Yakama Sun Kings
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| Yakama Sun Kings | |
 |
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| Founded | 1990 |
| League | CBA 1990-present |
| Team History | Kansas City Sizzlers 1985-1986 Topeka Sizzlers 1986-1990 Yakima Sun Kings 1990-2005 Yakama Sun Kings 2005-present |
| Arena | Yakima SunDome |
|---|---|
| Based in | Yakima, Washington |
| Team Colors | Blue, Gold and White |
| Owner | Yakama Indian Nation |
| Head Coach | Paul Woolpert |
| Championships | 5 (1995, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007) |
| Division Titles | 2 (1995, 2007) |
| Mascot | Rebound |
The Yakama Sun Kings are a Continental Basketball Association franchise located in Yakima, Washington, covering the Central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg. The Sun Kings play at the Yakima SunDome.
Originally located in Kansas City, Missouri, and then Topeka, Kansas, the franchise moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1990 and was renamed the Yakima Sun Kings. The Sun Kings have been fairly successful historically, given the inconsistent nature of minor-league basketball; they won the 1994-95, 1999-2000, and 2002-03 CBA championships. The Sun Kings had a disappointing 2003-04 season when they posted a 10-38 record. They were also 0-9 against the CBA Champion Dakota Wizards.
In June 2005, the team was purchased by the Yakama Indian Nation, and were renamed the Yakama Sun Kings to honor the Nation.
Ronny Turiaf, a 2005 draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, played nine games for the Sun Kings in the 2005-06 season, less than six months after undergoing open-heart surgery which caused the Lakers to void his contract. He averaged 13 points in nine games with the team before re-signing with the Lakers in January 2006.[1]
The Sun Kings won their fourth CBA Championship with a 111-101 victory in Game 3 of a best-of-3 finals series against the Gary Steelheads on March 27, 2006. [2]
In 2006-07 the Sun Kings repeated as champions, sweeping the Albany Patroons three games to none. [3]
[edit] References
- ^ ESPN.com, "Lakers sign F Turiaf" accessed February 1, 2005
- ^ Yakima Herald-Republic, "Sun Kings win CBA Title"
- ^ Yakima Herald-Republic, "Without a doubt - Sun Kings win CBA Title"
[edit] External link
| Continental Basketball Association (current alignment) | |||||||||||||
| AMERICAN | Albany Patroons | Indiana Alley Cats | Minot SkyRockets | Pittsburgh Xplosion | |||||||||
| NATIONAL | Butte Daredevils | Great Falls Explorers | Utah Eagles (Ceased operations on Jan. 25, 2007) |
Yakama Sun Kings | |||||||||
| EXPANSION | Atlanta Krunk Wolverines (2007) | Bend, Oregon (2007) | Hawaii Volcanoes (2007) | Lethbridge Canadians (2007) | Los Angeles Aftershock (2007) | Miami Majesty (2007) | SoCal Legends (2007) | Spokane, Washington (2007) | Vancouver Dragons (2007) | Seattle, Washington (2008) | |||
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