Arkansas Aeros- great but unknown?
Interesting story on the local ABA franchise:
SPRINGDALE – They have been the No. 1 team in the American Basketball Association’s Power Rankings for six straight weeks, but the Arkansas Aeros are still living in anonymity in their inaugural season in the ABA.
The early season success of the Aeros has failed to be noticed by many in Arkansas, including people in the northwest part of the state where the team makes its home at the All-Star Sports Arena in Springdale. Currently owners of a 17-2 mark and a six-game winning streak, the Aeros are not only the ABA’s top team record-wise, they are also the league’s highest scoring team, averaging 131.0 points a contest through the end of 2006.
Putting together a quality coaching staff along with talented players, combined with providing family entertainment was something general manager Keith Newton quickly envisioned for the Aeros in their initial ABA campaign. Now that both of those ideas have come to fruition in the first half of the season, Newton said the end result of winning games is something he hopes basketball fans will take notice of as the team prepares to make a stretch run to the ABA playoffs in March.
"The success of the team has been everything that I had hoped it would be," Newton said. "Having a great coaching staff and exceptional players has made the difference in us being able to provide professional quality entertainment to Northwest Arkansas. We as an organization truly believe we have a team that can win the ABA championship."
Though the 131.0 points a contest might not come across as a dominating factor to the Aeros success in the offensive-minded ABA, head coach Bob Hoffman’s squad is making its presence felt by wielding an impressive 19.3 scoring margin over its opponents.
"I knew coming in that we had guys that were all part of winning programs," Hoffman said. "So, we knew we had the opportunity for success. We just didn’t know what to expect from the other teams. Just the overall competitive nature of our guys has been phenomenal so far."
Hoffman, a former assistant under Kelvin Sampson at the University of Oklahoma who was also a highly successful bench boss at colleges across the plains of Oklahoma and Texas, isn’t a smoke and mirrors, X’s and O’s kind of coach either. He is as intense as coaches come on the sidelines, exalting his team for a full 48 minutes, even if it is an encouraging "get in there" on a free throw attempt with his team leading 135-115 in the closing seconds of a contest.
The team’s early success in the ABA’s Power Rankings, which is the ultimate source at the end of the season for the league’s playoff system, has paid individual dividends for Hoffman. He was honored Sunday by being named head coach of the West All Stars at the ABA All Star Game to be played Jan. 28th in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
SPRINGDALE – They have been the No. 1 team in the American Basketball Association’s Power Rankings for six straight weeks, but the Arkansas Aeros are still living in anonymity in their inaugural season in the ABA.
The early season success of the Aeros has failed to be noticed by many in Arkansas, including people in the northwest part of the state where the team makes its home at the All-Star Sports Arena in Springdale. Currently owners of a 17-2 mark and a six-game winning streak, the Aeros are not only the ABA’s top team record-wise, they are also the league’s highest scoring team, averaging 131.0 points a contest through the end of 2006.
Putting together a quality coaching staff along with talented players, combined with providing family entertainment was something general manager Keith Newton quickly envisioned for the Aeros in their initial ABA campaign. Now that both of those ideas have come to fruition in the first half of the season, Newton said the end result of winning games is something he hopes basketball fans will take notice of as the team prepares to make a stretch run to the ABA playoffs in March.
"The success of the team has been everything that I had hoped it would be," Newton said. "Having a great coaching staff and exceptional players has made the difference in us being able to provide professional quality entertainment to Northwest Arkansas. We as an organization truly believe we have a team that can win the ABA championship."
Though the 131.0 points a contest might not come across as a dominating factor to the Aeros success in the offensive-minded ABA, head coach Bob Hoffman’s squad is making its presence felt by wielding an impressive 19.3 scoring margin over its opponents.
"I knew coming in that we had guys that were all part of winning programs," Hoffman said. "So, we knew we had the opportunity for success. We just didn’t know what to expect from the other teams. Just the overall competitive nature of our guys has been phenomenal so far."
Hoffman, a former assistant under Kelvin Sampson at the University of Oklahoma who was also a highly successful bench boss at colleges across the plains of Oklahoma and Texas, isn’t a smoke and mirrors, X’s and O’s kind of coach either. He is as intense as coaches come on the sidelines, exalting his team for a full 48 minutes, even if it is an encouraging "get in there" on a free throw attempt with his team leading 135-115 in the closing seconds of a contest.
The team’s early success in the ABA’s Power Rankings, which is the ultimate source at the end of the season for the league’s playoff system, has paid individual dividends for Hoffman. He was honored Sunday by being named head coach of the West All Stars at the ABA All Star Game to be played Jan. 28th in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
posted by Mark Lericos at 2:40 PM
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