Central Basketball Association

As the Central Basketball Association prepares for the start of its fifth year in approximately one hundred days, the league has revamped its lineup of member teams for the upcoming season, with an even greater emphasis on competitive, financial, and organizational strength.

Two new teams have joined the league for the 2017 season, in the form of Baltimore and Illinois, while Peoria, Springfield, Columbus, and Memphis have been left off next year's lineup of participating clubs.

After engaging in last month's annual league meetings at the Under Armour Headquarters in Baltimore, this year's eight member teams have begun preparations behind-the-scenes to ensure cooperation, growth, and success on and off the court.

The 2017 season is set to begin March 25, with the seven-week regular season concluding on May 7, followed by the postseason knockout tournament held during the weekend of May 13-14 in Danville, Ill. Each team will continue to play the traditional eight-game league schedule, with four games at home and four games on the road, followed by the top-four teams advancing to the playoffs. 

Critical matchups during the season will occur within the long-distance trips throughout the season. In the first half of the season, Mississippi, and Baltimore will have road games in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. In the latter half of the season, the defending league champion and runner-up, Fort Wayne and Middle Tennessee, respectively, will fly to the East Coast to play in Maryland, while Illinois and Indianapolis travel south to compete in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Member teams will be conducting tryouts and local team combines from January to March, as players across the nation will have the opportunity to join the rosters of the eight participating teams. All prospective athletes interested in receiving an opportunity to earn a roster spot with a league team for the 2017 CBA season are encouraged to register for free as a prospective player at http://www.playcba.com/registration. Prospective referees interested in officiating league games will be permitted to register with the CBA beginning February 15. 

League players that make the final rosters for the respective CBA teams, will have their respective registration process with the league begin on February 15, as well. They will earn the opportunity to participate in the 2017 season, as well as the opportunity to be involved in the 2017-2018 CBA Global Opportunities Program in the offseason. Next year's international opportunities are scheduled to include Europe, South America, and the Caribbean. 

In the last three years, over 150 players have been provided an opportunity by the CBA to participate in basketball competition on international soil in over 30 nations, including 13 players in the past year within the league's CBA Brazil initiative. 

With the league's current partnership with Under Armour to schedule to grow further for the upcoming season, as well as forthcoming announcements of partnerships with additional major brands, the CBA is continuing to be at the forefront in the revolution of the minor league basketball industry. 

For more information regarding the CBA, email the league at info@playcba.com, or visit the league's respectively social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

(Photo by: Joshua Gales / CBA Photos)

 

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2017 CBA SEASON SCHEDULE

 

WEEK 1

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Mississippi at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Bowling Green at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Mississippi at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Indianapolis at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

 

WEEK 2

Friday, March 31, 2017

Baltimore at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Baltimore at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Middle Tennessee at Mississippi (Memphis, Tenn.)

Illinois at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Mississippi at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

 

WEEK 3

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Baltimore at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Bowling Green at Mississippi (Memphis, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Middle Tennessee at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Baltimore at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

 

WEEK 4

Friday, April 14, 2017

Mississippi at Baltimore (Arnold, Md.)

Indianapolis at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Illinois at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

 

WEEK 5

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Middle Tennessee at Baltimore (Arnold, Md.)

Indianapolis at Mississippi (Memphis, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Indianapolis at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

Fort Wayne at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

 

WEEK 6

Friday, April 28, 2017

Fort Wayne at Baltimore (Arnold, Md.)

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Fort Wayne at Baltimore (Arnold, Md.)

Bowling Green at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Middle Tennessee at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

 

WEEK 7

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Bowling Green at Mississippi (Memphis, Tenn.)

Fort Wayne at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Illinois at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Illinois at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

 

POST-SEASON

Saturday, May 13, 2017

1-seed vs. 4-seed (Danville, Ill.)

2-seed vs. 3-seed (Danville, Ill.)

Sunday, May 14, 2017

2017 CBA Championship Game (Danville, Ill.)

 

NOTE. The official 2017 CBA schedule can be further accessed on the league website via the following link: http://www.playcba.com/schedule/day/league_instance/50945?subseason=363540