Peoria's ABA Team- the Peoria Kings

[collegehoopjunkie]

Has elected the players that are to be invited to training camp based on their performances at the open and closed tryouts.

The team begins play in November, and has announced the games will be played at the RiverPlex.

Here are the 17 players invited to training camp:
Austin Archie - Peoria Manual, John Wood, Culver-Stockton
Ericson Beck - Peoria Central, South Alabama
Carlon Butler - Urbana High, Parkland, Millikin
Marlon Brooks - Peoria Manual, DePaul
Willie Coleman - Peoria Manual, DePaul
Quentin Edwards - Peoria High, Missouri Southern State
Gavyn Ford - Peoria Manual, Illinois Central College
Julian Gorens - Springfield High, Wabash Valley, Arkansas Tech, Atlanta Hawks
Anton Hall - Chicago Manley, Kennedy-King, Missouri (KC)
Robert Johnson - Peoria Manual, Illinois Central College
Cedric Miles - Peoria Manual, Illinois Central College
Ahmid Palmer - Peoria High, Central Florida, Minnesota (Crookston)
Eli Payton - Peoria Manual
David Roos - Peoria Manual, Illinois Central College, Eastern Illinois
Michael Stewart - Chicago King, Bradley
Jermaine Wallace - Peoria Woodruff, High Point University
Ivan Watson - Peoria Manual, Illinois Central College, Tarleton State

13 of them are grads of Peoria high schools and one more is a BU guy (Michael Stewart).

[collegehoopjunkie]

Other ABA teams have also signed some players:

The Quad Cities team has signed:
Ameer Watts is a 5'10 strong combo/shooting guard who played at Rockford Christian Life High School and Division II Missouri Southern.
Orlando Gulley, also from Rockford High School and a native of Jefferson. He attended Sauk Valley Community College, 5'6 point guard.
(Quad Cities, like Peoria does not have a team name yet)



The Chicago Rockstars have invited these players to their training camp:
Darren Randell
Phillip Watson
Ayinde Avery
Larry Smith
Louis Smith (6-6 Fwd out of Loyola/Chicago & Aurora West is already signed)
Sherrick Simpson
Phillip Taylor
Brian Zurkle
Jamar Davis
Tony Jones
Ryan Edwards
Brandon Weiss
Corey Gumpton
Derrick Molis
Jason Thurman
John Womack
Brandon Moore



The St. Louis Stunners just had their open tryouts last weekend and are soon to release a list of players to be invited back to training camp.



Hammond (Indiana) Rollers have their final tryouts 9/16/06.

[BradleyBrave]

Nothing like a team of has-been's or never-were's representing Peoria. I'll stick to the college buckets and Chicago Bulls for my basketball interests.

[Biff]

I just can't get excited about this group.
I think that the best fan base to try to acquire would be the same as the Bradley fans base. For that, they needed to get a few popular ex-Bradley guys. Yet, the only one they could get was Michael Stewart? He isn't yet assured of making the team, and even when he was with Bradley, he was never more than a deep sub.

That list is amazing. Even in this low-level ABA I don't think that group will be able to compete.
I don't see any who were recruited to a Division I school out of high school. There are only 5 who even got Div I interest that I can tell.
Did Marlon Brooks ever play at DePaul?
Coleman, Roos, Beck, and Stewart ended up at Div I, but only after jucos. Couldn't they attract any solid DI players to try out?

[BradleyBrave]

I just can't get excited about this group.
I think that the best fan base to try to acquire would be the same as the Bradley fans base. For that, they needed to get a few popular ex-Bradley guys. Yet, the only one they could get was Michael Stewart? He isn't yet assured of making the team, and even when he was with Bradley, he was never more than a deep sub.

That list is amazing. Even in this low-level ABA I don't think that group will be able to compete.
I don't see any who were recruited to a Division I school out of high school. There are only 5 who even got Div I interest that I can tell.
Did Marlon Brooks ever play at DePaul?
Coleman, Roos, Beck, and Stewart ended up at Div I, but only after jucos. Couldn't they attract any solid DI players to try out?

You'll see better basketball at Haussler at lunchtime or in any local high school on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

[tornado]

Quentin Edwards is a quality ball player.
He could possibly compete at the D-I level.
Some who have seen him will likely agree.
After a stay at ICC he went to Missouri Southern (D-II) and led them in scoring at
15.5ppg, 5.1 rebs, 2 assists/gm

Willie Coleman, Stewart, David Roos, and Marlon Brooks were quality D-I athletes.

I would be very surprised if the ABA would have any way of coming up with players that are any better.
If they are good enough to play pro ball in Europe or Australia, they'd be there.
If they still have college eligibility, they'd be there.
So just who do you think they could get, name someone?
I checked the list of the players on the Chicago team, and I cannot recognize even one guy!

