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 The
Continental Basketball League's Commissioner,
Dennis Truax, announces the addition of their
fifth team, the Birmingham Steel.
The CBL is a new, five team basketball league
based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The league
currently has franchises slated for Birmingham,
Marietta (GA), Wilmington (NC), Fayetteville
(NC) and Savannah (GA). The CBL will play a 20
game schedule that will go from the middle of
April through the end of June.
The Steel will be owned by Richard Ashmon,
who played professional basketball in Europe and
the U.S. minor leagues. Ashmon has also coached
in the WBA, ABA and TPBL. He has also coached
and worked with NBA players to help refine their
skills. In his professional life, Ashmon owns
and operates 52Sportsent, a company that assists
basketball players in finding an agent. The
company also manages professional musicians.
Ashmon will also be the team's head coach and
general manager.
"Richard has a proven track record in the
business and basketball worlds. His ideas for
community outreach and involving at-risk youth
with his team will be a model for the CBL," said
Truax. |
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 The
World Basketball Association Exposure League announces that effective
immediately the Birmingham Steel would be withdrawing from the Continental
Basketball and joining the WBA. The WBA is set to start its seventh season.
The addition of Birmingham to the league keeps the WBA membership at seven
teams in four states after the league suspended operations of the Tupelo
Rock & Rollers for the 2010 season. WBA commissioner William Slaton is
hopeful that the Rock & Rollers will return to the league in 2011. "The
Tupelo franchise didn't meet league standards for the 2010 season. However,
we're working towards them being back in the league next year," said Slaton.
Birmingham will assume the Tupelo franchise's schedule, with one
exception. Tupelo was scheduled to travel to Marietta, Ga., to take on the
Marietta Storm Thursday in both teams' season openers, but that game has
been moved to May 28. Instead, the Steel will open their WBA campaign
Saturday against the Florida Flight at Leeds High School.
Each team will play 16 regular-season games before the playoffs, which
are scheduled to start in mid-July.
The Steel will still be owned by Richard Ashmon. He will also serve as
the Steel's head coach and general manager. |
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