CBA 2007–08
31-808: The Augusta Groove was a team in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) that previously played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and the modern American Basketball Association (ABA). Formerly, the team was known as the Charlotte Krunk in the ABA, where they played at Charlotte, North Carolina 's Cricket Arena , and the Atlanta Krunk of the CBA. The franchise began operations in 2005 as
62-483: A basketball trainer who is also the brother of TNT basketball analyst Kenny Smith . The team then revealed that they had signed Grayson Boucher , known as "The Professor" during his days on the And 1 streetball tour. Further, the team added the brother of Stephon Marbury , known as "Zeck" Marbury according to the team's website and the CBA, or "Zech" or "Zach" Marbury from his NBA days. In another announcement prior to
93-544: A controlling interest to remove the entire board of directors. Newman then refused to reschedule a weather-delayed playoff game between the Rochester RazorSharks and Wilmington Sea Dawgs although the two teams agreed to a make up date, wanting instead to force Rochester to accept a forfeit. It was on the heels of these two incidents that the Nighthawks and RazorSharks ownership groups decided to found
124-579: A draft. The Rochester RazorSharks won the league championship. The league approved expansion teams in Chicago and Scranton, Pennsylvania for the 2012 PBL season. Also, Chattanooga, Tennessee , Hershey, Pennsylvania , and Madison, Wisconsin were named as cities pending approval for expansion teams. On 18 July 2011, the PBL announced the Dayton Air Strikers were returning to the league for
155-612: Is the daily newspaper of Augusta, Georgia , and is one of the oldest newspapers in the United States still in publication. The paper is known for its coverage of the Masters Tournament , which is played in Augusta. The paper was founded as the weekly Augusta Gazette in 1785. In 1786, the paper was renamed The Georgia State Gazette . From 1789 to 1804, the paper was known as The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of
186-726: The Augusta Chronicle , he announced both his affiliation with the Continental Basketball League and the official end of the Groove. Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss % Premier Basketball League The Premier Basketball League , often abbreviated to the PBL , is an American professional men's basketball minor league that began play in January 2008. The league folded after
217-608: The Augusta Groove , joined the league, but from the Continental Basketball Association . On June 23, the Halifax Rainmen , an ABA team the previous year, announced they were also joining the PBL. The first International Basketball League defection came on July 31 when the Battle Creek Knights joined the league. The Rochester RazorSharks went on to win their second straight PBL title after beating
248-599: The Buffalo Stampede , citing a failure by the team to adhere to league standards. The Maryland GreenHawks were also dropped from the league. The Bluegrass Stallions , another ABA team located in Kentucky, joined. The league also added the expansion Dayton Air Strikers . In January, the Vermont Frost Heaves abruptly announced the cessation of operations and their players were dispersed via
279-528: The 2006–2007 season, Starbury , Stephon Marbury's clothing company, was revealed as the designer of the Krunk uniforms. Some footage has also been shot for a reality show about the Atlanta Krunk, featuring owners Freedom Williams, Duane "Spyder D" Hughes, and other team personnel and players. Plans for the release of the show have not yet been announced. The Atlanta Krunk made it through the season with
310-638: The 2012 season. In addition, the Northwestern Illinois -based Sauk Valley Predators began their inaugural season in the PBL for 2012. On August 22, 2011, it was announced the Charleston Gunners would be the PBL's sixth team for the 2012 season. On September 15, 2011, it was announced the Northwest Indiana Stars were leaving the ABA to be the PBL's seventh team for the 2012 season. On 21 September 2011 it
341-568: The 2015 PBL Championship, winning the first two games in a best-of three series against the Lake Michigan Admirals. Championship Series (Best 2 of 3) Lake Michigan Admirals (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1) Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 0 Many new franchise additions occurred in the 2015 off-season including the Jamestown Jackals, Kentucky Mavericks , Western New York Thundersnow , and