(I did a little search on the Chicago guys,
Randell--couldn't find anything on him
Watson-from NAIA St. Xavier in Chicago
Avery- a deep sub at DePaul a few years ago, but was no where near as good or played as much as Willie Coleman.
Simpson-played HS ball at Elgin 14 yrs ago, appears to have never gone to college.
Zurkle- no mention of him anywhere on the googled internet, possibly they have his name misspelled (there is a Brian Zirkle, 5'11" from St Francis College/Joliet (NAIA)
Corey Gumpton--likewise, no hits anywhere when googled. Likely this guy is another misspelling, as there is a Corey Gupton from Park Univ., Parkville, MO (NAIA).

and so it goes....
Wouldn't you think if fine players were out there, then the Chicago team could get some, but their selections certainly don't blow me away.

[tornado]

The very first ABA game of the season is
TOMORROW NIGHT!

a CHARITY Exhibition game is set between the Chicago Rockstars and the Knoxville Noise, in Louisville, KY.
The game can be accessed by interent radio (for a fee).
There also will be a $500 prize for the winner of the DUNK CONTEST that they will have at halftime.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3373893

[chitownBUB]

Surprise, surprise, one of the new ABA teams has already gotten itself into trouble.

The Quebec team in the ABA has chosen to call itself the
JUMPING FROGS.

Uh oh....don't they know that the word "frog" is sometimes used as a less than complimentary term for a Frenchman, and that Quebec (and specifically Montreal) is loaded with people of French heritage?

The team is already under substantial fire for the name they have chosen.
Obviously some feel it is hostile and abusive.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=fa1f404c-b22b-45f4-a2fd-889c48dcc446

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=9e2a5c26-cca0-427d-bc64-38ae8de84617&k=19199

[phitauflash24]

I kind of thought they would have Jason Faulknor (Sp?) on the team. I see him all the time and it seems like he is ALWAYS around campus. I always thought he was a good talent, just happened to be hurt a lot. That could have been a good get, I thought.

[chitownBUB]

Surprise, surprise, one of the new ABA teams has already gotten itself into trouble.

The Quebec team in the ABA has chosen to call itself the
JUMPING FROGS.

Uh oh....don't they know that the word "frog" is sometimes used as a less than complimentary term for a Frenchman, and that Quebec (and specifically Montreal) is loaded with people of French heritage?

The team is already under substantial fire for the name they have chosen.
Obviously some feel it is hostile and abusive.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=fa1f404c-b22b-45f4-a2fd-889c48dcc446

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/...e84617&k=19199

Boy, that didn't take long!
After just a little bit of negative press about the selection of Frogs as their new team name, they have changed and will now be called the Kebekwa. Go Figure!

http://www.940news.com/locale.php?news=2977

[buballer82]

I talked to Jason Faulknor last Friday. He was here visiting for a couple weeks. He was going back to Canada before he leaves for his season in Portugal. He played last year and Portugal and this year he is playing in Portugal unless he gets a better offer in the next week or so from a team in Germany. I talked to him online a lot last season and he put up some great numbers in Portugal. He will make a heck of a lot more money playing overseas than for the Peoria ABA team.

[Da Coach]

Hi BUBaller82! Haven't seen you around for a while.
Thanks for the report on Jason. Keep reporting anytime you hear from Jason, or any news about former BU guys.

Last I heard Cellus was still waiting to see if other offers would come for him to choose between to play professionally. Things are a little more difficult for Cellus to decide because he has his wife a couple small kids to take into consideration. I think we'll hear something soon about his plans.

Has anyone heard anything about Tony Bennett?

[phitauflash24]

Cellus is going to Budapest, Hungary to play. He leaves Sunday. At least that is what I heard.

[Da Coach]

Thanks for the report Phitau. I had heard he had offers and was about to make a decision. We'll try to get some kind of confirmation of the specifics of Cellus' pro plans soon.
We wish Cellus, Brooke, and the family the best.

And I have only heard rumors that Tony Bennett should be playing somewhere this fall. If anyone has heard more, let us know.

Lawrence Wright has left to train with the Harlem Globetrotters.
He is now listed on their roster page--
http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/players/index.asp (click "View Player Roster" and scroll to bottom to find Lawrence Wright)


We'll try to follow the progress of the Ex-Braves on the board.

[tornado]

The Quad Cities ABA team (they don't have a team nickname yet)
have just signed nine players.

Their head coach Acie Earl and their other assistants have signed--

Lonnie Randolph, a Chicago HS native - a true point guard.
(Lonnie is from Drake, and was recently cut loose by the Gary Steelheads of the CBA, as the Gary franchise has folded for the 2006-2007 season)
Randy Wright, an athletic 6-3 small forward or big guard from Lewis University.
Steve Harris, a 6-4 small forward, another local Quad City streetball-rec league legend.
(this is not the same Steve Harris that was from Peoria, this one is a local basketball and football legend from Rock Island HS)
Lebron Massey 6-7, "he rebounded and scored at will with a few thunderous dunks." Has had a tryouts with the Pacers.
Haze Massey
Tyler Ryan
Murphy Carter
Michael Kunzer
Alvin Robertson "a hefty 6-9" ex-Loyola player".

The other six players already signed are:
Glen Worley
John Banks
Wade Pierce
Wesley Kitt

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3374678

Ameer Watts
Orlando Gulley

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3371892