Lake Michigan Admirals
 | |
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| League |
ABA (2009-2011) PBL (2012-present) |
| Team history | Lake Michigan Admirals (2009-present) |
| Based in | Berrien County, Michigan |
| Arena | Lake Michigan Catholic High School & Benton Harbor High School |
| Colors | black, gold, white, silver |
| Owner(s) | Chris Glisson |
| Head coach | Michael "Ace" Jackson |
| Championships | 0 |
| Dancers | The Lady Admirals |
The Lake Michigan Admirals are a team of the Premier Basketball League that began play in the 2009-10 season as a member of the American Basketball Association.[1] The Admirals are the second ABA team based in Berrien County, Michigan, after the Benton Harbor-based Twin City Ballers folded after their only season of 2006-07. The Admirals will play 15 home games, 10 in Lake Michigan Catholic High School in Saint Joseph, Michigan and 5 at Benton Harbor High School in Benton Harbor, Michigan
The Admirals are owned by Chris Glisson, former co-owner of fellow ABA teams the Smoky Mountain Jam and Tri-City Racers. Glisson hopes to set up a similar arena for the Admirals in time for the 2016 season
The Admirals finished their inaugural 2009-2010 season with 13 wins and 7 losses, with an 122-117 loss to North Division rivals Chicago Steam in the Division Championship Game. Captain and forward Dominick Melton was named to the ABA East All Star team, with Odgra Bobo, Antonio Griffin and Brandon Ball all honorary mentions in All Star voting.[2]
For the 2012 season, the Admirals have joined the Premier Basketball League[3]
Lake Michigan Leads PBL Teams in Player Advancements by Anthony Weihofen posted 04/10/2014
Chicago, IL- The Lake Michigan Admirals (6-12) finished the season third in the Midwest division, sixth in the league but first in most players signed to the next level of basketball.
Admirals’ owner Chris Glisson had nine players get signed to overseas contracts this season through agents.
Odgra Bobo was a guard for Lake Michigan this year before he was signed to play for Al Karkh in Iraq back in February. He averaged 20 points per game for seven games with the Admirals this year, but showed he could do more than just score.
Bobo was an all-around star player for the Admirals. He contributed to teammates baskets with 63 assists, had 67 rebounds and 10 steals.
Another important player to the Admirals organization was Kahlil McDonald. McDonald was with the Admirals this season longer than any other player who signed overseas before he left to play in Australia.[4]
McDonald played 13 games with the Admirals and made quite a name for himself amongst the people in St. Joseph, Michigan. He averaged almost 11 points per game, had 34 assists, 29 rebounds and 12 steals.
Lester Ferguson and Hamidu Rahman also played double-digit games for the Admirals this season. Ferguson was signed to a league in the Dominican Republic, but before he did he played in 11 games with the Admirals scoring 7.5 points per game, eight assists and 37 rebounds.
In 10 games Rahman averaged 9.7 points per game, 12 assists and 42 rebounds before he left to play professional basketball in Mexico.
Eladio Espinosa was the second player from Lake Michigan to get signed to the Dominican Republic. In seven games he scored 8.7 points per game but was most notorious for his 59 rebounds.
Stan Simpson and Florentino Valencia were a couple more players Admiral fans would have liked to see stick around longer.
Valencia left to go play in Puerto Rico after playing five games with the Admirals, averaging a whopping 14.8 points per game. His 34 total rebounds and seven steals showed he was a well-rounded player that could have made a strong impact for Lake Michigan down the stretch of the season.
Simpson averaged 14 points in three games with the Admirals before he left for Mexico.
Desmond Wade played five games and averaged 3.8 points per game before leaving for Canada, and Waki Williams played four games averaging a point-and-a-half per game before he was signed to play for Bahrain.
As much as an owner doesn’t want to see some of his best players leave, Glisson has brought quality basketball to St. Joseph, Michigan and helped these young gentlemen move on to get closer to reach their dreams of making it to the NBA.
In October 2014, the Admirals signed Bob Wegner, who at 7'8" has claimed to be the world's tallest professional athlete.[5]
Defensive Player of the Year; Repeat Winner
Chicago, IL- Courtney Blackmore has done it again. The 2013-14 PBL Defensive Player of the Year is a repeat recipient of the award for his superb performance during the 2014-15 season.
