Tag: Pro Basketball Association

June 15, 2023

PBA By A&T Sports Announces It’s Summer 2023 Season

USA – In the words of the infamous Dick Vitale, “you must be living in a cave baby if you don’t know that it’s basketball season!”

The Summer season opening day has come and we are excited for all that lies ahead!!

PBA by A&T Sports tipped off the Summer season with the Columbus Ga Vipers, the Winter seasons Conference Champions, hosting a pre season opener on May 21st in Columbus, Georgia. The league kicked off around the globe on June 3rd & 4th to some very exciting matchups. Teams this summer included the Plainview Knights, Tulia Bulls, Dallas Gamblers, BLTN, Music City Jazz, Shreveport Kingdom Riders, Mobile Miners, Mississippi Hawks, Tennessee Speed, PNW Vets and the Basehill Bullies to name a few. There are many spectacular teams ready to make their come back this winter so get your market reserved now!!!

New franchises can contact [email protected] for more information about the upcoming summer or winter seasons. More info available at www.PBAplayers.com

If you want Pros – You want the PBA. Every game is broadcast Internationally on PBATV. Download the app today or check us out on YouTube, Roku, Amazon Fire, Android, and Apple Store

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022

Summer 2022 PBA by 1891 Awards Ceremony

Arlington, TX – The Summer 2022 PBA by 1891 season featured over 500 players Nationwide and several were featured in the Awards Ceremony this past Sunday. Player of the Year 6’5 SG Quintarius Porter (Mississippi Hawks) was among the league leaders in the Nation in Scoring, Rebounding, FG%, and 3P shooting. Final 4 MVP Wolf Rabb (Fort Worth F.I.R.M.) was also featured on the 1st Team All-PBA and the do everything 6’5 PG can spend time at all 5 positions on the floor and fills up the box score in Scoring, Assists, Rebounds, Shooting percentage, and is known as a stout defender. Rabb also won Final 4 MVP helping the F.I.R.M. repeat as Champions. Cortez Chaney (Georgia Vipers) is a 6’3 guard that following a trend here in the awards, does a little bit of everything really well. He can score, play make, was among the league leaders in assists and steals. He’s a big part of the reason why Georgia has won two consecutive Southeast championships. His partner on the wing is Cornelius Thomas (Georgia Vipers). Thomas led the Nation in field goals made and was among the leaders in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage. George Stanberry (TTE) is an absolute scoring machine. Inside – outside, just over half court, hand in his face, on the move, knock down scorer!

2nd Team All-PBA: Lamar Morinia (Bluetails), Eddie Sims (Just Hoops), Jonathan Milligan (Just Hoops), Treyvon Butler (Sternmen), and Reuben Berry (Blazers).

3rd Team All-PBA: Anthony Jackson (Blazers), Jaylin Robinson (Snipers), Steven McDonald (Just Hoops), Lavelle Smith (Reign), Darrell White (Vipers).

Honorable Mention: Jelon Hornbeak (F.I.R.M.) Malik Montoya (Vets), Chasten King (F.I.R.M.), Chris Robinson (Rockets), Tre Jackson (Snipers), Jordan Neal (Snipers), Travis Sprigg (Bullies, Vets), Jaron Washington Thomas (Knights), Seth Warfield (Bluetails), Da’Quan Forrest (Hawks), Jamarcus Nunnally (Snipers).

Coaches of the Year: Don Waters (F.I.R.M.), Brian Brown (Bluetails), Angela Culliver (Vipers), Eaton Wade (Vets)

