ABA Update (and Now The PBL)

[Durbansandshark]

Delco Desparadoes join the ABA next season located in the Philadelphia area:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/60...expansion-team

Lots of games to start the new year and decade had teams on both sides of the wins reach 100+. Not a lot of major blowouts here. One game got stopped involving the Chicago Angels winning. And a forfeit. The Southwest Warriors-North Alabama War Dawgs game went to double overtime (144-143). OC Novastars over XvsX All Stars, 135-128 OT. The Philadelphia-Pittsburgh rivalry had the Steel City come out of top in the Steel City Yellow Jackets over Philadelphia Cannons 152-130:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...n-4,-Sun-Jan-5

Defending ABA champs Jacksonville stays atop in the ABA Power Rankings with multiple ties beneath them for these two weeks:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...Power-Rankings
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...Power-Rankings

Atlanta Aliens tamed the Perseverance Panthers 166-124 with their incredible player talents in a game named in hono(u)r of former Kentucky Colonel Willie Isom who was in attendance for the game in Atlanta to head 5-3. ATL talent like team captain Michael Stanley leading with with 35pts. Dwayne Day 23pts, Rod Rucker 23pts, Sherrard Brantley, Thomas Brown, and Aundre Reid all had 15pts, Donald Thomas 14pts, and Evan Jester 10pts:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...d-The-Panthers

Brandon Hollins fronts the Portland Storm's offense ultimately to a huge 130-90 defeat over the Lakewood Panthers in The Practice Facility in Portland Oregon, the Storm's home opener before visiting Hawaii against the Hawaii Swish. The Storm had 7 players in double figures led by Hollins 28 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. The Hawaii Swish score a victory over Portland 97-96 at Honululu's Moanalua High School to go 2-1 and Portland fall to .500 at 3-3. Geremy Robinson finishing with a game-high 28 points with 5 three pointers, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. 20 points of them came in the 2nd half:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...feats-Lakewood
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...Portland-Storm

ABA scores from the weekend of January 11-12. Again here, almost every team playing scores at least 100. Several games were exciting. But there's a few forfeits:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...11,-Sun-Jan-12

Two of Atlanta's several ABA teams, the Georgia Gwizzlies and Atlanta Storm, wound up splitting their weekend games. Gwizzlies won first and then the Storm:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...-Atlanta-Storm

Monty Boykins join the Jersey Xpress from most recently playing in a 17-game stint with Armenia's Urartu Yerevan in Armenian League A as its third leading scorer last season:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...ins,-ex-Urartu

[Durbansandshark]

Hi guys,

This is my first post here since the Coronavirus pandemic started to strike severely here in the USA that restricted a LOT of things I want to do like writing here. With some time restrictions here at the library, where I get my Internet access that I sorely miss in the previous three months, I can write for now only brief things and news. This will be my only one for the day. To start with here...

The ABA, NBL Canada, and the TBL have all cancelled the remainder of their 2019-20 regular seasons and playoffs, as you perhaps expected. So that means no champions crowned this March-April in these leagues.

The second year Canadian Elite Basketball League, monitoring all the developments in the sports world closely involving the COVID-19, at first postponed their regular season with newcomers Ottawa that was originally set for May 7 and delayed to June. Now it appears its 2020 season status is narrowed to just playing a 7-team multiweek tournament at Niagara inside the Meridian Centre. Date TBD:
https://www.cebl.ca/cebl-announces-s...or-2020-season

[Durbansandshark]

The CEBL takes up a page from the NBA, NHL, MLS, and NWSL as it becomes the first Canadian pro sports league to open up this summer ahead of the CFL and Canadian Premier League with its own bubble for all seven of its teams at St. Catherines, Ontario's Meridian Centre, the home of the Niagara River Lions, from July 15 to play the CEBL Summer Series, a round robin competition that will culminate in crowning the second-year league’s 2020 champion. Round robin tourney is from July 25 to August for 26 games with the top six seeded for advancement. Seventh place team after the round robin tournament is eliminated:
https://www.cebl.ca/canadian-elite-b...return-to-play

Moncton Magic once again had the best record in NBL Canada at 19-4 before the cancellation. In the The Basketball League, it was really the Indy Express at 9-2 tops there although the Dallas Skyline also have 9 wins too but with 4 losses. More details soon.

