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== WABA (1984) ==
== WABA (1984) ==
The first Women's American Basketball Association was founded by [[Bill Byrne (sports entrepreneur)|Bill Byrne]], founder of the [[Women's Professional Basketball League]] (WBL), in hopes of cashing in on the USA Olympic team's success in Los Angeles in 1984. While some talented players played in the league (including [[Nancy Lieberman]], [[Molly Bolin]], [[Pamela McGee]] and [[Paula McGee]]) most of the league's teams folded before the league championship, which was won by Dallas over Chicago.
The first Women's American Basketball Association was founded by [[Bill Byrne (sports entrepreneur)|Bill Byrne]], founder of the [[Women's Professional Basketball League]] (WBL), in hopes of cashing in on the USA Olympic team's success in Los Angeles in 1984. While some talented players played in the league (including [[Nancy Lieberman]], [[Molly Bolin]], [[Pamela McGee]] and [[Paula McGee]]) most of the league's teams folded before the league championship, which was won by Dallas over Chicago.

== WWBA/WBA (1992–95) ==
The [[Women's Basketball Association]] (WBA) was the first women's professional basketball summer league. The league was called the WWBA and WBA for the first All-Star tour in 1992, before settling on WBA. The pioneer league was formed in 1992 by Lightning N Mitchell and played three full seasons from 1993–95.<ref name="archive1">{{cite web |url=http://hometown.aol.com/bradleyrd/women.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031211043205/http://hometown.aol.com/bradleyrd/women.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2003 |title=The History of Women's Professional Basketball |author=Robert Bradley |author2=Jack Black |author3=F. Travis Boley |author4=Robert Bradley |author5=Tom Goddard |author6=John Guy |author7=Steve Mau |author8=Shawn Oliver |author9=Mark Pollak |author10=Pat Premo |author11=Dennis Slusher |date=16 June 2006 }}</ref>

The WBA played a 15-game schedule, and games were broadcast on Liberty Sports of Dallas. The All-Star games<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/az/hangar018/wba95.html|title=Women's Basketball Association Set|access-date=29 December 2013}}</ref> were also televised on [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]. [[Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball|Kansas Jayhawks]] All-American Geri "Kay-Kay" Hart and [[Robelyn Garcia|Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia]] announced the game on Fox Radio and [[Nancy Lieberman]] was the TV announcer for the 1995 All-Star game.

The WBA played three full seasons, with plans to play as a 12-team league in 1997, but disbanded before the season began. When Fox Sports purchased Liberty Sports and the WBA, they dissolved the league shortly after and sold off the franchising rights. The league was the first American professional women's basketball league to be successful as a summer league, like their counterpart [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA).

Guard [[Laurie Byrd]] played for the WWBA, WBA, [[American Basketball League (1996–98)|American Basketball League]] and the WNBA.

=== WBA Champions ===
* 1993 – Kansas Crusaders – MVP: [[Robelyn Garcia]]
* 1994 – Nebraska Express – MVP: Maurtice Ivy (Tice)
* 1995 – Chicago Twisters – MVP: Diana Vines

===1993 WBA regular season===
{{Div col|colwidth=45em}}
{{col-begin|width=100%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;World Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| Kansas Crusaders || 10 || 5 || {{winpct|10|5}} || –
|-
|align=left| Iowa Unicorns || 5 || 10 || {{winpct|5|10}} || 5
|-
|align=left| Illinois Knights || 4 || 11 || {{winpct|4|11}} || 6
|}

;American Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| Nebraska Express || 13 || 2 || {{winpct|13|2}} || –
|-
|align=left| Missouri Mustangs || 10 || 5 || {{winpct|10|5}}|| 3
|-
|align=left| Oklahoma Cougars || 3 || 12 || {{winpct|3|12}} || 10
|}

{{col-end}}
'''MVP:''' Sarah Campbell

'''<u>WBA 1st Round Playoffs</u>'''<br>
'''Missouri 2–1 over Iowa<br>'''
Iowa 119, Missouri 103<br>
Missouri 98, Iowa 93<br>
Missouri 117, Iowa 112 (OT)<br>
<br>
'''Kansas 2–0 over Oklahoma'''<br>
Kansas 92, Oklahoma 77<br>
Kansas 114, Oklahoma 64<br>
<br>
'''Nebraska 2–0 over Illinois<br>'''
Nebraska 166, Illinois 129<br>
Nebraska 127, Illinois 115<br>
<br>
'''<u>WBA 2nd Round Playoffs</u>'''<br>
'''Kansas 2–0 over Missouri<br>'''
Kansas 121, Missouri 97<br>
Kansas 109, Missouri 99<br>
<br>
'''<u>1993 WBA Championship</u>''' (best-of five)<br>
'''Kansas 3–1 over Nebraska'''<br>
Kansas 125, Nebraska 119<br>
Nebraska 118, Kansas 100<br>
Kansas 111, Nebraska 96<br>
First WBA Championship: Kansas 100, Nebraska 98<br>
MVP: [[Robelyn Garcia|Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia]]'''
{{div col end}}

===1994 WBA regular season===
{{Div col|colwidth=45em}}
{{col-begin|width=100%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;National Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| y-Kansas City Mustangs || 15 || 0 || {{winpct|15|0}} || –
|-
|align=left| x-Memphis Blues || 10 || 5 || {{winpct|10|5}} || 5
|-
|align=left| x-St. Louis River Queens || 9 || 6 || {{winpct|9|6}} || 6
|-
|align=left| Kansas Marauders || 4 || 11 || {{winpct|4|11}} || 11
|}

