paraphernalia…”
The feeling seems to be mutual among fans. Enough is enough.
This saga between the greedy and the greedier must end – and end soon or I’m afraid the fans will find out they do have other options – options that include getting their basketball fixes elsewhere.
Look Elsewhere For Professional B-ball
The WNBA has been a viable option for local basketball fanatics during of the NBA off-season, particularly in the wake of the Atlanta Dream’s three consecutive post-season outings. But what do fans do when the WNBA season has concluded and the NBA hasn’t stepped in on cue?
Well basketball fans, there is something else.
One is the American Basketball Association. The Atlanta Experience, the newest team to join the ABA in 2011, will play home games within the city limits and look to open the regular season on Dec. 3 against the Johnson City (Tenn.) Hatters.
In fact, Dion Glover, a former Georgia Tech and Atlanta Hawks standout, hosted an ABA/NBA Celebrity Basketball Game on Oct. 31, along with the Experience, as part of their Hoops & Hope “Stop The Bullying Tour,” at Riverdale High School. Fans enjoyed seeing the local team go against NBA notables such as Louis Williams (Philadelphia 76er’s), Anthony Morrow (New Jersey Nets), Jarrett Jack (Oklahoma Thunder), Damien Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks), Josh Powell (Atlanta Hawks), Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz) and Solomon Jones (Indiana Pacers).
It was a great way to get exposure while also allowing the NBA players to stay in shape.
And the crowd wasn’t disappointed.
With 56 seconds remaining to play and the NBA all-stars up by four, the Experience scored a quick bucket to cut their deficit to two, 109-107. After forcing a turnover, the Experience tied the score at 109-all before former Griffin High School standout Jay Brown sank a crucial 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, stunning the NBA All-Stars 112-109.
“We just wanted to play,” said Experience head coach and general manager Alan “Duck” Richards. “These players have been working hard against one another during practice and this was a great opportunity for us to evaluate our game strategy.”
“We just want to bring affordable, fun-filled entertainment to the Atlanta community,” said Atlanta Experience co-owner and CEO Sharan Coleman.
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