The Winston-Salem Wolves took on the Gastonia Snipers in their inaugural exhibition on February 24, 2019 and came away with the win, 107-97. The Wolves led for much of the first half before falling behind by as many as 16 in the third period, then put together a late run to race back and take the lead on a jumper by Wesley Hsu heading into the final quarter.
Wolves forward Zalinor Banks led all scorers with 28 points, while the leading scorer for Gastonia was former Parkland High School standout Bobby Scrivens with 21 points. The Wolves were able to get heavy scoring from rookie guards LePreece Lynch and Khadier Fulcher; Lynch scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Fulcher dropped in 21 points and helped fuel the comeback.
The Wolves open their season on the road against the Rowan County Bulls on March 2 before returning home to face the NC Coyotes on March 9. Both games are divisional games and will count towards the Wolves playoff record.
January 29, 2019 The Winston-Salem Wolves, a professional minor league franchise playing in the East Coast Basketball League for the 2019 season, have announced the addition of Kevin Beard to the coaching staff. Beard will join as an assistant coach for head coach David Solomon.
Kevin Beard played high school basketball at Northern Durham High School and was named 1st Team All-Conference as well as 1st Team All-Tournament. As a senior, he averaged 15 pts a game.
Beard attended Greensboro College and played under Sam Hanger from 1991-1995. He is the school’s 2nd all-time leading scorer, all-time leader in assists, steals, number 7 in rebounds and 2nd in all-time 3 point field goal percentage. He holds the single season steals and assists record.
Beard is the only Greensboro College basketball player to have over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists for a career. He was 2 time First Team All-Conference and 2nd team once. He was a 2 time member of the All-Tournament Team and back to back Tournament MVP. His senior year he was 1st team All NABC. Kevin led Greensboro College to back to back Conference Championships in 94 and 95. He led the 95’ team to a 26-4 record, an Elite 8 berth and a #5 final NABC national ranking. He is a 2 time member of Greensboro College’s Athletic Hall of Fame as an individual and with the 93-94’ team. He was also invited to the Toronto Raptors Rookie Camp in 1995.
Beard’s international playing experience include travel teams that toured outside of the United States and he was one of the inaugural draftees for the Korean Basketball League in 1996.
The Winston-Salem Wolves are heading into their first season and will be playing their home games at the Childress Activities Center, a 2,000 seat facility on the campus of Forsyth Country Day School. For more information on the Winston-Salem Wolves, visit WSWolves.com.
The Winston-Salem Wolves, a minor league basketball franchise that will play the 2019 season in the East Coast Basketball League, announced today that David Solomon has been named as the head coach under a one-year agreement for the coming season. Solomon has over twenty-five years of coaching experience in high school, college and professionally with several international teams. He is a FIBA licensed coach with past coaching positions in Denmark, Venezuela and Slovakia.
“Many of the players in the ECBL are actively looking to either go back overseas to play on another professional contract, or in some cases, looking for their first contract, ” team owner Marcus Shockley said, “David has extensive experience in all levels of coaching and knows the international arena extremely well. We wanted to bring someone in who not only had the coaching experience but also the knowledge to help develop players into international prospects. David fits that need perfectly, especially for a team going into the first year.”
In regards to the agreement only being in place for the 2019 season, Shockley stated, “in an ideal world, we’d have David for several years, and we hope that will be the case. But just like the players, a good coach is often presented with opportunities that they can’t pass up, so we’re looking at it as we’re lucky to have a high caliber coach from day one, and build from there. As a minor league team, we want to build consistency but we also realize that one of the goals of our organization is to enable our players to reach their own professional goals, and for some players, that means playing professionally outside of the United States.”
The Wolves announced their schedule earlier this week, but no roster announcements have been made. For more information about the Winston-Salem Wolves franchise, visit WSWolves.com.
Former Wake Forest player and NBA alum Rusty Larue will be joining the advisory board for the Winston-Salem Wolves,
a minor league franchise playing in the East Coast Basketball League this season. The addition of the Wolves was announced by the league earlier this week.
The advisory board will be a key factor for the team to make sound decisions regarding personnel, business development and operations. The team has announced that open try outs are expected in early January, although some closed practices will have started before then. Additionally, the team expects to name a head coach for the 2019 season within the next few days.
Larue played basketball, baseball, and football at Wake Forest University. He later played for the Chicago Bulls team that won the 1998 NBA championship, and has remained involved in coaching at both the collegiate and high school level in recent years.
The East Coast Basketball League has announced the 2018 All-Star Rosters as they head into their conference playoff championships this weekend.