;American Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| y-Nebraska Express || 10 || 5 || {{winpct|10|5}} || –
|-
|align=left| x-Indiana Stars || 8 || 7 || {{winpct|8|7}}|| 2
|-
|align=left| x-Oklahoma Cougars || 3 || 12 || {{winpct|3|12}} || 7
|-
|align=left| Iowa Twisters || 1 || 14 || {{winpct|1|14}} || 9
|}
{{col-end}}
'''MVP:''' Evette Ott, Sarah Campbell

'''<u>WBA 1st Round Playoffs</u>'''<br>
'''Memphis 2–0 over St. Louis'''<br>
Memphis 126, St. Louis 111<br>
Memphis 122, St. Louis 110<br>
<br>
'''Indiana 2–0 over Oklahoma'''<br>
Indiana 107, Oklahoma 91<br>
Indiana 103, Oklahoma 91<br>
<br>
'''<u>WBA 2nd Round Playoffs</u>''' (Best out of 2 or the total number of points score in 2 games)<br>
'''Memphis won series in Points (195–185)'''<br>
Kansas City 98, Memphis 94<br>
Memphis 101, Kansas City 87<br>
<br>
'''Nebraska won series by winning 2–0 over Indiana'''<br>
Nebraska 99, Indiana 89<br>
Nebraska 91, Indiana 87<br>
<br>
'''<u>1994 WBA Championship</u>''' (best-of five)<br>
'''Nebraska 3–2 over Memphis'''<br>
Memphis 102, Nebraska 101<br>
Nebraska 123, Memphis 108<br>
Memphis 138, Nebraska 128<br>
Nebraska 111, Memphis 101<br>
Nebraska 103, Memphis 101

'''MVP:''' Maurtice (Tice) Ivy'''
{{div col end}}

===1995 WBA regular season===
{{Div col|colwidth=45em}}
{{col-begin|width=100%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;National Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| y-St. Louis River Queens || 8 || 7 || {{winpct|8|7}} || –
|-
|align=left| Kansas City Mustangs || 7 || 8 || {{winpct|7|8}} || 1
|-
|align=left| Kentucky Marauders || 7 || 8 || {{winpct|7|8}} || 1
|-
|align=left| Memphis Blues || 7 || 8 || {{winpct|7|8}} || 1
|}
;American Conference
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!style="width:180px"| Team
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|W|Games won}}
!style="width:30px"| {{abbr|L|Games lost}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Winning percentage|PCT]]|Winning percentage}}
!style="width:40px"| {{abbr|[[Games behind|GB]]|Games behind}}
|-
|align=left| y-Chicago Twisters || 14 || 1 || {{winpct|15|1}} || –
|-
|align=left| Nebraska Express || 6 || 9 || {{winpct|6|9}}|| 8
|-
|align=left| Minnesota Stars || 5 || 10 || {{winpct|5|10}} || 9
|-
|align=left| Oklahoma Flames || 5 || 10 || {{winpct|5|10}} || 9
|}
{{col-end}}
{{Div col end}}{{Div col|colwidth=45em}}
'''MVP:''' Evette Ott, Sarah Campbell

'''<u>1995 Last WBA Championship Game</u>'''<br>
'''Chicago''' 107, St. Louis 96<br>
'''Co-MVP:''' Diana Vines & Petra Jackson<br>
{{Div col end}}

== WABA (2001–02) ==
The Women's American Basketball Association (WABA) formed in 2001 and played one season in 2002. Six teams played in the league: [[Allentown Crunch]], [[Reading Rage]], [[Schuylkill Syrens]], [[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Scream]], [[Wilmington Jaguars]] and [[York City Noise]].

The 2002 championship game was played June 2, 2002, and won by the York City Noise. Meggan Yedsena (who went on to play for the [[Colorado Chill]]) led the Schuylkill Syrens in the league's inaugural season. Some of the teams made the transition to the [[WEBA]] and continue to play semi-professional Basketball. Yedsena was the only player to play in both the 1990s WABA (for [[Nebraska Cornhuskers women's basketball|Nebraska]]) and the 2002 WABA.<ref name="archive1" />


== WABA (2017–present) ==
== WABA (2017–present) ==

Revision as of 20:52, 2 July 2023

Women's American Basketball Association
SportWomen's basketball
Founded2013
First season2017
No. of teams20
CountryUSA

The Women's American Basketball Association (WABA) is a league that began in 2017 with seven teams. It now has over 20 teams across the country. Season 4 was cancelled in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. There have been previous women's professional basketball leagues in the United States known by the same name and a similar name, the Women's Basketball Association, some of which are described below, but the current league is not a continuation of any of those and is unrelated to them in any way other than by similarity of name and the sport played.

WABA (1984)

The first Women's American Basketball Association was founded by Bill Byrne, founder of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL), in hopes of cashing in on the USA Olympic team's success in Los Angeles in 1984. While some talented players played in the league (including Nancy Lieberman, Molly Bolin, Pamela McGee and Paula McGee) most of the league's teams folded before the league championship, which was won by Dallas over Chicago.

WABA (2017–present)

Management of the modern-day men’s semi-professional American Basketball Association (ABA) are attempting to create a "new" WABA.[1]

WABA Champions

Season Champion Runner-up Result Host city
2017 Jersey Expressions Orlando Splash Newark, NJ
2018 Jersey Expressions Atlanta Angels 115-87 Newark, NJ
2019 DC Cyclones Coastal Empire Lady Monarchs
2020 Not held due to COVID-19
2021 Jacksonville Force Midwest Sound 85-79 Augusta, GA

Notable players

References

  1. ^ "WABA". Retrieved June 5, 2021.
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