[Durbansandshark]

The CEBL becomes the first ever pro basketball league in the world to utilize the ELAM method for all 26 games. Allow the league's Twitter account and the CBC explain what it is:
https://twitter.com/CEBLeague/status...92407309410304
https://twitter.com/CEBLeague/status...78278174224384

Has a special black, gold, and burnt orange version of its Spalding game basketball for the Niagara Summer Series:
https://www.cebl.ca/spaldingball

NBL Canada works on plans for a December return to play in Canada with 8 teams. No word on whether Cape Breton and Saint John might return from the hiatus. Might come in 2021, if ever:
https://www.journalpioneer.com/sport...-plans-466141/
https://www.capebretonpost.com/sport...cember-465481/

[Durbansandshark]

Right now, I haven't seen much new developments regarding The Basketball League since the shutdown in March. There's only one at that time--and it involves a top ABA team jumping leagues to the TBL. According to Wikipedia and other news sources since then, the Little Rock Lightning, Fresno Fire, and the Anderson Aces will be native TBL expansion teams ready to play in 2021.

We're just two days away from the CEBL kicking off the 2020 CEBL Summer Series in St. Catherines, Ontario right as the major sports leagues restart their season or starting them. The CBC will show 7 games live on TV including the first two on July 25 and the semifinals and CEBL Championship Game across Canada and online (with the rest on CBC Gem). Talk of the league is the new Ottawa Blackjacks with its loaded roster. All 7 CEBL teams are finalizing their rosters from their training camps with Ottawa and Fraser Valley just announced theirs so far.

[Durbansandshark]

The pandemic has not hit Canada hard like it has with the United States. And that adds to the optimism of the CEBL's second season starting today in St. Catherines, Ontario's Meridian Centre with its own bubble like from Mike Morreale, albeit with no guarantees of a freedom from it. Just get to the finish line:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...no-guarantees/
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball...eale-1.5662353

Electronic whistles are part of this adjustment in 2020:
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/ele...080000711.html

The ABA announces its 2020-21 backup plan for its return from last season's cancellation. Lots of ABA news will come soon as it typically does:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...21-Backup-Plan

[Durbansandshark]

The star-studded Ottawa Blackjacks, the brand new CEBL expansion squad making waves, held a lead at the first half and was tied 38-38 all in Ottawa's first game in franchise history but got preyed upon by the Guelph Nighthawks when taking control in the third quarter as they made headlines of their own scoring a convincing 89-71 upset win Saturday in St. Catherines/Niagara's Meridian Centre:
https://www.cebl.ca/don-t-call-it-an...-summer-series
https://ottawasun.com/sports/basketb...nchise-history

Niagara pushes ahead in the second quarter towards revenge for the Saskatoon CEBL Championship Weekend semifinal upset loss last August over Hamilton in the opening CEBL Summer Series game:
https://www.cebl.ca/niagara-takes-op...-summer-series

Defending champions Saskatchewan stun heavy local league powerhouse faves NRL 96-79 in their first game in it yesterday:
https://www.cebl.ca/defending-champi...ions-on-sunday
https://www.cebl.ca/saskatchewan-rat...ra-river-lions

[Durbansandshark]

Will get to the CEBL 2020 Summer Series season soon. Some potential CEBL expansion news forthcoming with ice hockey league hotbeds Kelowna, British Columbia and Calgary with their hoops fans there possibly getting the big slam dunk news they're hoping for soon as possible expansion cities. Calgary, Edmonton's chief provincial rival city in Alberta, though presently lacks a suitable and intimate arena for CEBL play:
https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/...ble-expansion/
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/ne...837edfcc6.html
https://www.thetelegram.com/sports/c...market-498589/

