ST. LOUIS - The Chicago Blues, fresh off of winning the 2016 Midwest Professional Basketball Association championship earlier this month, will host a game against a team comprised of soldiers from Great Britain's Army Air Corps (AAC) on May 4. The game will take place at 5:00 p.m. at the Blues' home venue for the past two seasons, the Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 1250 W. 119th St., Chicago.
"We were approached in early January by someone from the U.S. Army about hosting a game against a British Army team that would be coming to the Chicago area for a tour," said Craig Fata, associate commissioner and chief communications officer for the MPBA. "We jumped at the chance. We're honored they thought of us."
"Basketball is in its infancy with the British Army," said Captain Glyn Dix, Regimental Signals Officer and Basketball Officer for the 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. "[Soccer] and rugby are the primary sports within the British Army, and this is the team's first tour outside of the U.K."
The purpose of the trip is threefold, according to Capt. Dix: first, to provide a reward for current players and as incentive for future players; second, to further strengthen the relationship between the U.S. military and the British military; and, third, to play against higher-level competition.
"We have worked closely with the U.S. Army and Air Force on numerous exercises and operations," said Capt. Dix. "It is these events that help break down barriers and help with collaborative working. And although we may be out of our depth, playing a mix of civilian and military teams in Chicago does not get any better for education and training of our players. It will hopefully teach us another dimension to our game."
The AAC team will face a tall task in the Blues. On April 2, the Blues became MPBA champs by defeating the top-seeded Pontiac 66ers in the 2016 title game, 114-113.
"It's an honor for the Chicago Blues to represent the MPBA as we host the British Army team," said Rick Pryor , head coach for the Blues. "This experience is something that I, my coaching staff and my players will cherish for the rest of our lives. I look forward to an exciting fun-filled evening."
The AAC team is coached by Corporal McNeil Kansonkho, and has been around for about six years. The team consists of soldiers from across the U.K. and range in rank from Air Trooper to Captain.
"We see this as an opportunity to continue to enhance the relationship with our oldest and most enduring allies through sports, which is an important part of US military culture," said U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel James S. "Scott" Rawlinson, Director, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs-Midwest.
The game is part of a nine-day tour for the AAC team. They will also play against teams from the U.S. military, and are also scheduled to participate in a shootaround with the Chicago Bulls on May 10.
January 9, 2017 ST. LOUIS - The Midwest Professional Basketball Association has decided to move its upcoming season from a traditional winter start to the summer of 2017, in an effort to determine whether playing closer to the autumn overseas signing period will result in more foreign advancements for MPBA players. The MPBA, which began play in January of 2015, has sent 60 players to overseas teams or the NBA D-League. "Doing a summer league has been in the works since our inception in... [read more]
January 9, 2017
ST. LOUIS - The Midwest Professional Basketball Association has decided to move its upcoming season from a traditional winter start to the summer of 2017, in an effort to determine whether playing closer to the autumn overseas signing period will result in more foreign advancements for MPBA players.
The MPBA, which began play in January of 2015, has sent 60 players to overseas teams or the NBA D-League.
"Doing a summer league has been in the works since our inception in 2014," said C. Edward 'Ed' Schumer, commissioner and chief executive officer for the MPBA. "We feel like we've had a lot of early success moving players up, and we're eager to try the summer league model. But as such a young league, we don't have the resources yet to be able to do our regular winter/spring season as well as a summer league."
Approximately 30% of all players accumulating statistics in the MPBA's two seasons of play have signed contracts to play in Europe, South America or the D-League.
"Playing in the summer will have a couple major benefits," said Craig Fata, associate commissioner for the MPBA. "It will be closer to when foreign leagues sign players, so the guys in our league will have the freshest film and be in the best shape. It will also allow us to bring in college players who have just completed their final seasons."
The MPBA expects to play both a winter/spring league and a summer league in 2018, Schumer said. Details about schedules, locations and teams for the summer league will be released in the coming weeks.
The Midwest Professional Basketball Association 2017 player combine, scheduled for November 20 in suburban Chicago, has been canceled. 'We didn't have enough players sign up that we thought would be able to go overseas,' said Ed Schumer , commissioner and chief executive officer of the MPBA. 'We don't want to just take money from kids, knowing they didn't have a chance to move up. It's not fair to them. Our combine process is not designed to just be a revenue stream for us.' The MPBA has... [read more]
The Midwest Professional Basketball Association 2017 player combine, scheduled for November 20 in suburban Chicago, has been canceled. 'We didn't have enough players sign up that we thought would be able to go overseas,' said Ed Schumer , commissioner and chief executive officer of the MPBA. 'We don't want to just take money from kids, knowing they didn't have a chance to move up. It's not fair to them. Our combine process is not designed to just be a revenue stream for us.' The MPBA has sent nearly 60 players overseas since beginning play in January 2015. 'This isn't a rec league, or a league for somebody over 30 who still can play at a high level,' Ed Schumer said. 'We want young aspiring professionals who want to go to the next level.' All players who registered and paid the combine fee will have their money refunded in full, Ed Schumer said. 'We encourage players to still register in our free online database so that our coaches and personnel people can look at their resumes and films. And if, based on their credentials, we feel they have a shot to advance, we'll reach out to them over the next month or so,' Ed Schumer said. Courtesy of: thempba.com
November 1, 2016 ST. LOUIS - A player who led Peoria Manual High School to four straight state championships and the University of Illinois to an Elite 8 appearance has been named the head coach of the Midwest Professional Basketball Association's Champaign Swarm. Sergio McClain (6'4''-F-78, college: Illinois) has agreed to helm the Swarm for the 2017 season, set to begin in January. "I'm looking forward to working with a credible league, the Champaign Swarm organization, and my suppor... [read more]
November 1, 2016
ST. LOUIS - A player who led Peoria Manual High School to four straight state championships and the University of Illinois to an Elite 8 appearance has been named the head coach of the Midwest Professional Basketball Association's Champaign Swarm.
Sergio McClain (6'4''-F-78, college: Illinois) has agreed to helm the Swarm for the 2017 season, set to begin in January.
"I'm looking forward to working with a credible league, the Champaign Swarm organization, and my supporters in the Champaign community," said McClain. "This is a great opportunity and fit as far as pursuing my career goals. But I'm most excited about teaching the tools and work ethic these athletes will need both on the court and in the community with kids and other service groups to help make them successful."
"Sergio will bring toughness and grit, I have no doubt," said fellow Peoria legend A.J. Guyton , director of basketball personnel and associate commissioner for the MPBA. "He will bring a competitive team to Champaign, and because he's already coached in the minor leagues, the transition should be seamless. I believe he will take full opportunity to be a head coach at this level once again."
McClain led Manual to an unprecedented four straight Illinois state basketball titles from 1994-1997 playing for his venerable father Wayne, earning prestigious Illinois 'Mr. Basketball' honors as a senior in 1997, when he averaged 18.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
McClain then started 80 games over the next four years under Lon Kruger and Bill Self in Champaign, helping his team to a pair of Big Ten championships, and an Elite Eight appearance as a senior in 2001. Following his career at Illinois, McClain played in the NBA Development League and at the semi-pro level. He then stepped into coaching, directing Parkland College in Champaign for one year in 2008.
Four years later, McClain became an assistant under his father at Champaign Central, and then took over the program on an interim basis after his father's sudden death in 2014.
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