Steelheads head west
December 18, 2005 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
Gary Steelheads News Release
The Gary Steelheads make their first western swing of the current season, meeting the Yakama Sun Kings at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome Sunday night. The Steelheads remain in a tight race with the Rockford Lightning for leadership in the CBA's Eastern Conference.
The Steelheads ended a two-game losing streak with a 93-81 victory over the Michigan Mayhem at the Genesis Center in Gary on Thursday night. Former CBA "Player of the Week" Jimmie "Snap" Hunter fired in 34 points with 3 steals, while Randy Holcomb added 20 points with 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Steelheads' center Darrell Johns had his best outing in weeks, with a team-high 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots to go with his 8 points.
Gary took the ball to the basket more effectively against Michigan's tall front line, getting to the foul line 36 times and connecting for 29 points (.806). The Steelheads were outrebounded 52-42, but still managed to win 5 ½ quarter points in the victory.
With six wins in a row, the Yakama are unquestionably the hottest team in the CBA. The Sun Kings boast the best record in the league at 9-3, although they stand a close second in the CBA's Western Conference with a quarter point average of 4.2.
The Sun Kings last played on Tuesday night, picking up an impressive win over the Dakota Wizards at the Bismarck Civic Center 113-103. The Sun Kings forced 22 Wizards turnovers and hit 8-of-11 three pointers. Yakama's victory featured balanced scoring, with five players in double figures. Antwain Barbour paced the winners with 19 points.
Fish Hooks
- Tonight's game is the 18th meeting between the Steelheads and the Sun Kings. Gary leads the series 10-7, largely on the strength of their performance in the 2003-04 season. That year, Gary won 6 of the 7 meetings between the two teams. Last season, the teams split four games. Yakama won the first meeting between the two teams 102-99 at the Genesis Center in Gary on Tuesday, December 6th.
- Thursday night's Steelheads' victory over the 93-81 victory over the Michigan Mayhem marked the 10th time in 12 games that the Steelheads have been outrebounded by the opposition. The Sun Kings outrebounded Gary by 13 (52-39) in their first meeting. Since then, the Steelheads have added Kevin Frey and Christopher Moore in an effort to reduce the rebounding deficit.
- The Steelheads have a 3-2 record on the road, currently the second best road record in the league (the Sun Kings are 5-2 away from home).
- Steelheads' guard Brian Chase has quietly hit stride. Over the past five games, he has averaged 13.8 ppg. and 6.2 assists coming off the bench. In a victory over the Rockford Lightning on December 8th, he contributed a double-double of 11 points and a season-high 12 assists. He also had 4 steals in the game. In the first meeting with the Sun Kings, Chase tossed in a season-high 18 points with 3 assists.
- Fox Sports Net is preparing a feature on the Steelheads and guard Jimmie "Snap" Hunter. A video crew recorded several practices and covered a Steelheads' game at Rockford, won by the Lightning 124-123. The feature will appear within the program "Hoops."
- Tonight's game will air in Northwest Indiana over radio stations WJOB in Hammond (1230khz) and WIMS in Michigan City (1420khz). Steelheads games have aired over these two frequencies three of the last four years (two years ago Steelheads broadcasts were limited to television only).
- The Sun Kings have not lost a game in the month of December. Their last defeat came at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome, 122-102 to the defending CBA champion Sioux Falls Skyforce. The Skyforce also claimed all seven quarter points in the victory. Since then, the Sun Kings have won six straight. The victory over the Steelheads on December 6th was the third victory in that string.
Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from December 18, 2005
- 'Force wins easily - Sioux Falls Skyforce
- Freddy Flash Brings Friends - Rockford Lightning
- Steelheads head west - Gary Steelheads
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