The Basketball League expect to field 24 teams for 2021 with five divisions. Along with Fresno, Syracuse, Dayton, San Diego, Little Rock, and Lewistown, new teams are also placed in Kokomo, Indiana, Flint, Michigan, Boston, Atlanta, Waco, and Enid

Jacksonville Giants cools off Atlanta Heat 163-114 to stay undefeated under a 12-game winning streak:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...h-Straight-Win

Another battle for Atlanta ABA ball as the Aliens were way too strong for the Rappers 206-105:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/61...ng-For-Rappers

Quad Cities Flames beat the Portland Storm 134-109
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...mes-beat-Storm

Goergia Thunder's William Bunton scores a career-high 44 points in a losing effort against the high-scoring Southwest Warriors:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-losing-effort

Nashville' Music City ABA Derby sees the Music City Jazz beat the Music City Kings 171-136:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...sic-City-Derby

Scores February 29-March 1--leap year weekend:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...29,-Sun,-Mar-1

Wyoming Valley Clutch at 19-0 keep the #1 spot:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-at-1-position

#18 Atlanta Aliens win another Atlanta game this time against the Atlanta Invaders 165-106:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-to-back-games!

Your 2019-20 ABA East and West All-Star squads with the honorable mention players coming later:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...All-Star-Teams

Scores from the March 7-8 weekend as the last one for the later-to-be-shortened regular season:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-7,-Sun,-Mar-8

[Durbansandshark]

Your new TBL teams that will boost the league's numbers next year are Anderson Aces, Detroit Hustle, Flint United, Kokomo BobKats, South Shore Monarchs, Atlanta Empire, Little Rock Lightning, Enid Outlaws, Waco Royals, San Diego Guardians, and the Lewisville Leopards.

The ABA in March 12 cancelled the regional and divisional playoffs first round due to the pandemic that was set to kick off two days later:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...ision-Playoffs

Remainder of the season then unshockingly went cancelled with no ABA champion crowned. So Jacksonville keeps title:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...NDER-OF-SEASON

Newer initiatives for the ABA:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...ced-by-the-ABA

Because of this, the ABA Final 8 will stay in Binghampton, NY for 2021 with the Bulldogs as hosts:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...Binghamton,-NY

ABA's Honorable Mentions for 2020:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/625291/ABA-announces-

Seattle Mountaineers sign 6-6 forward Hussayn Ford from the NAIA's D2 Northwest University NW from the Cascade Conference:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...n-Hussayn-Ford

[Durbansandshark]

Could it be possible that, not only would NBL Canada emulate the NBA and the CEBL in creating its own bubble, but also revive the NBL Canada's fortunes in Cape Breton this upcoming season playing at the Centre 2000 in Sydney?
https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/sp...breton-503397/

Moncton has not yet offered a new contract for Joe Salerno as of mid-September:
https://www.journalpioneer.com/sport...-magic-500706/

[Durbansandshark]

Portland Storm is also leaving the ABA for the TBL like Syracuse to further add to that league's Western footprint:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/64...torm-joins-TBL

Trenton Titans and Lawrence Admirals are joining ABA:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...or-next-season

From Cali comes two new ones too with the Oxnard Orcas from just north of Los Angeles and Sacramento's Ball World Peace (no ties with Metta World Peace though):
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...or-next-season

At the time of this Portland became more of a full-fledged team instead of traveling. They were supposed to play with the New York Hoop Dragons:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...full-ABA-teams

Chicago Fury's Maurice Carter sign four new players for next season:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...pcoming-season

[Durbansandshark]

More new teams enter the TBL along with the Portland Storm for the 2021 season in raising the membership to 26 teams: West Coast Breeze, Charleston Coyotes, Waco Royals, and the Wichita-based Midtown Prestige

