Central Basketball Association

Nine months ago, as Fort Wayne celebrated their second consecutive league championship title in a competitive contest over top-seeded Indianapolis, it began the start of an offseason for the CBA featuring numerous accomplishments and landmark partnerships. 

With former NBA D-Leaguer and 2017 CBA Most Valuable Player, Tyron Criswell, signing his first career international basketball contract in Israel last summer, the CBA wanted to continue to network around the globe in order to provide international opportunities for athletes that may not have achieved high personal accolades like Criswell. And through various negotiations and business relationships behind the scenes, the league was able to secure a partnership with the Caribbean nation of Antigua & Barbuda, opening the doors for CBA athletes to receive basketball opportunities abroad. 

Yet, despite the offseason activities and success for the CBA, the attention now shifts to the 2018 CBA season, where in a little over 30 days, a new class of league athletes will participate in elite competition, in an effort to build their resume and experience to prepare them for the international basketball world that awaits in their future. 

With the continued support of CBA partners, such as Under Armour as the official on-the-court apparel brand for the league, Southwest Airlines as the league's domestic airline for transportation to games in Baltimore, and Hilton Hotels & Resorts as the league's hotel partner for nightly lodging during road travel, the CBA is set to embark on its sixth season with continued national momentum. 

The 2018 season, which is set to tip-off on March 24, will feature eight teams: Baltimore, Bowling Green, Fort Wayne, Illinois, Indianapolis, Jackson, Memphis, and Middle Tennessee.

The Mississippi organization, which has been a member of the league since 2015, and originally based out of Southhaven, Mississippi, relocated to Jackson, Tennessee in the offseason to become the Jackson Eagles. Memphis, which has been a member of the league since 2014 but took a hiatus last year, returns back to the CBA for its fourth season. 

The regular season will conclude on April 29, followed by the top four teams participating in the annual knockout-style postseason tournament, with the semifinals on May 5 and the championship game on May 6. This year's postseason tournament will be held in Fort Wayne, which last hosted the playoffs in 2015. Last year, the postseason was held in Danville, Illinois, while the year prior in Indianapolis. 

Most teams will remain at the same home venues as last year, including Baltimore at Annapolis Area Christian School in Severn, Md. for a second consecutive season; Bowling Green will play their home games at Logan County High School in Russellville, Ky. for a third straight year; Illinois will play at Schlarman Academy in Danville, Ill. and Indianapolis at Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, in which both teams will be in their second year at their respective venues; and Middle Tennessee will play at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. for a sixth consecutive season. 

For the defending champions, Fort Wayne, they will play their first season at Horizon Christian Academy in downtown Fort Wayne, after spending the last four years at the McMillen Center. Jackson, with their relocation, will play this year at Lane College in Jackson, Tenn., while Memphis will play at the JIFF Center, where they last played in 2016. 

With Fort Wayne seeking a fourth straight title game appearance and a third consecutive championship victory, the seven other teams in the league will look to dethrone the defending champions and place a new team at the helm come early May. 

Registration for league players that have already made final team rosters for this upcoming season will begin next week, while for players who are not currently on a team roster but are interested in participating in the upcoming 2018 CBA season or in the offseason 2018-2019 CBA Global Opportunities Program, they may register immediately as prospective players at http://www.playcba.com/registration 

 

**********

 

2018 CBA SCHEDULE

 

WEEK 1

Saturday, March 24:

Fort Wayne at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Middle Tennessee at Baltimore (Severn, Md.)

Memphis at Jackson (Jackson, Tenn.)

Sunday, March 25:

Illinois at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Bowling Green at Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.)

 

WEEK 2

Friday, March 30:

Baltimore at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, March 31:

Illinois at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Baltimore at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

 

WEEK 3

Friday, April 6:

Fort Wayne at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, April 7:

Indianapolis at Baltimore (Severn, Md.)

Memphis at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Bowling Green at Jackson (Jackson, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 8:

Jackson at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

Middle Tennessee at Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.)

 

WEEK 4

Friday, April 13:

Indianapolis at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, April 14:

Baltimore at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Illinois at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Bowling Green at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Memphis at Jackson (Jackson, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 15:

Baltimore at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

Jackson at Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.)

 

WEEK 5

Saturday, April 21:

Illinois at Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Jackson at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 22:

Memphis at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

Indianapolis at Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Middle Tennessee at Jackson (Jackson, Tenn.)

 

WEEK 6

Friday, April 27:

Fort Wayne at Baltimore (Severn, Md.)

Indianapolis at Illinois (Danville, Ill.)

Saturday, April 28:

Fort Wayne at Baltimore (Severn, Md.)

Bowling Green at Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.)

Sunday, April 29:

Middle Tennessee at Bowling Green (Russellville, Ky.)

Jackson at Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.)

 

PLAYOFFS

Saturday, May 5:

Semi-Final Game #1 (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Semi-Final Game #2 (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Sunday, May 6:

Championship Game (Fort Wayne, Ind.)