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Steelheads, Sun Kings to decide CBA title tonight

March 27, 2006 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
Gary Steelheads News Release


A CBA champion will be crowned at the Genesis Center this evening, where tonight's deciding CBA Finals game will be played between the Gary Steelheads and the Yakama Sun Kings. Each team has one win, and in a reversal of the first playoff round, both Finals games have been won by the visiting team.

The Yakama Sun Kings proved why they are the best in the CBA West this season, pulling out a "must win" victory over the Steelheads at the Genesis Center Sunday night, 91-87. With the win, the Sun Kings' forced the third and deciding game tonight.

Things started well for Gary Sunday night as they won the first two quarters, building a 45-36 lead at half. But the Steelheads hit the wall offensively in the third quarter, scoring only one field goal for the quarter and being outscored 22-2 over the final 6:18. A 9-point halftime lead turned into a 15-point deficit by the end of the quarter, as the Sun Kings outscored the Steelheads 34-9.

Gary mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, pulling within one point when forward Carl Mitchell hit two free throws at 3:32 to close the gap to 84-83. But Rosell Ellis answered with a basket, and the Sun Kings fought off the Steelheads' surge and held on for the victory.

The Sun Kings were paced by guard Anthony Goldwire, who scored 22 points and handed out 7 assists. A dozen of his points came from the foul line. Center Anthony Miller contributed a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Antwain Barbour added 18 points with 8 rebounds.

The Steelheads were paced by guard Brian Chase, who tossed in 19 points while handing out five assists in a losing cause. Swingman Renaldo Major and forward Randy Holcomb added 17 points each, while forward Carl Mitchell added a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds and guard Eric Chatfield added 11 points with 6 assists. Center Chris Alexander grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 3 shots, along with 6 points.

Monday night's game will be airing in Northwest Indiana over WJOB in Hammond (1230khz) and WIMS in Michigan City (1420khz) with Bill Hazen handling the play-by-play. The broadcast can also be heard over the Internet at SportsJuice (www.sportsjuice.com), beginning at 7:00PM CST. KUTI in Yakama (1460khz) will also originate a broadcast of the game, which can also be heard over the Internet at www.sunkings.com. Mike Bastinelli will describe the action for KUTI.

Fish Hooks

- THE SERIES: The Steelheads and the Sun Kings have met 23 times, with the Steelheads having a 14-9 lead in the series largely on the strength of their performance in the 2003-2004 season. That year, Gary won 6 of the 7 meetings between the two teams. This season, the two teams split their four regular season games, and the Steelheads have won both post-season contests. Yakama won the first meeting 102-99 at the Genesis Center in Gary on Tuesday, December 6th. They also won the second meeting between the two teams at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome, 106-97 on December 18th. The Steelheads bounced back for a 120-101 victory at the Genesis Center on January 22nd. Gary then won the final game at the Sun Dome on Friday, February 24th, 102-92. The two teams met for the first time in post-season play on March 16th at the Genesis Center, where the Steelheads defeated the Sun Kings 106-98. They then defeated Yakama in the first game of the CBA Finals Thursday night at the Sun Dome. The Sun Kings evened the CBA Finals with a 91-87 victory last night.

- JACKSON NAMED CBA COACH OF THE YEAR: On Thursday, March 16th, Steelheads coach Jaren Jackson became the first coach in franchise history to earn the honor of CBA Coach of the Year. As a rookie CBA coach, Jackson guided the Steelheads to the highest quarter point total (197) in the league during the CBA's 60th Anniversary Season. The honor has particular meaning because several other coaches had very strong cases for winning the award this year, including Paul Woolpert of Yakama, Dave Joerger of Sioux Falls and Chris Daleo of Rockford.

- FROM CBA WORST TO CBA FIRST: The regular season performance of the Gary Steelheads this season constitutes one of the great single-season turnarounds in CBA history. Last year, the Steelheads finished at the bottom of the league with a 17-31 record and 135½ quarter points (2.8 QPA). This year, 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 a year ago.

- HOW THE STEELHEADS WON: The Gary Steelheads finished the 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.

- STREAKING STEELHEADS: A Steelheads' nine-game winning streak during February propelled the team into the lead in the Eastern Conference. The streak, second longest in the CBA this year, ended in overtime at the MetroCentre in Rockford on February 21st when the Lightning prevailed 123-120. The loss began a challenging road trip, which included another overtime loss at Sioux Falls just 24 hours later. Midway through the trip, Gary lost guard Jimmie "Snap" Hunter on an overseas contract. Yet, the Steelheads bounced back and finished the trip 3-4. They finished the season winning 13 of their last 17 games, including their last three in a row.

