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Many things are utilized to judge the quality of a minor league basketball team. Certainly wins and losses ranks high on that list. In 4 seasons of professional play the New York Wizards have an overall record of 49 and 14 inclusive of 2 EBA Final Four Appearances. The Wizards have never had a losing season and Coach Cerillo’s .710 winning percentage places him among the most consistent coaches in the sport.
However the Wizards stand out among their peers for another reason as well: THEIR ABILITY TO GET THEIR PLAYERS SIGNED TO HIGHER LEVEL PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS
In a little over 1 year 8 players wearing the Wizards uniform have used their time with the Wizards to springboard themselves into overseas, and other, professional opportunities .
“I wish I could take a lot of credit for that” Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo “Truly it is the player’s talent which will get them noticed. We just give them the structure and platform to showcase their skills.”
Perhaps to modest! The Wizards are truly a 12-month a year basketball operation. Where other teams shut down when the season is over the Wizards keep their players in the gym and in front of the watchful eye of scouts and coaches!
Take a look at some of the recent placement of Wizards players into paid professional opportunities:
Darrell Wonge 2011 Wizard All Star played in the Canadian NBL for the Moncton Miracles this past season
Darren Townes 2011 Wizard All Star took his talents to BC Nokia in Finland
Nigel Byam 2011/2012 Wizard played in Bahrain for Bahrain Club
Jerome Abraham 2011/2012 Wizard played this entire season with the Wizards and was then signed by La Quisqueya in the Superior League in the Dominican Republic
Jerome Richardson 2011 Wizard and last season’s dunking machine took his talents this season to Columbia and finished the season in the ABA with the South Carolina Warriors
And check out this unprecedented opportunity where the Wizards helped arrange for some of their players to play on 2 Pro Teams in the same season –
Tim Zephyr 2011/2012 Wizard who averaged a double/double for the Wizards this season also played professionally for the North Jersey Pros
Dele Coker 2011/2012 Wizard who was among the league leaders in blocked shots and rebounds also played professionally for the North Jersey Pros
Aubin Scott 2010-2012 Wizard and last season’s league MVP has played not just for the Wizards in 2-seasons but in Finland and for the North Jersey Pros as well
“As an official in the EBA, I’ve always commented how professional an organization from top to bottom the Wizards have been and still are, they epitomize what a professional basketball player is and should be looking for when choosing an organization to be a part of – playing hard, intelligent, winning basketball that hopefully ensures that he gets an opportunity to realize his dream of playing at the next highest level for himself.”
Martin Braxton – EBA Official
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3/21/12
Wizards Finish Regular Season With a Road Loss -
Await Playoff Seeding
On Saturday 3/18 the New York Wizards lost a difficult road game to the Harrisburg Horizon 95-85.
At this point the Wizards await the remainder of the league to finish out their regular season play (the Wizards finished up slightly early due to an early November start) to determine their exact playoff seeding.
With the 2 Division Champions likely to get a bye (Metropolitan All Stars & Hudson Valley Hype) into the EBA Final Four the New York Wizards, at worst, become the highest seed in the "out-bracket" playoff competition for a position in the Final Four most likely facing off at home against the Winchester All Stars, Virginia Nova Hawks, or the Harrisburg Horizon.
"We have lost two of the last 3 games" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "Yet I feel our team has been playing well, sometimes short handed, and very much anticipate being ready for the playoffs"
"Remember" Continued Cerillo "The playoffs are a whole new season and you loose 1 and you are done. Now is the time to go on a 2 or 3 game winning streak and I truly feel our team is prepared to do so"
The EBA Final Four will be played at the Elmcor Community Center in Corona Queens, providing the Wizards yet another opportunity to win on New York turf!
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3/10/12
Business Like Win for Wizards
In a rare Friday night game in the EBA, the Wizards treated it like a regular work day and went about their business in defeating the winless Jaguars 138-107.
"We needed to get some work in this week" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "And the Jaguars were kind enough to move our game originally scheduled for 3/17 to this past Friday"
The Jaguars were paced by Mohamed Karim's 24 points.
The Wizards had 7 of their 8 players in uniform scoring in double digits led by Dele Cokers 25, Jermaine Abraham's 24, Aubin Scott's 23, Rob Hampton's 21, Eric Ferguson's 15, Greg Lott's 13, and Brandon Lawley's 12!
Dele Coker was in control of both backboards and closed out the middle all night finishing with 25 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
The player of the game though had to be Wizards guard Eric Ferguson who for the second week in a row proved to be a little to much for opposing guards to handle. Ferguson had 15 points 11 assists and 6 steals causing Jaguar players fits all night every time they placed the ball on the floor.