Final 4 MVP: Wolf Rabb

October 4, 2022

F.I.R.M. become the two-time defending Champions, defeat New Mexico

Arlington, TX – The Fort Worth F.I.R.M. have been on a mission for 2 years. The 2021 PBA Champion went undefeated in 2022 and proved their value once again when it counted most in the Final 4. New Mexico having come off an impressive victory over Georgia came into the game riding their explosive 2-man game with Lamar Morinia and Devon Williams. The F.I.R.M. countered with veteran leader Wolf Rabb, shooters in Jelon Hornbeak and Chasten King, and pick and pop big man JR Duffy along with the high flying, shot blocking, big man Damontrae McFarland. Rabb just seemed to be able to control the game from the onset. At 6’5 and 225lbs he’s a little bit of a mismatch for most point guards and he’s savvy with it. He just knows how to use his body and create angles, and get into a pick and roll game with the post in an elbow series that the F.I.R.M. runs really effectively. He was effective getting into the paint against smaller guards that are a second late on the ball screen action or backing out and creating space for a switch mismatch, or finding the perfect timing for the pocket pass that was allowing his bigs to finish high percentage shots right at the goal. It’s not that the Bluetails couldn’t score. Sure they started off slowly but they always do. It was the percentage from the field they were allowing that really seemed to doom their chances for a second half comeback. Inevitably the F.I.R.M. did what the F.I.R.M. do defeating New Mexico 102-88 and earning the PBA Championship in the process. Wolf Rabb was named Final 4 MVP.

October 4, 2022

New Mexico advances to Championship Game defeating Georgia

Arlington, TX – New Mexico Bluetails and Georgia Vipers both came into the Nationals having won their divisions, the Southwest and the Southeast respectively. Both organizations having only experienced one loss over the course of the season. The two teams proved to be fairly evenly matched throughout this one. Georgia was up early and seemed to be ready to break away late in the first half but the Bluetails got a little momentum starting to buckle down a little bit at the defensive end and then going to a combination of Guard Lamar Morinia and Forward Devon Williams to help get them back in the game just before halftime. For the Vipers, who had rode the electric play of Guard Cortez Chaney and Swing forward Cornelius Thomas en-route to this opportunity, they just lost momentum and were frustrated attacking the basket in the second half. The set defense of the Bluetails with a little more size and length inside proved to be the difference as Williams was a difficult matchup on both ends, serving as an effective secondary scoring option on one end and also helping to form that wall on the defensive end as well. Bluetails advance defeating Georgia in this one 97-86.

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022

F.I.R.M. defeat PNW Vets to advance to PBA by 1891 Championship Game

Arlington, TX – The defending champion Fort Worth F.I.R.M. handled business on Saturday evening getting out early on the PNW Vets and maintaining the advantage to come away with the victory. For the Northwest champion Vets, they had a lot of momentum behind them coming into this game. Fresh off a Division final against Base Hill Bullies that put an exclamation mark on their one loss season, PNW came to the Dallas area as the 4 seed in the PBA. Guys like Malik Montoya at guard, Kwame Bates on the wing, and James Edwards inside had the Seattle/Tacoma area Vets advancing from the Northwest. For the defending champion F.I.R.M. they got out early and often behind eventual Final 4 MVP G/F Wolf Rabb, Guard Chasten King, and sharpshooting combo guard Jelon Hornbeak. Final score F.I.R.M. 100 Vets 71

May 27, 2022May 27, 2022

Chattanooga, TN ownership group acquires Knoxville Yellowjackets – moves team

Chattanooga, TN – The Pro Basketball Association has announced that the Knoxville Yellowjackets has been acquired in a move that will help bring pro basketball to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Antonio McMath and Preston Halbert are the principles owners of the Chattanooga Spades.
The organization is deeply rooted in making positive change that impact lives on and off the court. “The choices you make today, produce the Change you see tomorrow, which ultimately transforms your life” #trans4ormedextreme Just BE-ST (BE-ST stands for Build, Empower, Strengthen, Transform).
The Pro Basketball Association offers exposure to over 2 Billion homes Worldwide! Download the PBATV app today!
🔥 Roku 🔥 Amazon Fire🔥 Android 🔥 IOS🔥 YouTube: @probasketballassociation 🔥 YouTube: Triangle by 1891🔥 https://pbaplayers.com (league website with complete box score attached to the video 👀)
💯 The Pro Basketball Association is the only league in the United States to have complete box scores, game recap, graphics artwork, large social media following, and full game video with play by play all provided by the league for every game played AND accessible on everything from your big screen TV, to your laptop, on your smart phone, or tablet or iPad. 💰 🔥 All of this adds value to the organization at less than 5% of the cost of some other leagues!!! 💰 🔥Watch the PBA your way! PBATV is available in over 2 Billion homes globally. If you want Pro – You want the Pro Basketball Association. 🏀 👍

May 8, 2022May 8, 2022

Classic early season match-up in the Southeast – Knoxville defeats Mississippi 95-92

Jackson, MS – The PBA Southeast Division opener for both teams as the Jackson based Mississippi Hawks hosted the Knoxville Yellowjackets on Saturday. Both teams battled for the entire game and it came down the stretch with either having a chance to prevail but Knoxville gets the tough road victory defeating Mississippi 95-92 in a classic early season Southeast match-up.