- LIGHTNING STRUCK FOUR TIMES: During the nine-game win streak, the Steelheads defeated the Rockford Lightning four times in 11 days. Two of the wins were at the MetroCentre. Rockford has lost only six games on their home floor this year, with three of those losses being to Gary.

- THE MERRY MONTH OF FEBRUARY: February was indeed a merry month, as the Gary Steelheads ran off a win streak of nine straight games. The streak began on February 1st, as Gary achieved their first 7-point road win at Dakota, 113-97. At that time, Gary's quarter point average stood at 3.6. Rockford, sprinting at full speed with what would be an eight-game winning streak, weighed in at 4.5. Twenty-two days later, Gary improved to what was then the highest quarter point average in the CBA at 4.2. Rockford stood second in the league at 4.0. The last three wins in the streak came without the services of forward Randy Holcomb, MVP of the CBA All Star Game, who was sidelined for nine games with a groin injury.

- ANOTHER FRANCHISE FIRST: The Gary Steelheads achieved a franchise first on February 21st, when the ProBasketballNews.com web site elevated Gary to the top of its minor league basketball power ratings. In this week's poll, the Steelheads are rated 2nd, with the Sun Kings 3rd. Despite the team's incredible success story, coach Jaren Jackson still hasn't been mentioned among the site's "Best Pro Coaches Not in the NBA"...yet. Former Steelheads' coach Duane Ticknor is listed by the site among its "10 Best Minor League Coaches of All Time." Ticknor won four championships and four Coach of the Year awards in the International Basketball Association prior to his tenure in Gary.

- THEN AND NOW: Gary Steelheads fans remember the 2003-2004 team with great fondness, and for good reason. Prior to this year, the 2003-2004 Steelheads were the only team in franchise history to participate in the CBA Playoffs. And, perhaps as important, it was a team that captured the imagination of basketball fans in Northwest Indiana. Below is a comparison of that team with this year's Steelheads.

Team Comparisons 2005-2006 2003-2004
Records 29-19 27-21
Quarter Points 197 (4.10 QPA) 177 (3.7 QPA)
Quarters Won 110 (1st) 96 (4th)
Scoring Average 108.4 ppg. 105.2 ppg.
Points Allowed Average 103.5 ppg. 105.0 ppg.
Scoring Differential +4.9 ppg. +0.2 ppg.
Rebounds 42.5 42.3
Assists 21.4 24.8
Turnovers 15.5 19.4

- A DAY TO REMEMBER: Success over the length of a CBA season requires that a number of diverse elements come together. Timing and talent are key ingredients, and the Steelheads have had both in abundance this year. But, arguably, one moment may stand out among many as the key to the team's success. The date was December 21st, 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.

- HITTING STRIDE: The old axiom in professional basketball is that success in the playoffs is determined by how well a team is playing at the end of the season. By that measure, the Steelheads have been very successful. Despite a very challenging seven-game road trip at the end of the season, Gary emerged having won 13 of 17. The Steelheads have fallen twice in five playoff games for a record of 17-5 since February 1st.

- THE NEWEST STEELHEAD: The Gary Steelheads signed former Mayhem guard Karlton Mims on Friday, March 10th. He made his debut in a Gary uniform against his former team and is playoff eligible. He was released by the Mayhem March 8th. Mims averaged 12.5 ppg. for the Mayhem this season, along with 2.9 assists. The athletic 6-foot-2 guard had some of his best games against the Steelheads. On December 2nd, he tossed in 14 points while grabbing five rebounds and five steals in a 98-96 Michigan win. On Christmas Day he connected for 16 points in another Mayhem win, 96-85. But his best game may have come in a losing cause at the Genesis Center on January 12th, when he turned in a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. He also had 5 steals, but Gary prevailed 109-101. Mims' best performance in a Steelheads' uniform came against the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He scored 8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in 16 minutes. He currently ranks second in the CBA in three point shooting (.500) during the playoffs.

