| Rockford Lightning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Leagues | IBL 2000–2001 CBA 1979–2000 & 2001–2006 | ||
| Founded | 1978 | ||
| Folded | 2006 | ||
| History | Lancaster Red Roses 1978–1980 Philadelphia Kings 1980–1981 Lancaster Lightning 1981–1985 Baltimore Lightning 1985–1986 Rockford Lightning 1986–2006 | ||
| Arena | Rockford MetroCentre | ||
| Championships | none | ||
The Rockford Lightning was a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). They were based in Rockford, Illinois.
The Lightning were the oldest team in the CBA, originally existing as the Lancaster Red Roses from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. That team changed their name to the Lancaster Lightning, then the franchise moved to Baltimore for a year before relocating in Rockford. Their home arena was the MetroCentre.
They were the runners-up in the 2001-02 and 2004-05 CBA seasons, losing a winner-take-all championship game to the Dakota Wizards 116–109 in 2002, and a best-of-5 series to the Sioux Falls Skyforce 3–1 in 2005.
On January 20, 2006, the team's owner announced that the Lightning would cease operations [1] after the season unless other investors purchased the team and continued its operations. An attempt was made to constitute a new local ownership group, but it was unsuccessful, and the team folded. The Lightning's main rival was the Quad City Thunder.
Ralph Sampson also would play for the Rockford Lightning in the Continental Basketball Association during the 1994–95 season before ultimately retiring for good.
The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States from 1946 to 2009.
The International Basketball League (IBL) was a short-lived professional men's basketball league in the United States. The IBL was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The league started in 1999 and ended in 2001.
The Dakota Wizards were an American professional basketball team based in Bismarck, North Dakota. They played in the NBA Development League from 2006 until 2012. After the 2011–12 season, the team relocated to Santa Cruz, California, and now plays as the Santa Cruz Warriors. Prior to entering the D-League in 2006, the Wizards spent 11 years playing in minor American leagues such as the International Basketball Association (IBA) and the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).
The Sioux Falls Skyforce are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is affiliated with the Miami Heat. The team has played its home games in the Sanford Pentagon since the 2013–14 season. The Sioux Falls Skyforce are the longest-running minor-league basketball team in the United States.
The Tampa Bay Thrillers were a franchise in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1984–1987. They won back-to-back championships in 1984–85 and 1985–86. At the end of the 1986–87 CBA regular season the team relocated to Rapid City, South Dakota, and went on to win a third consecutive CBA title.
Keith Mitchell Closs Jr. is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Santiago Basket Titanes of the Laliga de Campeones (LDC). He played at the center position.
Jeffery Raynard Sanders is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft. Sanders played for the Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks in four NBA seasons. In his NBA career, he appeared in 55 games and scored a total of 112 points. He played collegiately at Georgia Southern University. He also played for Fenerbahçe and Kombassan Konyaspor in Turkey.
The Billings Volcanos were an American basketball team based in Billings, Montana that was a member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). From 1979–80, they were called the Hawaii Volcanos. The team name is spelled "Volcanos," even though the proper plural spelling for volcano would be "volcanoes."
Gerald Madkins Jr. is an American professional basketball executive who is a former assistant general manager for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a former professional basketball player.
The Lancaster Red Roses were a professional basketball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From 1946 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1955, they played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League, of which the Red Roses were one of the six original teams. The Red Roses also played briefly as the Lancaster Rockets. They were members of the Eastern Basketball Association from 1975 to 1978, and the Continental Basketball Association from 1979 to 1980. The Red Roses were members of the American Basketball League briefly in the 1946-47 season, where they were known as the Lancaster Roses.
Daniel Joseph Godfread is an American retired professional basketball player at the center position with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1990–91 NBA season and the Houston Rockets in the 1991–92 NBA season. He also played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Rockford Lightning.
Leonard White is an American former professional basketball player. He is listed at 6'7" and weighed 224 lbs. Born in Century, Florida, White started playing collegiate ball with the Faulkner State Community College (1989–1991) and is still the all-time leading scorer of the Sun Chiefs with a 22.7 ppg average. He later transferred to Southern University (1991–1993) and led the Jaguars in scoring his last two years there. White entered the 1993 NBA draft and was picked 53rd in the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers; however, he was not signed and never got to play in the NBA. He played a few games in the French professional league in Pau Orthez but it is in the CBA where White will be making his mark in his professional basketball career as one of the league leaders in statistics for games played, minutes played, scoring, rebounds and steals. White has played for the San Diego Wildcards, Grand Rapids Hoops, Rockford Lightning, Sioux Falls Skyforce and Yakama Sun Kings, where he helped them win back-to-back CBA championships. He has also taken his game to the USBL with the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs, the IBL with the Tacoma Jazz and overseas notably in Venezuela. In the off-season, White coaches high school basketball in Florida.
Perry Victor Moss is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player.
Craig Anthony Shelton is a retired American basketball player. He played in parts of two seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
David Joerger ( [YAY-ger]) is an American professional basketball coach who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was the head coach of the Dakota Wizards from 2000 to 2004 and in 2006–2007 in the International Basketball Association, Continental Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League, winning championships in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2007. He also coached the Sioux Falls Skyforce from 2004 to 2006, winning a championship in 2005. In the NBA, Joerger served as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2013 to 2016, and Sacramento Kings from 2016 to 2019.
The Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets were a professional basketball team based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1988 to 1991. They played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the defunct development league for the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Mauro Panaggio was an American basketball coach at the high school, college, and professional levels. He holds the record for the most coaching wins in the history of the Continental Basketball Association, and was named to the CBA's 50th Anniversary team as coach.
The Rochester Renegade were a professional basketball team based in Rochester, Minnesota. They played 2 seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the defunct development league for the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Continental Basketball Association Rookie of the Year was an annual award given to the best rookie(s) of the regular season of the CBA. The award was given to players on their first CBA season and with no prior professional experience.
 | This article about a basketball team in Illinois is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