December 7, 2021December 7, 2021

PBA Director of International Scouting (Mexico) Taylor leads Ensenada to the Championship of CIBAPAC

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico – Congratulations go out to Laselle Taylor. The 40+ year Head Coach at the professional levels in Mexico has won another championship, this time in Cibapac. Coach Taylor will be in attendance as scouting director at the PBA-LBE Draft Combine held in Chihuahua Mexico 12/16-18, 2021.

April 28, 2021April 28, 2021

Pro Basketball Association unveils plans for 2022 Season

Dallas, Texas – The Pro Basketball Association announced on Wednesday plans for 2022. The league has decided on a 16 game regular season for next year for the PBA and also a Women’s league that will have the same standards, policies and procedures as the Men’s league. The 16 game season will be played at the same time of year in the Spring-Summer and several teams in the Association have already begun the renewal process.

The Pro Basketball Association has some 20,000 unique views online here at www.pbaplayers.com on any given day. Coupled with a large facebook following where over 100,000 people are reached with news about the league. Instagram and other social outlets @probasketballassociation are growing in following as well as YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/ProBasketballAssociation

The PBA announced an International TV deal with Roku, Amazon Fire, and YouTube showing PBA games, a Thursday Night in the PBA and Friday Night in the PBA show each week during the season where play by play man Gary Ayd and Color commentators Paul Mokeski and Rich Anselmo bring you all the action from key match-ups. Mokeski is a 2 decade plus veteran of the NBA as a long time player and coach. Ayd and Anselmo worked together on the 2021 PBA Draft Show and have a natural chemistry together having worked together in the past as well. Adding Mokeski to the team helps round out a solid on-air lineup. The combination of Roku, Amazon Fire, and YouTube are available to over 250 Billion homes Internationally and that ties in well with the way the league has positioned itself Internationally. Jeff Mondlock is the TV Station General Manager for PBATV and helps bring it all home in the league’s weekly broadcasts; the two PBA Games of the Week with play by play and commentary show Thursday and Friday nights and also a weekly highlight and recap show following Friday night’s game called “This Week in the PBA”. PBATV will also have over 350 games this season on the International Network. The league has an agreement in place with 1891 to provide game video and box score services as well as game recap services to every team in the Association.

The PBA has 17 International Scouting Directors set up in Countries around the Globe who’s primary job focus for the league is helping to create a bridge of talent from the PBA to opportunities abroad. There’s now 7 people in a position with the league office or in a team leadership role that is either currently or formerly in the NBA. The league is covered by the Eurobasket network as 16 category box scores and full game video will be made available from every game played this season from every team, home and away. Also a league website that tracks all the analytics, cumulative data, and everything organized in such a way that other professional leagues and sponsors alike would expect.

In addition to the league’s prowess on Social Media, Marketing, a PBA Players Agency that works to increase the visibility and known availability of it’s players and coaches, the league is rooted in it’s emphasis on a professional image; the PBATV deal is a first for Minor League Basketball ever to this scale. 66 (Sixty-Six) clubs will play in the PBA in 2021 from Seattle to New York City and everywhere in between and the league will hold true to it’s standards for existing clubs if they want to return for 2022 and continue to attract better organizations moving forward. Pricing works out to be 60% more games (from 10 to 16) for 50% more in the way of the franchise dues – going from $500 in 2021 to $750 for 2022. Obviously there is 60% more to do so the nominal increase of $250 is what is being offered to existing members. New franchises that enter as expansion in 2022 will be able to join for $1000 plus game dues that cover Stats, Video, PBATV, marketing, graphics artwork, promotion, social media, and an ever growing blueprint for the league in both attendance for their games with the general public but also sponsors because the proof is in the pudding now… the PBA is on fire!