"Truly Eric has been a beast for us all season and is one of the most unselfish players in this league" Stated Wizards head Coach Greg Cerillo "Eric can score at will on anyone and is perhaps one of the best 3-pt shooters in this league. But game in and game out opponents will remember him for his defense."
Up next for the Wizards is the final regular game of the season - a Road Trip to Harrisburg PA on Sunday 3/18!
This win forces the Hudson Valley Hype to defeat the currently un-defeated Metropolitan All Stars on Saturday 3/17 our the NY Wizards can win their 3rd division title in a row if they defeat Harrisburg on Sunday!
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3/5/12
Wizards Drop Game to Hype
In a rare loss on the Wizards Home Court (only second loss in 3 seasons) the Wizards lost to the Hudson Valley Hype on Saturday 3/3 by the score of 113-105!
This sets up a very interesting playoff picture for the Wizards and the Hype. The Hype currently stand at 7-1 in EBA play and the Wizards at 7-2! If the Wizards loose any of their remaining two games of the regular season it would virtually assure the Hype of a Northern Division Championship and an automatic berth into the Final Four!
However if the Hype loose to either the NYC Jaguars or the Un-Defeated Metropolitan All Stars and the Wizards remain their remaining two games, the wizards would win the Division and the Automatic berth to the Final Four!
"We had a chance to care for this ourselves" Stated Wizards head Coach Greg Cerillo "Now we may need some help to get it done. Either way we will be prepared entering the playoffs and will get better each week to achieve our ultimate goal, and EBA Championship."
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3/1/12
Battle For New York
Covered Live On InterNet Radio
This week there will be a Pro Basketball Game between 2 Eastern Basketball Alliance (EBA) Powerhouses in a battle for first place in the Northern Division!
The Defending Northern Division Champion New York Wizards standing at 7-1 atop the Northern Division will take on the 6-1 Hudson Valley Hype (deadlocked by virtue of 1 loss each) for a game that certainly will/should determine the outcome of the EBA Northern Division if not the EBA Championship!!!!
The game will take place on Saturday 3/3 at Robert Frost Middle School in Deer Park 450 Half Hollow Road in Deer Park 11729 with Tip Off being at 7:00 PM. Free Youth tickets can be obtained by E-Mail at: betterball@optonline.net.
Adult tickets are $8 at the door and every child/student is admitted for free when accompanied by a paid adult ticket simply by using the attached coupon!
Fans of both Teams or EBA basketball in general can listen to the game, if you can not attend, Live via InterNet Radio with pre-game beginning at 6:30 PM at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportsrantzradio/2012/03/04/eba-basketball-hudson-valley-hype-at-ny-wizards
"Both teams have worked real hard to put them-self in this position" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "My players have done nothing but talk about this game all week and truly I am sure it is the same for the Hype. Many of these players live near or play against or with each other in the off season, so truly we anticipate no surprises here. This should just flat out be one heck of a game with some of the best professional players located in the Tri-State area."
From Allen Pickett Owner & CEO of the Hudson Valley Hype:
“When you look over your season schedule you always put an asterisk next to games with your division rival, no matter where you stand in the win loss column those games always mean something extra. It just happens that this is the year the Hype and the Wizards are currently tied for first place in the division with the first two games of the season being some of the most competitive played in the entire league. I think this third and final meeting of the season before the playoffs is going to be exactly the same if not better. If you are not a fan of minor league basketball then you will be after this.”
Come watch the battle!
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2/21/12
Wizards Balanced Attack & Defense Key To Early Success:
From left to right: Jermaine Abraham, Brandon Lawley, Greg Cerillo, Dele Coker, Aubin Scott, Tim Zephyr, Rob Hampton, Levy Mwanza (Not Pictured – Tamine Trent, Jason Romer, Eric Ferguson, Brian Faustin, Greg Lott)
Over the past several seasons much has been made about the size of the Wizards front line. Opponents have often walked into the Wizards gym and had to look up at their dominating front line(s). This season it is not unusual for the Wizards to start a line-up that stands 6’10”, 6’9”, 6’7”, 6’3”, and 6’1”!
Yet what makes the Wizards so interesting this season is their ability to defend and score points from a variety of positions! The Wizards have 9 players averaging double digits in scoring: Aubin Scott 25 PPG, Jason Romer 15 PPG, Jermaine Abraham 11 PPG, Brandon Lawley 13 PPG, Greg Lott 11 PPG, Dele Coker 11 PPG, Tim Zephyr 12 PPG, Tamien Trent 16 PPG, and Rob Hampton 11 PPG. When you add in Greg Cerillo and Levy Mwanza’s scoring averages the Wizards average 70 PPG off their bench.