- HOLCOMB RETURNS: After missing nine games due to injury, Randy Holcomb has returned in top form. He ranks fifth in CBA playoff scoring (21.2 ppg.), third in steals (1.8 spg) fourth in three point shooting (.429) and third in blocked shots (1.6 bpg.). Holcomb scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in Game 2 of the CBA Finals last night. He paced all Steelheads with 32 points against the Yakama Sun Kings in Game 1 of the CBA Playoffs March 16th. On March 15th, Holcomb was named to the CBA All-Defensive team, as voted by the eight CBA head coaches. He was also voted the CBA's All-Second Team. Holcomb finished a ten-day call-up with the Chicago Bulls prior to the January 17th CBA All Star Game. He flew to Boise for the mid-season classic and was named the game's MVP, the first player in Steelheads' history to earn an MVP award in the mid-season classic. Holcomb earned the honor, even though his Eastern team fell to the Western stars, 119-110. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a losing cause. The last player cut in the Chicago Bulls' training camp, Holcomb ranked 9th in the CBA in scoring (20.2 ppg.) and 7th in the league in rebounding (7.8 rpg.) when he was signed to a 10-day contract. He has seven double-doubles.

- ON THE CHASE: Guard Brian Chase continued his solid playoff output, scoring 19 points and handing out 5 assists in Game 2 of the CBA Finals. He turned in one of his best performances in a Steelheads uniform in Game 1 of the Finals, scoring 21 points and handing out 11 assists. He hit 9-of-14 from the field, including hitting all 3 of his three point attempts. Chase stepped forward in the absence of both "Snap" Hunter and Randy Holcomb with an incredible 47-point performance against Albany on March 2nd, his career-best performance in the CBA. Chase was razor sharp from three point range, hitting 7-of-9 from beyond the arc. On the evening, he connected on 17-of-27 field goals and 6-of-7 free throws. Chase won the regular season foul shooting crown at .913. Chase finished third in the CBA in three-point shooting as well with a .454 percentage. He finished 13th among league scorers at 15.1 ppg. His 32 point performance at Rockford February 7th was his previous career high. Chase hit 7-of-13 three pointers against the Lightning, including the game winner. He also handed out 9 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds. February 24th against the Yakama Sun Kings, the 5-foot-10 playmaker not only scored 16 points and handed out 6 assists, but he tied for the team lead in rebounding with 9. He is currently 10th in CBA Playoff scoring (17.8 ppg.), 3rd in three point shooting (.483) and 4th in assists (6.0 apg.).

- DOUBLE-DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: All star forward Carl Mitchell turned in another double-double in Game 2 of the CBA Finals, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He also had 2 steals. Mitchell turned in a great performance in Game 1 of the CBA Finals, scoring 21 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. He has had a tremendous impact since joining the Gary Steelheads in February. The Steelheads acquired Mitchell from the Albany Patroons for forward Edmund Saunders on February 1st, 2006. The trade has worked out well for both teams. Since joining the team on February 3rd, Mitchell has achieved nine double-doubles and come within one digit of three others. In the playoff victory over Sioux Falls March 18th, Mitchell scored 13 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. He turned in two of his best performances in back-to-back victories over the Michigan Mayhem March 9th and 11th. In the first game he scored 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and 4 steals. In the second game, scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out 4 assists. Mitchell averaged 15.7 ppg. and 9.1 rpg. after joining the Steelheads. He finished the season 4th in the CBA in rebounding (8.8 rpg.) and offensive rebounding (3.1 rpg.). His 14.4 ppg. scoring average was 4/10ths of a point outside of the league's Top 16 scorers. For the playoffs, Mitchell is 15th in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg) and 3rd in steals (1.8 spg.).

- CENTER OF ATTENTION: Center Chris Alexander turned in a CBA career high 24-point performance in the playoff loss at Idaho March 21st. He also 14 rebounds in the game. And he matched that performance with 14 more rebounds in Game 1 of the CBA Finals and added 13 more rebounds and 3 blocked shots in Game 2. Against Sioux Falls March 18th, Alexander grabbed 11 rebounds and scoring 11 points. He also blocked 4 shots. Against the Yakama Sun Kings in the first game of the CBA playoffs, Alexander claimed a game high 16 rebounds, while blocking 3 shots and scoring 7 points. He has 12 double-doubles this season. Since joining the Steelheads, he has averaged 9.4 ppg. and 10.1 rpg. He finished the regular season ranked 2nd in the CBA in rebounding (9.2 rpg), first in offensive rebounding (3.8 rpg.), seventh in field goal percentage (.551) and fourth in blocked shots (1.7 bpg). On February 21st at Rockford, he scored a CBA career high 19 points with 11 rebounds. He turned in two of his finest performances against the Michigan Mayhem February 16th and 17th. He tied his career high with 18 points and grabbed 20 rebounds on the 16th, while going for 10 points and 17 rebounds the following night. The Steelheads went 22-11 in the regular seasons after he joined the ball club. In the playoffs, Alexander leads the CBA in rebounding (13.6 rpg.), is second offensive rebounding (5.8 rpg.) and first in blocked shots (2.8 bpg.).