The Women’s league is something a lot of clubs have been inquiring about. Many of the clubs in the Association also have a Women’s Minor League program so it’s a natural progression to what the PBA is all about and that is offering a platform of excellence, hard work, organization, and the marketing of top level players and coaches to opportunities both foreign and domestic.

“The Women deserve all the same opportunities as the Men. The PBA helps give them that platform and we look to serve as a development league, AA if you will, for Men towards the G-League and NBA and AAA for the Women towards the WNBA. The duration of the season is something everyone has asked for and we’re going to have a lot of fun doing this for a long time. If you want Pro – You want the PBA!” PBA Commissioner Chris Terrell

More information is available on team ownership in the PBA here Team ownership made simple – Pro Basketball Association (pbaplayers.com)

April 27, 2021April 28, 2021

Northwest Division of the Pro Basketball Association brings high level hoops back to the Pacific Northwest

Seattle, Washington – The Pro Basketball Association is getting ready to start their season on Saturday May 1st as the 66 team PBA features teams across the Country from Seattle to New York City in what many view as the highest level of professional basketball after the NBA and NBA G-League in the US. The PBA in it’s inaugural season took Minor League Hoops by storm seemingly adding City after City Nationwide over the last few Months having first announced plans for AA basketball back in December. Close to the hearts of those in the Pacific Northwest are the clubs in the Association that play in the PBA’s Northwest Division featuring the Quad City Flames, Thurston County Capitals, Vancouver Dragons, PNW VETS, Kitsap Admirals, and Lilac City Legends.

The PBA signed an International TV deal early on offering PBATV on Roku, Amazon Fire, and YouTube that collectively are in 250 Billion homes World wide. The league is banking on the fact that American basketball is fascinating to viewership Worldwide and gives fans both foreign and domestic access to a high level of hoop that is family friendly and affordable. The league has a strong Military presence and many of the partners in the Association have a Military background. Some of the key people running organizations around the league include former NBA and Overseas players, coaches, and staff and the Northwest has a lot to offer Pro Hoops fans in the region.

The Vancouver Dragons are led by Head Coach Marcus “Doc” Stancil. Doc is also the Regional Director of League Operations for the Pro Basketball Association in the Northwest Division. Sean Price is a player/coach that averaged 21ppg in the NWAC at Clark College and is a prolific scorer who led his team to the Portland Pro-Am league championship in 2016 and 2017. The Vancouver Dragons, previously of Vancouver BC Canada, moved to Vancouver Washington for the inaugural season. They won the MLBA Championship in 2018 and were 26-2 in the American Basketball Association. The club has a strong history of being extremely competitive in Minor League Basketball and with Doc at the helm expect no different this season.

Thurston County Capitals are led by Head Coach Lewis Holmes III who formerly played in the International Basketball League (IBL) and was a former Teen Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club in Thurston County for over 10 years. He also worked at the Joint Base Lewis McChord Teen Zone and for 15 years was a Para Educator for North Thurston County public school system working with special needs adults. In addition to coaching the Capitals, Coach Holmes also works with veterans at the VA Hospital and is a volunteer with Big Brothers and Big Sisters as well as a volunteer at W.E.S.T. Academy youth program as a coach and mentor.

Leading the Quad City Flames on to the court this season are Associate Coaches Jimmy Duckworth and Dikran Zabunyan. Coach Duckworth began coaching in the State of Washington in 1997, having come from Milwaukee to the area a little over 2 decades ago. He coached in various youth sports leagues now for over 24 years and has an extensive background is training and developing youth. in 2010 Coach Duckworth founded the Pacific Northwest Sports Academy, a non-profit organization for boys and girls which help to further their training, not only in basketball but also life skills and mentorship. Jimmy has coached from AAU to being an Assistant Head Coach at Summit Olympic High in Tacoma, Washington in 2019-2020. He’s coached Pro-AM and in the American Basketball Association since 2012 with the Lakewood Panthers, Tacoma Thunder, as well as coaching the Tacoma team in the Jamal Crawford Summer League.

