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*** AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION MAIN PAGE ***
 | Manchester and Vermont join Premier Basketball League | |
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| |  | Two of the top ABA teams in 2007-08 season, the Manchester Millrats and the Vermont Frost Heaves, have officially joined the Premier Basketball League (PBL) for the upcoming 2008-09 season. 'We receive a tremendous number of inquires and applications and are excited to welcome these solid organizations which will be great compliments to our current ownership groups,' stated Premier Basketball League President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas E. Doyle. The Vermont Frost Heaves were two time ABA Champions, and the Millrats were responsible for Vermont's four losses this season. As a first consequence of this move, the rivalry that was established between Vermont and Manchester will continue in the PBL. Other regional teams of interest currently in the PBL include the reigning league champions Rochester Razorsharks, the Maryland Nighthawks, the Reading (Pa) Railers, the Wilmington (NC) Sea Dawgs, and expansion teams in Buffalo and Toronto, Canada. |
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| FORT WAYNE'S BEST STARTS AGAIN, ANNOUNCES DRAFT and SOUTH CHICAGO TO HOLD WEEKEND TRYOUTS | |
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| | | Best Leagues, an ABA affiliate, launches Fort Wayne's Best Prep League. The league drafted 80 players in a pro style draft with players from all area high schools and northeast Indiana. The PREP league will play with a modified version of the unique ABA rules. The high school league will play twelve games through May before the AAU season begins.
In other league news, Best Leagues announced its draft night dates for its men's league. This high profile men's league plays through the summer and is for men 18-28 Five of Best Leagues players will receive a free tryout to any ABA team, courtesy of the ABA. Draft night is on June 6th at 6 pm at the Fellowship Missionary Church location. Cost is $50 per player and each paid registration will receive a team uniform compliments of Brand40 Athletics.
Check out www.bestleagues.org or call (260) 447-3578 for more information.
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The new South Chicago expansion team that begins play next season will hold its first tryout camp on Saturday, May 10th at South Suburban College, 15800 S. State Street, in South Holland, IL 60473. The tryouts will be from 9 am - 12 pm and the cost will be $100.
According to Coach Ron Hicks, 'We think some of the best players in the US are right here in Chicagoland and that we can put together a great nucleus of a team from here. And it all starts Saturday.'
For more information call (877) 661-0076, email chicagosouthaba@yahoo.com, or hicksron9@aol.com.
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| N.Y.C. TRYOUT CAMP - SECOND NOTICE | |
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| | | 'As preparation for tryout camps, the 36 episode documentary, and our inaugural season nears, anyone who's anyone and everyone in New York City that has ever had a passion for basketball and a large enough heart to share their love of the game, will be a part of our movement for the greater New York,' stated Anwar Sharhan, co-owner.
'And because we have created such high interest and product support from several multi-cultural communities and organizations throughout the city for the 5 Boro 5 Man - $10K Tournament in 2009, the NYC Internationalz would like to announce that we will be selecting 100 players comprised of 10 teams for the tournament from tryouts camps to attend practice camps and become part of the NYC Internationalz inaugural season,' stated Harvey Li, co-owner.
The 10 teams are:
1. Young Internationalz (ages 14-19)
2. Urban Legendz (ages 35+)
3. Lady Internationalz (women)
4. NYC Nationalz (U.S.)
5. NYC Localz (Tri-State)
6. Caribbean Wave (West Indian)
7. Spanish Harlem (Latin American)
8. European Union (European)
9. Da African Connection (African)
10. Asian Hook-up (Asian)
All athletes interested in attending tryout camps, please send emails directly to general mailbox - NYCITZ@gmail.com and General Manager - MYCIGM@gmail.com to register and receive ID cards.
TRYOUT CAMP REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW YORK CITY INTERNATIONALZ ARE $175 BEFORE JULY 4TH WITH PRE-REGISTRATION CARD.
Tryout Camps:
MALES; Ages 14-45
FEMALES; Ages 14-35
If you are a sports agent with an athlete or several athletes, please be sure to send all packages including footage and/or statistics for verification prior to tryout camp with 'special attention to the GM - NYCIGM@gmail.com, including all date(s) your athlete(s) will attend tryout camps.
TRYOUT CAMP DATES;
Sat, May 24th: 7:30am, Holcombe Rucker Park
Sat, May 31st: 7:30am, Holcombe Rucker Park
For more information, visit www.nycinternationalz.blogspot.com or call (212) 400-7108.
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| QUENTIN TOWNSEND NAMED PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION | |
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| | | It is with great pride and pleasure that we are announcing that Quentin Townsend, owner of the Atlanta Vision, has accepted the position of President/COO of the American Basketball Association effective Wednesday, April 30th.
According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, 'This is the first in a series of major changes in the structure and management of the ABA and one that will help move the ABA to the next level. Not only is the ABA the most diversified professional sports league ever, but Quentin is the first-ever African-American President/COO of a professional sports league and we are deeply honored that he has accepted this role. It will be an active one.'
Townsend acquired the ABA Atlanta market in 2004. He renamed his team the Atlanta Vision, re-structured the entire organization, and quickly began distinguishing himself and his team as one of the most dynamic teams in the league and the country. Fueled by his passion for basketball and equipped with his business savvy, Townsend transformed a team in less than three months and Atlanta Vision was named 'Atlanta's Best Value for Sports Entertainment' by the Gwinnett Citizen.
