Youngstown Pride

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Youngstown Pride logo
The Youngstown Pride logo

Youngstown Pride was a professional basketball team in Youngstown, Ohio. The team was a founding member of the International Basketball Association (IBA).

The IBA formed in 1987, but the organization changed its name to the World Basketball League (WBL) before the start of the 1988 season. The league consisted of teams from across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The organization also limited players to being no taller than 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), although the limit was raised to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) in 1992. The Youngstown Pride’s home games were played in the Beeghly Center of Youngstown State University.

The Youngstown Pride performed well during its five seasons of existence. The team never finished lower than third in the league, except during the 1991 season. During the 1989 and 1990 seasons, the squad won the WBL championship. During the 1992 season, the WBL disbanded principally due to a lack of fan support.