The Harbour City’s hoops community has something to howl about.
The Minor League Basketball Association announced this week that the Island Thunder Wolves expansion team, based in Nanaimo, will join the league and begin play in March 2019.
Further details weren’t released, but are expected be announced Saturday, June 2, when the MLBA is in Nanaimo for a league game between the Vancouver Dragons and the Oakland Townhawks at the VIU gym.
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Minor League Basketball Association announces that a Nanaimo expansion team, the Island Thunder Wolves, will begin play in 2019. More info to be provided Saturday at an MLBA game at the VIU gym… https://t.co/5fMWwOpgTo #Nanaimo #basketball pic.twitter.com/vc0Y20YqqF
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) May 29, 2018
Jason Stevens, who does media relations with the Dragons, said the league is run well, games are well-officiated and the calibre of play is really high.
“The top teams that have winning records, they all play as a team but they still manage to get their highlight-reel dunks in and stuff like that,” he said. “Every player, they’re trying to get another contract … It’s a showcase league.”
Aside from Nanaimo, there will be new expansion teams in Toronto, New York, Kentucky, L.A. and Seattle, according to the league press release. Ricky Cunningham is team president of the Thunder Wolves.
As for Saturday’s game, there will be some recognizable faces in the Dragons’ lineup as former VIU Mariners players Usama Zaid and Montell Lindgren play for Vancouver. Zaid, star player for the M’s the last two seasons, has “turned quite a few heads” since joining the MLBA, Stevens said.
GAME ON … The Dragons and Townhawks tip off Saturday at 5 p.m. Tickets, $10, will be available at the door or may be purchased in advance at http://vancouverdragons.tickit.ca.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
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