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#1732780880663372-439: The 2017 season. It was announced that the league would be revived under new management for the 2020 season. The league announced due coronavirus outbreak the season would be put on hold. The PBL was formed after a number of disagreements between several former member teams of the modern American Basketball Association (ABA) and ABA CEO Joe Newman . Eight of the initial ten PBL teams either played in or were slated to play in
403-524: The ABA. In early 2007, Newman was voted out of his position as CEO of the ABA by the board of directors, which included Maryland Nighthawks owner and then-ABA COO Tom Doyle (who was later a commissioner of the PBL), citing dissatisfaction with how Newman executed his duties as CEO, the large number of ABA teams that did not have the funds to operate, and high number of games when an ABA team did not show up. Newman responded by using his and other shares that formed
434-495: The Atlanta Krunk Wolverines in honor of Morris Brown's athletics program, now discontinued. Prior to the 2007–2008 season, the team changed their name back to Atlanta Krunk . The Krunk also added a majority owner, Freedom Williams . Next, the owners announced their new head coach, former Georgia Tech and NBA standout Kenny Anderson . As a general manager, the owners and coach selected Vincent Smith,
465-793: The Battle Creek Knights. The Battle Creek Knights, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs and the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry would not return for the 2010 season. The Maryland Nighthawks changed the name of their franchise to the Maryland GreenHawks . The Puerto Rico Capitanes joined the league, performing concurrently in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional . At the end of the season, the league officially severed ties with
496-559: The Charlotte Krunk. It never actually played a game in Charlotte, however. Just before the 2005-06 season, nearly all of the teams in their division shut down, forcing the team to suspend operations between December 2005 and January 2006. Team owner Duane " Spyder-D " Hughes announced the suspension of operations in an emotional letter on the team's website, thanking the city of Charlotte and the businesses that helped his team. In
527-755: The IBA-PBL. Prior to the start of the season, the defending champions, the Central Illinois Drive, ceased operations, but were then rebooted as the Bloomington Flex . On 24 May 2013, the six PBL teams announced that the two leagues would cease interleague play, and that the leagues would hold separate playoffs. In the first round of the PBL playoffs, the Bloomington Flex beat the Indiana Diesels two games to none, and
558-567: The Internet. On 9 August 2017, it was announced that The Augusta Chronicle, along with Morris Communications' entire newspaper division and various periodicals , would be sold to GateHouse Media for $ 120 million in a deal expected to close on October 2. Stephen Wade and Billy Morris will retain their roles as president and publisher respectively. The Morris family will keep ownership of The Augusta Chronicle building and property in downtown Augusta. The sale ended 232 years of local ownership,
589-814: The PBL. Championship Series (Best 2 of 3) Indiana Diesels (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1) Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 1 Several games in the 2015 season had to be postponed due to winter weather, leading to a rescheduling of games in March to ascertain that every team in the league would have played at least 15 games before the playoffs. The best-of-three finals-only playoffs between Midwest Division Champions Lake Michigan Admirals and East Division Champions Rochester RazorSharks opened on March 21 in Waterlivet, Michigan, with game two set for March 28 in Rochester. The Rochester RazorSharks won
620-581: The PBL. Dr. Sev Hrywnak, owner of the Rochester RazorSharks, invested close to $ 2 million to start the PBL. The business model was structured so that teams entering the initial season did not have to pay an entrance fee of $ 100,000 and that all travel would be covered by the League. This would allow new teams the opportunity to have financial success from the start. Former Houston Rockets point guard and current NBA on TNT analyst Kenny Smith
651-657: The Rochester RazorSharks beat the Sauk Valley Predators two games to none. In the finals, the Flex beat the RazorSharks two games to none to win their second consecutive title. On 21 September 2013, the PBL announced the first of what is expected to be up to six expansion teams, with the Lima Express signing to play for the 2014 season, which will begin in January. On 12 November 2013, the PBL announced