Add to this scoring the fact that the Wizards only give up 99 PPG and one can see what makes them difficult to beat!
“I have learned over the years that the more versatility you can have the better off you are at this level” Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo “Not many guys here like to play defense. Truly it is hard to get recruited as a great defensive player from lower levels of basketball. Yet defense appears to be contagious and several teams in our league have stepped it up on that side of the ball this year. Our desire was to match or better their efforts.”
Cerillo continued: “When the year started we established our goal to be in the Final Four and to place our self in a position to win a championship! This season may just come down to who is playing best the last 2 weeks of the year. We need to get better and keep improving to compete, and we will.”
Up next for the Wizards is a road game against the NYC Jaguars on 2/25! In their last competition the Wizards held the Jaguars to 71 points in the game, 34 in the second half!
Currently the New York wizards sit atop the Northern Division of the EBA with a 6-1 record!
“We realize the Jaguars are struggling right now” Continued Cerillo “There a first year club and many teams have been through similar situations. Yet we can’t take anything for granted. Each game we play we need to use the competition to get better to reach our ultimate goal. To win a title!”
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2/19/12
Wizards Win 104-99
Many people facing off against the Wizards are immediately impressed with their size. Dele Coker is 6'10", Tim Zephyr is 6'9", Brandon Lawley is 6'7", Jermain Abraham is 6'7", Levy Mwanza is 6'8", Brian Faustin is 6'9". This large and athletic front line has virtually established a no-fly zone around the Wizards basket.
Yet it is the Wizards guard play that has carried them for most of the season and Saturday's victory over the Virginia Nova Hawks was no different. Each of the 4 guards in uniform scored in double digits, led by Jason Romers 22 points, Aubin Scotts 21, Eric Ferguson's 13, and Tamien Trent's 13.
"What really makes this club appealing to me this year is our defensive effort" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "We chase people off or aggressively challenge 3-pt shooters, and run them into our shot blockers down low. In 6 games this season we have only had 7 3-pt baskets made on us. If teams want to beat us they need to shoot very well or challenge our bigs"
"Tonight however the Nova Hawks did challenge our bigs and made a game of it. Truly the Nova Hawks under Coach Brown and his staff are one of the better coached clubs in our league. They kept running different line ups out there on us tonight causing difficult match-ups. When you think about a team making a 6-hour van ride and then playing like that, it just may be one of the better road performances of the season"
The Nova Hawks were led by Joseph Flegler's 26 points.
The Wizards were led by Jason Romers 22 points 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 3-pt shots. 6'10" Big Man Dele Coker, getting his first start of the season, had 11 points 20 rebounds, and 6 blocks.
"Dele was a beast inside for us on the defensive end and on the glass" Continued Cerillo "Once we get back small forwards Rob Hampton - 15 PPG and Greg Lott - 12 ppg who both missed the game for personal reasons, we feel we are ready to make a run. We need both these guys to match up to smaller clubs and tonight they were missed."
The Wizards next game will be against the NYC Jaguars on Saturday 2/25 in Brooklyn NY.
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2/10/12
2 States / 2 Days / 2 Games / 2 Leagues / 2 Wins / 0 Problems:
Over a 2 day span beginning Friday 2/3/2012 in Long Island NY 4 New York Wizards/North Jersey Pros players established a presence in two different leagues which earned their respective teams 2 wins in two days in both New York and New Jersey!
On Friday evening 2/3/12 in the EBA (Eastern Basketball Alliance) Tim Zephyr, Dele Coaker, Jermain Abraham, and Aubin Scott led the Wizards to one of the most dominating performances of the season with a 111 - 71 win over the NYC Jaguars. In this game Coker posted 8 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks, Abraham 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1block, Scott 29 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals while Zephyr chipped in 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block after injuring his elbow in the first quarter.
Fast forward to Saturday 2/4/12 in the ACPBL with the North Jersey Pros and the very same players suiting up for the North Jersey Pros posted the following statistics: Coker 21 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 4 blocks, Abraham 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, Zephyr 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist, while EBA League MVP Aubin Scott posted 28 points 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in their Pros first victory of the season with a 118-105 victory over NY 524.