Blackmore was arguably the largest contributor to the Lake Michigan Admirals first ever championship series, during their first ever PBL post-season appearance, after they won their division, also for this first time. Courtney finished the season with 10 blocks, 94 defensive rebounds and second in the league with 53 steals proving to be the best defensive player in the league.
Though it does not have an effect on winning a defensive based award, Blackmore proved to be an all-around fantastic player with a team-leading 21.93 points per game and third on the team with 57 assists.
History Season Results
2009-2010 (14-6) 2010-2011 (22-6) 2011-2012 (4-14) 2012-2013 (4-11) 2013-2014 (6-12) 2014-2015 (12-4)
Head coach
- Michael "Ace" Jackson (2014–Present)
- Jonathan Solomon (2014)
- Michael "Ace" Jackson (2012-2013)
- Che' D Eddie (2010–2012)
- Buck Riley (2009-2010)
- Mike Ahrens (2009)
- Buck Riley
2014 Roster
| # | Ht. | Player | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
6'7 | Odgra Bobo | Oakland Community College |
| 1 | |
6'6 | Terrance Shaw | Ferris State |
| 3 | |
6'3 | Kahlil McDonald | Western Kentucky |
| 4 | |
6'5 | Reid Houston | Genessee CC |
| 4 | |
6'11 | Hamidu Rahman | New Mexico State |
| 4 | |
6'5 | Courtney Smith | Sienna Heights |
| 5 | |
6'2 | Kenny Brown | Ferris State |
| 8 | |
6'10 | Lester Ferguson | Robert Morris |
| 8 | |
6'7 | Larry Logan | Centenary |
| 9 | |
6'4 | Corvonn Gaines | East Carolina |
| 9 | |
6'9 | Eladio Espinosa | South Florida |
| 10 | |
6'0 | Maurice Benson | Indiana Tech |
| 12 | |
6'0 | Corey Neeley | Concord University |
| 15 | |
5'9 | Scott Odom | Fort Worth Texas |
| 15 | |
6'0 | Kwan Waller | Kentucky Wesleyan |
| 15 | |
5'8 | Desmond Wade | University of Houston |
| 15 | |
6'6 | Fred Harris | West Virginia State |
| 15 | |
6'8 | Shimeek Johnson | St. Edwards University |
| 23 | |
6'10 | Stan Simpson | Memphis |
| 23 | |
6'8 | Shane Ross | Toledo |
| 25 | |
6'6 | Florentino Valencia | Toledo |
| 25 | |
7'2 | John Riek | Mississippi |
| 33 | |
6'3 | Courtney Blackmore | Ferris State |
| 32 | |
6'10 | Waki Williams | Memphis |
|
STATS FOR 2014 SEASON (http://www.thepbl.com/StatsTeam.asp?org=thepbl.com) [6] |
2011-12 Roster
| # | Ht. | Player | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | |
6'1 | Greg Plater | Long Beach State |
| 3 | |
6'1 | Steve Strong | Robert Morris |
| 4 | |
6'5 | Pete Trammell | Grand Valley State |
| 5 | |
6'7 | Rodney Alexander | Illinois |
| 10 | |
6'4 | Romain Martin | Eastern Illinois |
| 14 | |
6'11 | Garrett Schmidt | Urbana |
| 15 | |
5'7 | Ogdra Bobo | Oakland CC |
| 21 | |
7'3 | Shagari Alleyne | Kentucky |
| 23 | |
6'1 | Ryan Young | Concordia Chicago |
| 24 | |
5'10 | Jay McCree | Lake Michigan College |
| 25 | |
6'1 | Scotty Samarco | Pikeville |
| 33 | |
6'3 | Courtney Blackmore | Ferris State |
| 42 | |
6'6 | Florentino Valencia | Toledo |
2010-11 Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 4 | Seattle Mountaineers | Home | 107-105 | Dominick Melton (23), Odgra Bobo (23) | Larry Logan (7) | Steve Strong (4) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School | 1-0 |
| December 5 | Seattle Mountaineers | Home | 84-100 | Odgra Bobo (18) | DeAngelo Johnson (6), Dominick Melton (6) | Steve Strong (4) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School | 1-1 |
| December 11 | West Virginia Blazers | Home | 129-131 | Dominick Melton (35) | DeAngelo Johnson (12) | Steve Strong (9) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School | 1-2 |