'Dick Tinkham, ABA co-founder, and Joe have created a remarkable foundation,' stated Townsend. 'There is no league quite like the ABA with its 40 plus year brand name, it's red, white and blue ball, its rules and its diversity of ownership as well as its international thrust. The time is right for an infusion of new blood at the top and I am very excited and proud to have this opportunity and challenge. My responsibilities will include many areas of management including, but not limited to, overseeing the new Standards and Requirements of the ABA and making sure that all are adhered to. I'll also be working on setting up the new Management Committees in the five regions - Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central and West as well as working on national media and sponsorships.'
Townsend is a native of Joliet, IL and grew up with basketball, hard work, community outreach, and strong mentors that shaped him into the successful entrepreneur he is today. Prior to his basketball ownership, Townsend lead a work force management team for a Fortune 500 Corporation, presented life lessons to youth with B.E.S.T (Building Esteem Support Team) and helped hundreds of families become homeowners and investors through his real estate entity, Townsend & Company Sales Team. During his first year in real estate, Townsend won the Will County Rookie of the Year Award. At the Joseph Business School, Townsend graduated #1 in his class and received the highest distinction of Joseph Scholar.
Townsend is also the co-founder of Vision of Excellence, the 501 (C) 3 non-profit entity of the Atlanta Vision that provides programs to promote a healthier, more active lifestyle and improve the quality of life for the youth in our communities.
In 2007, Townsend was awarded and acknowledged as one of Georgia's Top '40 under 40 Up & Comers,' presented by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which recognizes young professionals who are on the rise. Also in 2007, Townsend founded RaisetheRoofAtlanta.com, a campaign to revitalize the 8,200, 1996 Olympic Tennis Center by covering the open air stadium and creating the Gwinnett Community Dome. Townsend believes in a philosophy quoted by Whitney Young, 'It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.' This year, Townsend is celebrating his ninth year of marriage with his wife and team co-owner, Akilah. The couple resides in Snellville, GA.
For more information, visit www.atlvision.com or email qtownsend@atlvision.com.
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| McCarthy named Executive of the Year | |
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| | | The American Basketball Association (ABA) yesterday named Ian McCarthy of the Manchester Millrats as its General Manager of the Year for the 2007-2008 season. According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, 'It was a very close race between four GM's, but looking at the overall job Ian did in putting together a great team both on and off the court, and the help and support he provided to the league itself, we felt that he was very deserving of the honor.' The Manchester Millrats gained community support with excellent programs, had outstanding sponsor support, worked closely with the Vermont Frost Heaves and the Quebec Kebekwa to make the All Star Game and Championship Playoffs a success, took his team to Nova Scotia, the Bahamas and to Singapore twice, provided excellent stats, a great web site and a steady stream of excellent press releases. We at Usbasket.com totally agree with this award, because Ian was everytime very available and collaborating with us. |
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| Tycoons updatings | |
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| | | The Texas Tycoons announced last week that the team's head coach, Jean-Paul Afif , has been given clearance to speak with other leagues regarding head coaching vacancies. Afif navigated the Tycoons to a 21-3 record, falling to the eventual ABA champion Vermont Frost Heaves. The playoff loss marked the second time in consecutive seasons, that the Vermont franchise has prevented Texas from fulfilling championship aspirations. Regardless, Afif's accomplishments do not go unnoticed by the Tycoons or other teams in search of a head coach. About the Tycoons' future, in the same release the team officials say they have been in constant communication with the ABA's strongest cluster of teams, and this will weigh heavily upon the Tycoons' decision to return to the ABA or explore other options. Team GM Mike Senters admitted the team is considering options like the CBA and the PBL. After all, a large group of Tycoons' members have yet a huge experience of the PBL league..:-) |
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| GEORGIA GWIZZLIES ANNOUNCE SUMMER PRO LEAGUE TRYOUTS and NEW LINE OF ABA MERCHANDISE | |
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| | | The Georgia Gwizzlies will have open tryouts on June 21st for its summer pro league team. The organization is planning to field teams in David Archer's Southeast Exposure Basketball League and the Michael Stinnett Kentucky Pro Am. Only ten players will be selected for each team.
The tryouts will be held at a Middle Georgia school; coaches from Macon and Middle Georgia are encouraged to participate. Gwizzlies t-shirts and official ABA basketballs will be provided to participants. Registration deadline is June 15th and the cost of registration is $150 (certified funds made payable to Georgia Gwizzlies, 579 North Avenue, Hapeville GA 30354.
For more information, visit www.gwizzliesbasketball.com or email gwizzlies@msn.com.
Also:
JC Athletic Wear is proud to announce it will soon have a range of ABA merchandise on the world market. The release date is set for August 1, 2008 with a pre-release on July 1, 2008, exclusive for only a limited number of people who register their details by emailing admin@jcathleticwear.com with 'ABA pre-release' in the header.
According to Jeremy McCauley, JC CEO, 'It has been a long journey to come up with the ABA range over the past year. The range will provide supporters with the following items: caps, T-shirts, Hoody's, Jerseys, Shorts and Bag (each product will have multiple designs and colors). There will also merchandise for the participating teams in the ABA. You will not only be able to support your love of the ABA, past and present, but also support your current local ABA team.'
The first release of the ABA merchandise will reach the public in the US, Australia and the UK. 'The ABA has been a household name for decades,' added McCauley, 'Now at last we can offer an ABA range of merchandise for the future generation of basketball players and supporters.'
Photos of the new merchandise will be available on the ABA web site shortly.
For more information, visit www.jcathleticwear.com.
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