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Tycoons kick off WBA season with Friday night match up with the Mississippi Miracles

May 3, 2007 - World Basketball Association (WBA)
Texas Tycoons News Release


Dallas, TX - The Texas Tycoons are set to host the Mississippi Miracles on Friday night May 4th at 7pm at Tommie Allen Town Center in Dallas, Texas. The Tycoons are the 6th rated minor league basketball team as ranked by the end of season fall rankings by www.probasketballnews.com NBA beat writer Sam Amico. The Texas Tycoons advanced to last fall's ABA Championship Game and were White Conference and Southern Division Champions. Texas has several of their returning stars for the spring-summer league World Basketball Association (WBA). The WBA has been successful in having 60 former players go on to compete for NBA opportunities via NBA summer leagues, NBA individual workouts, NBA training camp and pre-season games, as well as NBA regular season rosters. Hundreds of former WBA players are now competing successfully in Europe and other overseas leagues around the world.

Of the players donning Texas Tycoons uniforms this season include: Chris Davis (6'5''-G-80, agency: Court Side, college: N.Texas), Brandon Lee (6'3''-G, agency: ProSportsCareers, college: Tarleton St.), Jerome Rogers (5'10''-G-81, college: N.Texas), Hank Rivers (6'8''-F-81, agency: 7-Miracles, college: Stephen F. Austin), Benny West (6'3''-G-82, agency: ProSportsCareers, college: Howard Payne), Jarrett Howell (6'2''-G-84, college: Texas Arlington), Bryce May (6'7''-F-82, college: Mc Neese St.), Mario Kinsey (6'2''-G-82, college: Texas Coll.), Randall Williams (6'8''-C-82, college: Tarleton St.), Jai Pradia (6'6''-F-79, agency: ND Corner Sports, college: Pittsburg St.), Tyrone Rayson (6'6''-F-80, college: East Central), Brian Gilic (7'1''-C-82, college: Santa Monica CC), Jean-Paul Afif (6'9''-F-80, agency: World Sport Agency, college: Loyola Marymount) and J.R. Harrison (6'6''-F-84, college: Rice).

One of the more intriguing players suiting up for the Tycoons will be Clayton State big man Aristide Sawadogo (7'1''-C-81, college: Clayton St.). Sawadogo is a native of the African republic of Burkina Faso and came to the United States to enroll at Clayton State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Sawadogo was also a member of the Junior National Team in Africa and at 7'1 265lbs was All-SEBL 1st Team player and Defensive Player of the Year. Texas Head Coach Chris Terrell when asked about the addition said of Sawadogo "Aristide is an inside force offensively and defensively. He blocks or alters a dozen or more shots a game and is a real intimidating pressence. He grew up playing soccer in his country and took up basketball later in life but he is improving by leaps and bounds (literally and figuratively). I've spoken to several NBA teams about taking a look at him this summer and the hope is that he and several of the players on this year's squad will have some opportunities after the season to show what they can do at the next level."

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