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#1732780880663682-539: The State . Patrick Walsh , later a U.S. Senator , joined the editorial staff in 1866 and became owner in 1873. In 1945, former bookkeeper William Morris, Jr. bought a controlling interest in the paper. This was the beginning of Morris Communications , headquartered in Augusta with the Chronicle as its flagship. In addition to a daily online edition, the entire archives back to its founding have been made searchable on
713-725: The addition of the Pee Dee Vipers , an expansion team based in Florence, South Carolina. Three days later, the league announced that the Lake Michigan Admirals would return for 2014. On November 25, the PBL announced the addition of the Buffalo 716ers and the Erie Hurricane . In late November the Chicago Tide joined the league. On 6 February 2014, it was announced that the newly formed Grand Rapids Cyclones would join
744-496: The assistance of new owners. After the John L. Lewis Gymnasium was deemed unsuitable for CBA games, the team finished its schedule on the road. The Krunk ended the year 9–41, including nine forfeit losses. The season was noted for several missed paychecks, and an ever-shifting roster after the first month due to financial woes. The Krunk appeared on the road without uniforms, and completed one road trip with just five players. The team
775-463: The letter he announced plans for a celebrity basketball game, and youth concert to be held at Cricket Arena. On August 7, 2006, the team announced they would be moving to the Continental Basketball Association as the Atlanta Krunk . On the 21st, they announced that they would by playing at the John H. Lewis Gymnasium at Morris Brown College . Finally, on the 24th, they announced they would be called
806-941: The return of the Danville Riverhawks. Mavericks owner Jerry Nelson also become an equity partner in the PBL. In addition, the PBL gained a new Southeast Conference which includes six members of the Tobacco Road Basketball League : Cary Invasion , Charlotte Elite, Durham Legacy , Huntersville HoopForLyfe, Raleigh Revolt, and the Wilmington Sea Dawgs . Championship Series (Best 2 of 3) Lake Michigan Admirals (3) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1) Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 0 Championship Series (Best 2 of 3) Kentucky Mavericks (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1) Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 1 Augusta Chronicle The Augusta Chronicle
837-550: Was announced that the St. Louis Pioneers were also leaving the ABA to join the PBL, changing their name to the St. Louis Phoenix. The Central Illinois Drive won the PBL championship for 2012, defeating the Rochester RazorSharks, 101-80. The Drive was 18-1 in regular season and 22-1 total. During the off season the league announced it would be merging with the Independent Basketball Association to form
868-712: Was announced the Lake Michigan Admirals were also leaving the ABA to be the PBL's eighth team for the 2012 season. On 23 September 2011 it was announced that the PBL's ninth team for the 2012 season would be the Central Illinois Drive based in Bloomington, Illinois . On October 12, 2011, it was announced that the Indiana Diesels were also leaving the ABA to be the PBL's tenth team for the 2012 season. On October 14, 2011, it
899-664: Was purchased by Gary Perry , LaVon Mercer , and Ricky Brown in the middle of the '07–'08 season, and looked to relocate elsewhere in Georgia. Leading candidates were Columbus (where they would play at the Columbus Civic Center ) and Augusta (where the venue would be the James Brown Arena ). Augusta was chosen and the team was renamed the Augusta Groove . However, the James Brown Arena
930-753: Was ruled out as a home. On June 5, 2008, the team announced its move to the Premier Basketball League. and on July 10, the Groove announced they would be playing at the Christenberry Fieldhouse on the Augusta State University campus. This did not hold, as on November 12, they announced they would play in the gym at Richmond Academy . The team finished the year with a .500 record amid controversy about player pay and remuneration for hotel stays. In an interview on 3 November 2009 that Perry conducted with
961-540: Was the league's first commissioner. During the 2008 off season, six more former ABA teams decided to move to the PBL. First, on May 9, the Manchester Millrats and the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 ABA champion Vermont Frost Heaves moved. Then on May 20, the inactive Detroit Panthers re-activated and joined the league. And on May 21, the Quebec Kebs joined. On June 5 another team with an ABA history,