| December 12 | West Virginia Blazers | Home | 115-103 | Odgra Bobo (31) | Odgra Bobo (10) | Steve Strong (7) | Coloma High School | 2-2 |
| December 18 | Detroit Hoops | Home | 126-111 | Dominick Melton (27) | Larry Logan (11) | Odgra Bobo (10) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School | 3-2 |
| January 9 | Chicago Steam | Away | 117-112 | Odgra Bobo (28) | South Suburban College | 3-3 | ||
| January 15 | Indiana Diesels | Away | 124-112 | 4-3 | ||||
| January 22 | NWI Magical Stars | Home | 131-106 | Odgra Bobo (25) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School | 5-3 | ||
| January 23 | NWI Magical Stars | Home | 111-106 | Odgra Bobo (26) | Odgra Bobo (14) | Odgra Bobo (4), Allen White (4) | Bangor High School | 6-3 |
| January 29 | Detroit Hoops | Away | 119-107 | Odgra Bobo (25) | Odgra Bobo (8) | Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center, 5:30 pm | 7-3 | |
| February 5 | Chicago Steam | Home | 100-104 | Odgra Bobo (25) | Larry Logan (11) | Odgra Bobo (5) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School, 7 pm | 7-4 |
| February 12 | NWI Magical Stars | Home | 111-117 | Odgra Bobo (28) | Gus Chase (11), Larry Logan (11) | Brandon Ball (6), Odgra Bobo (6) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School, 7 pm | 7-5 |
| February 19 | Michiana Monarchs | Home | 140-112 | Gus Chase (31) | Gus Chase (13) | Brandon Ball (10) | Lake Michigan Catholic High School, 7 pm | 8-5 |
| February 20 | Michiana Monarchs | Away | 128-109 | Steve Strong (32) | Gus Chase (16) | Brandon Ball (10) | Michigan Lutheran, 3 pm | 9-5 |
| February 26 | ABA All-Star Game | Away | Jacksonville, FL | |||||
| February 27 | Detroit Hoops | Home | 143-111 | Gus Chase (25) | Gus Chase (9), Eddie Spencer (9) | Jay McCree (9) | Benton Harbor High School, 3 pm | 10-5 |
| March 2 | Benton Harbor All-Stars | Home | 162-112 | Odgra Bobo (35) | Gus Chase (9) | Brandon Ball (9), Odgra Bobo (9), Gus Chase (9), Steve Strong (9) | Eau Claire High School, 6:30 pm | 11-5 |
| March 6 | NWI Magical Stars, Tournament | Away | 112-104 | Odgra Bobo (29) | Odgra Bobo (13) | Brandon Ball (8) | Bangor High School, 3 pm | 12-5 |
| March 12 | Chicago Steam, North Central Divisional Championship | Away | 121-98 | Steve Strong (28) | Gus Chase (16) | Brandon Ball (10) | South Suburban College, South Holland, IL, 7:15 pm (CST) | 13-5 |
| March 19 | Seven City Knights | Away | Pike County Central HS, Pikeville, KY, 5 pm |
References
- ↑ Kahne, Nathan (2009-12-06). "Debut of a team". The Herald-Palladium. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
- ↑ ABA League Office (2010-03-16). "ABA NAMES 2009-2010 ALL-STAR TEAMS". abalive.com. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- ↑ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lake-michigan-admirals-and-fans-excited-about-joining-the-premier-basketball-league-in-2012-130301733.html
- ↑ http://thepbl.com/News.asp?org=thepbl.com
- ↑ Is this the world's tallest professional athlete? Basketball player 'Big Bob' Wegner is 7ft 8in and has size 23 feet
- ↑ http://www.thepbl.com/StatsTeam.asp?org=thepbl.com
External links
| East Division | Buffalo 716ers | Erie Hurricane | Fayetteville Shipmen | Lynchburg Titans | Pee Dee Vipers | Rochester Razorsharks | West Virginia Angels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest Division | Bloomington Flex | Chicago Tide | Indianapolis Diesels | Lake Michigan Admirals | Louisiana Soul | Lima Express | |
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