Southern Conference
Chris Moore – Prime Time Players
Terell Smith – Prime Time Players
PJ Heath – Prime Time Players
Anton Grier – Carolina Crusaders
Sam Dotson – Carolina Crusaders
Trey James – Carolina Thunder
James Richardson – Carolina Thunder
Alex Brown – Carolina Thunder
Mike Couvson – Augusta Eagles
Daniel Quarles – Augusta Eagles
Octreyvius Roebuck – SC All-Stars
James Murray – Charlotte Tribe
Northern Conference
DeShaune Greene – Hampton Roads Warriors
Caleb Henderson – Hampton Roads Warriors
Robert Pinkston – Petersburg Cavaliers
Kenard Moore – Winston-Salem Certified
Marsharee Neely – Winston-Salem Certified
Jamarr Hardy – East Carolina Cardinals
Kendall Ham – East Carolina Cardinals
Will Griffin – NC Coyotes
Corey Evans – NC Coyotes
Danny Sanders – Hickory Hoyas
Justin Glover – Hickory Hoyas
Avery Patterson – Rowan County Bulls
The Winston-Salem Certified semi pro basketball team is about to enter their 3rd season in the East Coast Basketball League; any minor team that survives a single season is something to applaud, but the Certified heading into Season number three is a testament to a well-run organization. The ECBL is one of the better minor leagues in the United States, with an existing live streaming deal in place with NetCast Sports Network, an All-Star game and teams across the Southeast. Players in the Triad region looking for a shot to play at the pro level should check out the try outs, to be held on Dec 9.
The Fayetteville Flight of the ABA have announced their 2014-15 roster. This year the Flight will be playing in the larger Crown Arena in Fayetteville, NC.
“We are so excited about the players we have signed to our team,” said Mike Dixon, Flight’s CEO. “I believe we have the makings of a championship squad. Coach Alonzo Lunsford has assembled an incredible group of young men who will impress fans on and off the court.”
The roster includes:
1. Bruce Brown – Hampton University
2. Billy McDade – Methodist University
3. Jeff Early – Southern Illinois State
4. McKinley Bethea – SW Oklahoma State
5. Frank Young – Elizabeth City State
6. Vincent Parnell – Marlboro High School/FIBA
7. Cornell Holmes – Brunswick Community College
8. Vincent Jones Jr. – South Robeson High
9. Jesse Mitchell – Fort Bragg
10. Will Mcrae – St. Pauls High School
11. David Early – Rockbridge County
12. Jason Norman – Bluefield State
13. Jade Belt – Frostburg College
14. Dane Williams – Trinity
15. Pat Lewis – Cape Fear CC
16. Brandon Andrews – Elizabeth City
17. Keith Isbell – Lakeview High School
18. Tremaine Roberts – Elizabeth City
Across the U.S., each new basketball season brings a bevy of fledgling minor league basketball teams, all looking to establish themselves in the world of semi-pro sports. Unfortunately, almost all of these teams will fold in less than one season. Some estimates place the number of failed basketball teams over the past decade as higher than 200.
For the newly forming Pro Basketball Circuit, the existing model is flawed. Minor league sports in the United States cannot draw enough attendance to support the professional model; even the NBDL, affectionately known as the ‘D-League’, cannot draw enough fan support to be considered successful, despite the fact that the league is a subsidiary of the NBA.
So what makes the PBC think they can succeed where so many have failed? For starters, the league intends to create a system where teams play tournament-style play, with several teams at a single location, eliminating much of the cost of travel that often spells doom for new franchises. The majority of minor league teams barely break even or suffer slight losses on each home game, but take it on the chin when they hit the road.
Additionally, the PBC breaks the level of play into multiple divisions, allowing teams to move up or down in competition. The PBC also will heavily manage and regulate many of the things that wreak havoc in minor leagues: scheduling, referees, transactions and rosters. Many minor league owners complain about the lack of organization among existing teams and leagues.
The league also has options for players who want to gain exposure but cannot afford to leave their current jobs and families to chase a roster spot overseas. The league is going to propose a system for those players that will allow them to band together and play in games which fit around their schedule.
While only in the early stages, it’s unclear if this new model is radically different than what has come before, and only time will tell. Players, coaches, agents and potential team owners can learn more about the PBC by visiting ProBasketballCircuit.com.
BAKERSFIELD, August 10, 2013 – The Bakersfield Jam announced today that the team will hold five sets of open tryouts for the 2013-14 season. Tryouts will be held in Bakersfield and in its NBA affiliate markets (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta and Salt Lake City).
The first tryout will be held in Los Angeles on September 7th and 8th, followed by Phoenix (Sept. 21-22), Salt Lake City (Sept. 28-29), Atlanta (Oct. 5-6) and Bakersfield (Oct. 12-13).
