CourtKings return to Comet Gym for preseason exhibition

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Twenty-point leads in wide-open-court Midwest Basketball League play tend to dissipate as quickly as a 10-inch snowfall base shrinking amid a warm spring day.

Though we’re still waiting for that warm spring day.

During their exhibition against the Wisconsin Gamechangers held Saturday afternoon at Comet Gym, the two-time defending MBL champion Cedar Valley CourtKings managed to build a 22-point lead a little before the fourth quarter.

But the Gamechangers, champions of the MBL’s “Branding Division” last season and now an official league addition, were able to effectively pressure the ball and aggressively push it upcourt while finishing to pull within 6 (107-101) with plenty of time left in regulation.

That’s as close as it got as last year’s MBL “Rookie of the Year” Raheem Tyner hit a pair of 3-point shots on consecutive CourtKing possessions to regain some distance as Cedar Valley went on to win, 134-117.

Last spring before the MBL regular season, the CourtKings defeated the newly founded Gamechangers at Comet Gym in an exhibition before going undefeated (19-0) on way to their second title.

CourtKing rookie Brady Burford, an NAIA All-American from William Penn, led his team with 20 points.

Raijon Kelly added 19 and Aundre Hicks, the 2016 MBL Playoff MVP during the first title run, had 17 for the CourtKings, who will open the season at home April 8 when they host the North Minneapolis Eagles at the Cedar Valley SportsPlex in Waterloo. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

The Gamechangers were led by Steven Baker, who had a game-high 34 points. Though he may not have the size that attracts NBA attention, Baker is a dynamic scoring machine with Chris Paul-like side-to-side “juke” moves, and an adamant coach on the floor for the Gamechangers.

James DeVault added 31 points for the Gamechangers, but it wasn’t enough as the CourtKings again shot well inside Comet Gym — especially after the window shades were lowered to block out a descending sun — while draining 13 3-pointers.

“I thought it was a great team win,” Burford said. “We keyed in on their best player and worked to stop him in the second half.”

The team is owned by Charles City couple Gary and Marla Rima. Gary is the host of “On Press Row”, a sports talk show on 1540 KXEL. He also is the play-by-play radio announcer for UNI Panther games.

Marla is a teacher and the head coach/director of the Charles City High School cheerleaders.

The CourtKings are coached by Michael Mohlis.

“We saw glimpses of what these guys can do together,” Mohlis said after the exhibition win. “We haven’t played that much together. We’ve had four weeks of training camp, and we just added some of our veteran guys. Putting all of them together could be another special season.”