Another soccer-sounding United enters the basketball realm. It comes from the Rochester United, filling the void left by the RazorSharks, and fronted by Matthew Fatehi, who founded the women's Rochester United soccer team. High Desert Pumas also comes in Cali to play in the Far West Division in the ABA with Te'onna Campbell being its head coach, raising the ranks of female pro coaches in men's ball:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...ced-by-the-ABA

Chicago Fury acquire Paris Burns, Jon Fuqua, and Devante Jones:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...y-market-moves

Former Boise St. Broncos athlete Andy Swenson presents the Idaho Outlaws to the ABA:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...ting-expansion

Brennan Reynard resigns with the Seattle Mountaineers:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...rennan-Reynard

[Durbansandshark]

Seattle trades Quayshawn Hawkins to the Gwizzlies:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...s-to-Gwizzlies

Another Seattle team is coming in the Seattle Transformers:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...s-join-the-ABA

Pottsdown Power and the Trenton Titans also come to the ABA:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...Name,-new-Logo

Player profiles websites in the ABA are coming:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...OFILES-website

Arundel Raves added to the ABA expansion:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...xpansion-teams

Chicago Steam owner and coach Ron Hicks dies from a heart attack in his apartment. He founded the team in 2008 and has outlasted many for 12 years:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...h-of-Ron-Hicks

Reno Rouges coming in too Co-owned by will be co-owned by Andy Swenson, owner of the ABA Idaho Outlaws, and Tim Richardson, "a local Reno businessman who has owned and operated a construction company in Reno for 25 years. Tim also has 20+ years coaching youth basketball, baseball, football and golf and has been a Certified Golf Teaching Instructor with the US Golf Teachers Federation":
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-ABA-expansion

Yeadon Kings start playing too:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...oin-ABA-league

A new West Coast-based franchise makes the The Basketball League for the 2021 season have one less franchise than the NBA, believe it or not, at 29. The Riverside, California-based Temecula Eagles leads us to that reality.

CEBL and NBL Canada news will come soon.

[Durbansandshark]

NBL Canada announces its 2020-21 season will start entirely in 2021 on March 12 instead of December 23 with respect to COVID-19, EXACTLY A YEAR AFTER ITS LAST SEASON WAS CANCELLED. No details were forthcoming on how it will proceed yet like would it be a bubble in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Also dealing with the CEBL and not bleed into its third season since many NBL Canada players also play there is another matter:
https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/sp...h-2021-520152/
https://www.thesudburystar.com/sport...-12-start-date
https://www.therecord.com/sports/bas...-earliest.html

[Durbansandshark]

Originally the ABA planned to make its return by now this month of November at November 7 after cancelling the rest of the 2020 schedule due to, you know, pandemic, but now the ABA says that's actually going to restart in January 2nd:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...n-November-7th
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...to-January-2nd

Belated in its posting but still very relevant in what's going on terms of its legacy that reignited this summer from the words of Joe Newman and the horrific treatment of George Floyd:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...N-RE-THE-RIOTS

Columbus-based Ohio Bruins making their addition to the ABA next season:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/62...-ABA-expansion

Las Vegas again comes with another ABA team with the Las Vegas Horsemen:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...-ABA-expansion

Duwand Jackson joins the Georgia Gwizzlies coaching staff:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...coaching-staff

The ABA's 2020-21 backup up plan under a 20-game schedule and with top 6 teams in each division with the top 2 wildcards advancing top the postseason:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...21-Backup-Plan

Pittsburgh the new ABA hub of new Sports Venture Program:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...-Venue-Program

vALIENT eAGLE iNC is the ABA's new media streaming partnership:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...ng-partnership

Hub City Heat from Lubbock, Texas--another ABA expansion team:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...ting-expansion

Can the Coachella Valley Heatwave make thwe region more known than for its annual concert festivals?
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/63...alley-Heatwave

ABA's new online merchandise store announced:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/64...chandise-Store

ABA added to the All Star Sports Network platform:
https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/news/64...twork-platform