds per game. Alexander and Saunders cut into that deficit immediately, and Gary's winning percentage began to climb. Saunders played well enough that the Steelheads were able to trade him to Albany for all star forward Carl Mitchell, who has continued to anchor the power forward spot. By the end of the season, the Steelheads had shaved the rebound deficit down to 1.9 rpg. And Gary's regular season record since these roster moves was an excellent 22-11.

- BRYANT RETURNS HOME: Emerson High School's Wallace Bryant returned to Gary as coach of the Jackson Wildcats last night. Bryant played his college basketball at the University of San Francisco, before being drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 7th pick of the second round in 1982. He later played with the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. He retired in 1986, after three seasons, averaging 3.2 ppg and 3.7 rpg for his career.



United States Basketball League Stories from April 14, 2007


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