Strong Island Sound

Strong Island Sound
Founded 2005
League ABA 2005-2007
Team history Strong Island Sound
2005-2007
Based in Selden, New York
Arena Suffolk County Community College
Colors Blue, Orange and black
Owner(s) Michele Wuestman
Darren Cioffi
Head coach Dytanya Mixson
Championships 0
Division titles 0
Dancers The Sound Dancers
Mascot Skeykan Bayke

The Strong Island Sound were an American Basketball Association team, that played their home games at Suffolk County Community College in Long Island, New York's Suffolk County. The team's head coach was Dytanya Mixon for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.

The team played off on the intersection of basketball and popular culture — in which Strong Island is used as hip hop slang for Long Island — and the neighboring Long Island Sound.

2005-2006 season

After an inaugural season full of the obstacles typical of a minor league sports season, the Strong Island Sound were eliminated from the ABA Playoffs. Their 10-0 run down the stretch gave them some well earned respect among the growing ABA fan base.

The Sound qualified for the 2006 ABA playoffs as the 13th seed, and defeated the Birmingham Magicians in the first round on Long Island, and the Harlem Strong Dogs in Round 2 in Manhattan. They played in Rochester as one of the "Elite Eight" competing for the 2006 ABA Championship in the Great Eight Tournament. The Sound defeated the top-ranked Indiana Alley Cats, but lost to the Southern California Legends on March 25, 2006, who in turn were defeated by the Rochester Razorsharks in the ABA's 2006 championship game.

2006-2007 season

In their second season of play, the Strong Island Sound improved their regular season record by four wins, finishing 20-13. During this season former Globetrotter and member of the 2005-06 Sound, Chris Sandy died in a car accident in Finland. He had been playing with Kouvot Kouvola and was rumored to return to the Sound shortly before his death. In honor of Sandy, a major contributor to the final four effort of the 05-06 Sound, the team wore black bands around the shoulder of their uniforms for the remainder of the season. The Sound also retired Sandy's uniform number 22 in his honor. In the first round of the ABA playoffs, the Sound defeated the Quebec City Kebs on the road, 108-97. They went on to lose to the Vermont Frostheaves by a score of 103-75.

2007-2008 season

In the offseason prior to the 2007-08 ABA season, the Sound confirmed that Head Coach Dytanya Mixon will be returning this year. The team began the season by winning five of their first six contests before ceasing operations in December 2007. The final game in the franchises history would be a 92-90 victory over the Halifax Rainmen in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The teams collapse was a quick and without warning as co-owners Darren Cioffi and Michelle Wuestman had their financial backers pull out after the costly trip to Halifax. The teams players and coaches were never paid their final weeks salaries and communication between management and the staff was poor at best during this difficult time. Final season record: 5-1

2005-06 roster

2006-07 roster

2007-08 roster

External links

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