Training camps open for CBA's 59th season
Published on November 4, 2004 under Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release
Boise, ID (November 4, 2004) â The Continental Basketball Association's 59th consecutive season officially began Thursday as training camps for the 2004-05 season got underway. Teams are allotted 18 roster spots as camps open, and rosters must be trimmed down to ten players by November 17. Various teams are completing physicals, conducting team orientations, and obtaining clearances from foreign federations today and will release complete training camp rosters in the near future.
In Muskegon, Michigan, the expansion Michigan Mayhem tipped off their first training camp in franchise history under the direction of Head Coach Reggie Fox, who played six seasons in the CBA (89-91, 92-93, 94-97) and won a CBA Title with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 1996. The former guard is building his squad around a strong backcourt nucleus in CBA veteran Rob Dye and 2004 CBA All-Star Cory Hightower.
"Our principle objective at the beginning of the season is to establish an identity for our team and our community," stated Fox, who is entering his first season as a head coach. "Our team will exemplify our hardworking and disciplined philosophy.
"We want to put a team together that is committed to successful results on and off the court, and our objective is to be competitive every time we step on the court".
In Bismarck, the Dakota Wizards handed the coaching reins over to Casey Owens, who served as the team's assistant coach for the past three seasons. Owens started off by bringing back three key members of last year's championship team when he signed guard Billy Keys, and forwards Chris Porter and Chad Prewitt. Also returning to Dakota is center Oliver Miller, who received a CBA-to-NBA call-up last season, and finished the year with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Gary Steelheads also have some familiar faces returning from last year's club, signing Ray Young, as well as 2004 CBA All-Stars Shelly Clark and Jemeil Rich (the franchise's all-time career leader in games played, points, field goals, assists and steals) to build on a team that secured a postseason berth for the first time in team history last season. Joining them is CBA All-Star Jimmie "Snap" Hunter, the 2004 CBA Long Distance Shootout winner during the 20th CBA All-Star Classic.
The Great Lakes Storm heads into the season under the direction of Head Coach Russ Bergman, who returns to the CBA after four seasons away from the league. He currently ranks 15th on the CBA's All-Time Coaches Winning Percentage list at .532 (133-117), while also ranking 15th in CBA Playoff victories (17), and 13th in Playoff Winning Percentage (.515).
"I have aspirations of having a winning season and getting this franchise into the playoffs for the first time in its young history," remarked Bergman. "I also hope to help some of my players reach their ultimate dream of making it to the NBA."
The Rockford Lightning, under the direction of 2002-03 CBA Coach of the Year Chris Daleo, will boast a two all-star backcourt, as guard Stais Boseman joins Lightning franchise scoring leader Ronnie Fields. Both Boseman and Fields were 2004 All-Stars, and Fields became the first CBA player to earn back-to-back scoring and steals titles after he led the league with 24.9 points and 3.2 steals per game last year.
The Lightning also welcomed two 2004 CBA Draft selections to camp, as 4th round selection (29th overall) Sidney Holmes joins 6th round (45th overall) pick Jerrick Oliver on the team's roster.
Two-time CBA Coach of the Year (2002, 2004) Dave Joerger started training camp with a new team, taking over as the headman for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In three seasons as the Dakota Wizards head coach, Joerger won two CBA Titles (2002, 2004) while accruing a 91-45 (.669) record along the way, good for 4th place on the All-Time CBA Coaches Top Winning Percentages list.
Joining the Skyforce in the newly created Western Conference is new Idaho Stampede Head Coach Joe Wolf, and Yakima Sun Kings Head Coach Paul Woolpert. Wolf boasts two former NCAA National Champions on his first training camp roster after the signings of guard Taliek Brown from Connecticut, and center Jeremy McNeil from Syracuse. Woolpert returns to the team whom he led to a CBA title in 2000, and is the Sun Kings' all-time winningest coach with an 89-71 (.556) record over three-and-a-half seasons.
As the oldest professional basketball league in the world, the CBA's 59th consecutive season tips-off on Friday, November 19, when the Michigan Mayhem host the Great Lakes Storm at the L.C. Walker arena in Muskegon, Michigan. Also on opening night, the Dakota Wizards begin defense of their 2003-04 CBA Title when they host the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and the Yakima Sun Kings host the Idaho Stampede in Yakima, Washington. The Gary Steelheads and Rockford Lightning play their first game on Saturday, November 20, when the Lightning travels to Gary for a game at the Genesis Convention Center against the Steelheads.
Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from November 4, 2004
- CBA transactions - CBA 1
- Training camps open for CBA's 59th season - CBA 1
- Storm announces training camp roster - Great Lakes Storm
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