Open tryouts offer athletes an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of Jam coaches and front office personnel while they compete to earn a position in the team’s official training camp, which is scheduled to take place in November.
Interested players should submit completed registration forms along with $150 non-refundable participation fee to the Jam office. Participants who register after the pre-registration deadline (listed on registration form) or day-of registration will be charged $200.
For registration forms and additional information, please visit bakersfieldjam.com or call 661-679-7932.
JAM ANNOUNCE OPEN TRYOUT DATES Tryouts to take place in Bakersfield and NBA Affiliate Markets (Los Angeles, Phoenix & Atlanta)
BAKERSFIELD, August 13, 2012 – The Bakersfield Jam announced today that the team will hold four sets of open tryouts for the 2012-13 season. Detailed information for all is as follows:
˜ Los Angeles Area – Saturday and Sunday, September 8 and 9:
o $150 pre-registration fee (arriving at Bakersfield Jam offices by Wednesday, September 5; $200 for after the pre-registration deadline and day-of registration).
o Location: East Los Angeles College located at 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez – C1, Monterrey Park, CA 91754.
o Registration begins at 8:30 am on September 8th; camp begins promptly at 9:45 am. Top 20 players will conclude camp with an All-Star Game on September 9th from 10 am to 12 pm.
o Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles Montebello located at 801 N. Via San Clemente, Montebello, CA 90640. Contact Hilton at (323) 724-5900 and mention “Bakersfield Jam Tryout Camp” for a special rate.
o Any additional questions, contact Assistant Coach/Strength & Conditioning Coach, John Bryant, at (703) 801-9035 or jbryant@bakersfieldjam.com.
˜ Phoenix Area – Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23:
o $150 pre-registration fee (arriving at Bakersfield Jam offices by Wednesday, September 19; $200 for after the pre-registration deadline and day-of registration).
o Location: US Airways Arena located at 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004 (Enter arena via Jackson Street).
o Registration begins at 8:30 am on September 22nd; camp begins promptly at 9:45 am. Top 20 players will conclude camp with an All-Star Game on September 23rd from 10 am to 12 pm.
o Lodging: SpringHill Suites Phoenix Downtown located at 802 East Van Buren Street, Phoenix, AZ 85006. Contact SpringHill Suites at (602) 307-9929 and mention “Bakersfield Jam Tryout Camp” for a special rate.
o Any additional questions, contact Director of Player Personnel, Brian Levy, at (609) 731-3402 or blevy@bakersfieldjam.com.
˜ Atlanta Area – Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7:
o $150 pre-registration fee (arriving at Bakersfield Jam offices by Wednesday, October 3; $200 for after the pre-registration deadline and day-of registration).
o Location: Suwanee Sports Academy located at 3640 Burnette Road, Suwanee, GA 30024
o Registration begins at 8:30 am on October 6th; camp begins promptly at 9:45 am. Top 20 players will conclude camp with an All-Star Game on October 7th from 10 am to 12 pm.
o Lodging: Comfort Suites located at 2945 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suwanee, GA, 30024.
Contact Comfort Suites at (678) 714-7707 and mention “Bakersfield Jam Tryout Camp” for a
special rate.
o Any additional questions, contact Director of Player Personnel, Brian Levy, at (609) 731-3402 or blevy@bakersfieldjam.com.
˜ Bakersfield Area – Saturday and Sunday, October 13 and 14:
o $150 pre-registration fee (arriving at Bakersfield Jam offices by Wednesday, October 10th; $200 for after the pre-registration deadline and day-of registration).
o Location: Bakersfield Jam Events Center located at 1400 Norris Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308.
o Registration begins at 8:30 am on October 13th; camp begins promptly at 9:45 am. Top 20 players will conclude camp with an All-Star game played on October 14th from 10 am to 12 pm.
o Lodging: Bakersfield Marriott located at 801 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Contact Marriott at (661) 565-9313 and mention “Bakersfield Jam Tryout Camp” for a special rate.
o Any additional questions, contact Director of Player Personnel, Brian Levy, at (609) 731-3402 or blevy@bakersfieldjam.com
Open tryouts offer athletes an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of NBA Development League coaches while they compete to earn a position in the team’s official training camp, which is scheduled to take place in mid-November.
Applicants must be eligible to play in the NBA Development League and are required to pre-register by submitting the official tryout registration form, player release and eligibility form, disclosure and background check forms, credit card authorization form (if paying by credit card), along with a $150 nonrefundable fee. Tryout forms are available online (www.bakersfieldjam.com). Completed forms and entry fee must be mailed (Bakersfield Jam. Attn: Tryout Camp. 1400 Norris Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308) or faxed (661-615-6555) to secure a spot in the tryout camp. Participants who register after the pre-registration deadline or day-of registration will be charged $200.