- MAN FOR ALL SEASONS: Based on his performance this year, guard Eric Chatfield ranks among the most underrated players in the CBA. In Game 1 of the CBA Finals, Chatfield scored a CBA career high 26 points, hitting 11-of-13 field goals and all 3 of his three point assists. He also handed out 8 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds. Chatfield scored 12 points and handed out six assists in the loss at Idaho March 21st. He had a statistically identical performance in the victory over Sioux Falls March 18th. Chatfield also guarded Skyforce lead guard Corey Williams most of the evening. He turned in a double-double performance in the first game of the CBA Playoffs, scoring 15 points and handing out 11 assists in the victory over Yakama March 16th. He has demonstrated he is one of the most flexible guards in the CBA. He joined the Steelheads with a strong reputation as a scorer, but soon adjusted his game to a lead guard role with Jimmie "Snap" Hunter. Chatfield finished the year 5th in the CBA in assists (5.4 apg.), with an assist-to-turnover ratio in excess of 2-to-1. Chatfield is coming off one of his very best games of the year against the Albany Patroons March 3rd. He contributed a double-double of 23 points and 11 assists, along with 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Against the Yakama Sun Kings February 24th, he also scored 23 points, while handing out 7 assists and grabbing 9 rebounds. In the playoffs, Chatfield is 14th in league scoring (15.4 ppg) and 3rd in assists (6.6 apg.).

- GRIFFIN AT HIS BEST: Swingman Rob Griffin is playing his best basketball of the year. He fired in a season high 23 points in the first round playoff victory over Sioux Falls March 18th. He tossed in 11 points in the first game of the CBA Finals, hitting 3-of-4 three pointers. For the playoffs, Griffin ranks 7th in the CBA in three point shooting (.393).

- NOTHING MINOR ABOUT MAJOR: Swingman Renaldo Major has brought fresh energy to the Steelheads, since coming back to the team from the Sioux Falls Skyforce in late January. Major has started all five playoff games, scoring 13 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists in the victory over Yakama March 16th. In Game 2 of the CBA Finals, he tossed in 17 points with 6 rebounds and 1 blocked shot.

- STREAK BREAKER: The Steelheads' victory over the Lightning February 3rd marked the second time this year that Gary had broken a Lightning win streak. That win broke an 8-game streak, while the Steelheads' 118-102 win over the Lightning on December 30th ended a 7-game streak for the Bolts.

- WATCH OUT FOR THAT CLIFF: The Steelheads named former Chicago Bulls forward Cliff Levingston to fill their vacant assistant coaching position 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. Last season, he coached the St. Louis Flight of the ABA.

- THE MVP WHO WILL NOT BE: On March 1st, guard Jimmie "Snap" Hunter signed an overseas contract to play basketball in Italy. He left an incredible impact on the Steelheads and the CBA, including leading the league in scoring (27.6 ppg.) and ranking among the league leaders in five other categories (assists, steals, foul shooting, three point shooting and blocked shots). Hunter finished his Steelheads' season with 1,213 points. He was the first player in the CBA to crack 1,000 points. His 50-point effort at Albany on January 6th ranked as the second best individual scoring effort in the CBA this season. He scored 41 points or more on five different occasions, with three of them being in key conference games against the Rockford Lightning. "Snap" shattered Bryant Notree's single-season individual scoring record of 1,022 points (2002-03) in Rockford on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Hunter broke the record with his second field goal at the MetroCentre in a 120-111 victory. He finished the game with 30 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots. He was named CBA Player of the Week for the third time the following week. "Snap" also hit 77 of his final 79 foul shots with the Steelheads (.974). Although "Snap" played 44 games with the Steelheads, his acceptance of an overseas contract disqualified him from consideration for the CBA's MVP Award.

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