"This is exactly what we hoped for when Christian Villar of the Pros and myself expressed an interest in helping these players" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "These players, as is the case with all our Wizards players who started the season on the Wizards roster are not just some of the best players on the Wizards, or the EBA, but some of the best players in our area."
"Winning is always important to me" Continued Cerillo "Job 1 was for these players is to help their respective teams challange for a championship. In turn we will promote their ability to every overseas team and agent. Their ability speaks for itself. Christian Villar, owner of the North Jersey Pros clearly feels the same way and winners tend to find each other."
Fans of the Wizards and Pros can expect to hear a lot from these players this season! More than likely 2x more than anyone else!
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2/6/12
Wizards Win Big 111-71
It was a like watching two different halfs! The Wizards went into the locker room at halftime with a very narrow 40-37 lead. But outscored the Jaguars 71-34 in the second half.
"The Jags ran a solid zone on us the first half, and it took us a little while to figure it out" Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo "I have challenged my team all season long to roll out two great defensive halfs and that is exactly what we did. Giving up 37 in a half is outstanding and then we turned it up a notch by giving up only 34 in the second half."
The Jaguars were led by Roman Perez with 21 points.
Cerillo continued: "This is a first year club and they have struggled a bit scoring points all season (The Jaguars are averaging 78 points a game on offense). I knew if we kept running and attacking we could make the point total difficult to match. We had 15 un-forced turnovers in the first half so truly we shot ourself in the foot a bit. That team came out of the gate strong though. With a few more players they may just be able to string together 2 halfs like the first and make life difficult on some teams."
The Wizards were once again led by their outstanding guard play. League MVP Aubin Scott is on his way to another outstanding season and posted 29 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals against the Jaguars. Aubin's running mates in the back court, Jason Romer & Eric Ferguson posted 20 and 14 respectively.
If the deadly guard combination mentioned was not enough the Wizards were able to overcome an injury to Mr. Double/Double Time Zephry and get another solid performance from Dele Coker with 8 points 11 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The Wizards may have received their biggest shot in the arm from 6'7" power forward Jermaine Abraham who in one half of basketball posted 16 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Lott also played excellent in the first half with 10 solid points when points were hard to come by.
"These guard lineups are very difficult for our matchups" Stated Wizards Head Coach Cerillo "We want to get all our players work in hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Yet tonight our bigs were monsters. We challanged every shooter all the way out to the 3-pt line and made life difficult for our opponents. When the game went inside Coker, Lawley, Abraham, and Zephyr did a great job turning shots away."
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2/3/12
New York Wizards & North Jersey Pros Strike an Unprecedented Agreement
Would the old ABA work together with the NBA? Would footballs old AFL work with the NFL? How about hockeys AFL working with the NHL? The answer to all those questions is and was no! Which is why the Wizards & Pros arrangement is so unusual.
The two-time EBA Final Four participating New York Wizards and the ACPBL North Jersey Pro's have reached a cross promotional agreement which will place their players at the forefront of minor league basketball exposure and certainly will benefit each program in securing their players overseas contracts.
In principle the agreement begins with the North Jersey Pros utilizing some of the EBA New York Wizards players for ACPBL contests beginning with this weekends 2/4 Pros home game!
"The Wizards have always attempted to be a leader in the minor league basketball industry" Stated Wizards head Coach Greg Cerillo "We were the first EBA team to ever play at Madison Square Garden, the first to every play a professional 48-minute double header game, the first to have our games broadcast Live on Internet Radio, and now the first to have our players represent two leagues, on two different team, with 2 different ownerships."
The first players impacted by this unique agreement will be: EBA League MVP and Wizards Point Guard Aubin Scott (currently the leading scorer and assist person in the EBA), 6'9" Tim Zephyr out of DI Norfolk State. Tim is refered to as the Walking Double Double (points and rebounds) and is a fan favorite because of his athletic ability and dunking prowess. Also expected to join the Pro's is Jermaine Abraham who at 6'7" has established himself as one of the strongest players in any league he plays in. Also expected to be offered this unique opportunity is 6'10" St. John's product Dele Coker who will block or challenge every shot defensively while utilizing a soft mid range jump shot to chip in 15 plus points per game.
Cerillo continued: "When even thinking of joining forces with someone else for an opportunity like this you have to find someone who has the best interest of the players at heart, a person of integrity, and a person who wants to bring a quality product to his community! Pros Owner Christian Villar is exactly that. I have know this man for several years and I am honored to be involved with him and his program.
Wizards and Pros fans can expect to see a quality product on the floor from the best minor league players in the area!
Stay tuned for more details!!!
Go Wizards - Go Pros