CourtKings going to Texas to defend MBL title

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

WATERLOO — The question is “Why is the Midwest Basketball League championship game being played in Huntsville, Tex. and not … um … in the midwest?”

“That’s where the owner of the league lives,” Gary Rima said. “It’s a long way to travel, but there should be some scouts from the Dallas Mavericks there.”

So any Mark Cuban sighting for the July 8 championship game at Sam Houston University between the East Division champions Fort Wayne Vision and the West Division champions Cedar Valley CourtKings, owned by Charles City resident Rima and his wife Marla, should make things a little more interesting.

The defending MBL champs CourtKings punched their ticket to Texas with consecutive wins over the Minnesota Broncos (114-98) and the Minnesota Rangers (107-98) during the West Division playoffs last weekend at the Cedar Valley Sportsplex, the home of the CourtKings who were deemed hosts for the playoffs due to their undefeated (16-0) record.

The CourtKings are led by Raheem Tyner (19.8 points per game), Alex Houston (9.9 rebounds per game), Aundre Hicks (6.1 assists per game), and former Northern Iowa star Anthony James, who was the MBL playoff MVP last season.

The CourtKings have made several appearances in Charles City, including a preseason exhibition game and a basketball skills camp conducted by James.

Those witnessing an MBL game in action — in particular a playoff game — will likely come to realize that the semi-pro league is not without NBA-caliber quickness and athleticism. Problem is that many of its players didn’t win that post-high school growth spurt lottery that propelled the likes of Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird and Dennis Rodman to hall of fame careers.

For instance, Devante Jones of the Chicago Fury led the West Division in scoring at 30.8 ppg. He has a quicksilver cross-over, supernatural hops and a deft one-handed runner shot. But being well under six-foot tall, it’s a tall order for Jones — or any other dimunitive player not named Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics — to get the attention of the NBA.

But as Rima has explained before, one of the primary functions of the MBL is to help players gain professional contracts overseas.

Several of the CourtKings, including James and fellow UNI alum Marvin Singleton, have professional experience in Europe.

For more info on the Midwest Basketball League, or the MBL championship game between the CourtKings and Vision starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, go to www.officialmbl.org.