Coach Dikran Zabunyan is known as one of the builders of Canada Basketball. He founded the Rose City Express Pro team in Windsor, Ontario and renamed it GT Express when he moved back to Toronto in 1999. His teams went on to International success over 13 years in the sport touring in the USA and overseas. The team which carried many Canadian National Team members eventually became the number two team in Canada per Eurobasket behind only the Toronto Raptors. In 2018 Zabunyan was hired to coach the Vancouver Dragons and during his inaugural season the team went 29-2 and won the MLBA Championship and in 2019 became a top ranked team in the ABA. During his 21 years as a Coach, Zabunyan has a record of 542-264. Due to his contributions to the game of basketball, Zabunyan was inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2019. He resides in Vancouver, BC where he manages a very successful Resort business.

“The Core Values “Commitment to Excellence” is the foundation that drives this organization, both on the floor and within the community. “Commitment to Excellence” is not only the state in which we expect our finished product, but the mindset in which we carry out our daily roles and responsibilities with our team and community. “Community” involvement is essential to our business. Supporting the efforts of organizations around the Quad City reflects our values as members of this community. Our team loves being a part of this aspect. “Diversity” is reflected within the core of our team, staff and various target markets in which our company directs its focus. “Diversity” expresses the dynamics and variation of the factors contributing to the success of our business. The Quad City promote all aspects of the community. We ARE the Quad City Flames Players and coaches are valued members of the Pierce, King and Thurston County Communities.”

The mission of the Quad City Flames Professional Basketball Organization is to support educational and athletic achievement in youth, promote cultural excellence, while showcasing the spirit and energy of the Thurston, King and Pierce County communities. The organization will celebrate diversity and create opportunity for our aspiring, hopeful youth. With a variety of programs on our agenda, they effectively promote services, entertainment, workshops, exhibits and many other community events.

PNW VETS call Federal Way, Washington home. Team owners Reginald Robinson, Eaton Wade, Daylon Ramsey, and Malik Montoya will be heading the ownership group for the organization. Reginald “Robbyo” Robinson served in the United States Army for 8 years spending three years in Germany, 5 years at Fort Lewis and was an Iraq war veteran. He played in the ABA from 2013-2018 and was later an AAU coach for the Northwest Rockets and for the Tacoma Kings in the American Basketball Association. Robbyo is from Amityville, New York and has three children RJ, Isaiah, and Samiya. Eaton Wade is a Federal Way alumni, played in the ABA for 3 years and was a coach at Decatur High School while also coaching the AAU Northwest Select / Pure team. He’s from West Covina, California. Daylon Ramsey is a Federal Way Alumni and attended Grays Harbor College in 2019 and is a young entrepreneur. Malik Joseph Montoya is from Seattle and was a 4 year varsity letter winner at Federal Way where he was a 2015 State Champion. He played at Seattle University and Central Washington. He is a 40% 3 point shooter career in college. He also coached the AAU 16u Washington Warriors and at Federal Way High School.

Kitsap Admirals make for a solid team entry into the PBA this season. Team owner Ashley Robinson has been instrumental in the league having already announced a team in Texas for this season and now Washington. The Admirals have not only been a force in the Seattle Area and the State of Washington but Globally, having already successfully taken teams abroad having competed on the International level in Europe several times. In addition to owning two franchises in the Pro Basketball Association, Robinson is also the Director of International Scouting for the United Kingdom.

Lilac City Legends (Spokane, WA)

Lilac City Legends make the Spokane, Washington area homeMichael Bethely is the team’s president and is excited about what the Legends will provide to the Spokane community.

“We want to honor, encourage, inspire and create LEGENDS within our community,” said Bethely, a community advocate, entrepreneur, and lover of the game. “Plus, we want to highlight the value of community, and show how it is so much bigger than basketball.”

Bethely also states that “joining the PBA will be a great opportunity to give our guys an additional platform to not only play against prime competition, but also give them the exposure they need to take and play their game at the next level!” And, with the talent hanging around the area, expect the Legends to put on an entertaining product.

All told the Northwest has 6 teams that make up one of the toughest divisions in the Pro Basketball Association. The league is positioning itself as the top Spring-Summer Pro League in the United States and the Northwest will have some exciting teams bringing family fun at affordable prices to the region between May and August. More info is available about the Pro Basketball Association at www.pbaplayers.com