2018 JBA season

The 2018 JBA season was the only season of the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), an American men's professional basketball league. The JBA was designed as an alternative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), allowing high school and junior college players to immediately play professionally. The season began on June 21 and concluded with the JBA Finals on August 12, 2018. After the season concluded, the JBA selected many of its top players to take part in what was originally a 28-game international season against teams from various countries in Europe and Asia. However, an incident in Lithuania lead to a shortening of the event, with teams dropping out of matches and Asian teams cancelling their matches for late 2018 and early 2019 altogether.

2018 JBA season
LeagueJunior Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationJune 21, 2018 – August 12, 2018
Number of teams8
TV partner(s)
  • Facebook Live (online)
Regular season
Top seedLos Angeles Ballers
Top scorerLiAngelo Ball (Los Angeles)
Playoffs
Finals
ChampionsLos Angeles Ballers
  Runners-upSeattle Ballers
Finals MVPLiAngelo Ball

Teams
Location of venues for 2018 season[1]

The 2018 JBA season consisted of eight teams, with each representing an American city and having the nickname "Ballers." Teams did not occupy a specified home arena; instead, every team faced each other in ten different arenas across the United States.

Team Home city Colors Head coach
Atlanta Ballers Atlanta, Georgia           Douglas Byrd[2]
Chicago Ballers Chicago, Illinois           Eddie Denard
Nicolas Colon[3]
Dallas Ballers Dallas, Texas           Ray Johnson[4]
Houston Ballers Houston, Texas           Everett Rick[5]
Los Angeles Ballers Los Angeles, California           Doyle Balthazar[6]
New York Ballers New York City, New York           Marvin McCullough[7]
Philadelphia Ballers Philadelphia, Pennsylvania           James Martin[8]
Seattle Ballers Seattle, Washington           Charles O'Bannon[9]

Regular season

Standings
Pos Team Pld W L PCT Qualification
1 Los Angeles Ballers (C, Z) 8 6 2 .750 Qualification for the playoffs
2 Seattle Ballers 8 5 3 .625
3 New York Ballers 8 5 3 .625
4 Dallas Ballers 8 5 3 .625
5 Atlanta Ballers 8 5 3 .625
6 Houston Ballers 8 3 5 .375
7 Chicago Ballers 8 2 6 .250
8 Philadelphia Ballers (W) 8 1 7 .125
Updated to match(es) played on July 29, 2018. Source: http://www.jbaleague.com
(C) Champion; (W) Clinched worst record; (Z) Clinched best record.

Games

All-Star Event

On August 3, 2018, the JBA hosted their inaugural All-Star Event at the Quest Multisport in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to the All-Star Game, the league hosted a Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest. Two days before the event, event contestants and All-Star Game selections were officially revealed to the public.[10]

Three-Point Contest
Contestants
Pos.PlayerTeam
G Nigel ChaneyAtlanta Ballers
G/F Harrison RiegerChicago Ballers
G Karlon McSpaddenDallas Ballers
G Jordell RossHouston Ballers
G LiAngelo BallLos Angeles Ballers
G Taylor KirkhamNew York Ballers
F/G Marquis JohnsonPhiladelphia Ballers
G Brandon WillisSeattle Ballers
Results
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
LiAngelo Ball (Los Angeles) 12
Harrison Rieger (Chicago) 11
LiAngelo Ball (Los Angeles) 8
Taylor Kirkham (New York) 6
Karlon McSpadden (Dallas) 12
Taylor Kirkham (New York) 14
LiAngelo Ball (Los Angeles) 9
Brandon Willis (Seattle) 18
Jordell Ross (Houston) 9
Marquis Johnson (Philadelphia) 6
Jordell Ross (Houston) 9
Brandon Willis (Seattle) 12
Brandon Willis (Seattle) 13
Nigel Chaney (Atlanta) 7

Slam Dunk Contest
Contestants
Pos.PlayerTeam
G Fionn BrownAtlanta Ballers
F Shaun LeeChicago Ballers
G Demolia PetersonDallas Ballers
F Nicholas LovelaceHouston Ballers
F/G Keshaun MackLos Angeles Ballers
G Jameer KillingNew York Ballers
G/F Shannon HandyPhiladelphia Ballers
G Anthony CarmonSeattle Ballers
Results
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
Shaun Lee (Chicago) 45
Anthony Carmon (Seattle) 36
Shaun Lee (Chicago)
Jameer Killing (New York)
Demolia Peterson (Dallas) 25
Jameer Killing (New York) 28
Shaun Lee (Chicago) 25
Nicholas Lovelace (Houston) 29
Keshaun Mack (Los Angeles)
Shannon Handy (Philadelphia)
Keshaun Mack (Los Angeles)
Nicholas Lovelace (Houston)
Nicholas Lovelace (Houston) 44
Fionn Brown (Atlanta)

All-Star Game

Game

LiAngelo Ball of the West All-Stars was named co-most valuable player (MVP) along with Deon Lyle of the East All-Stars.[11] Ball recorded 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Lyle scored a game-high 51 points. LaMelo Ball also recorded a double-double with 42 points and 17 assists.[11]

August 3, 2018
7:00 pm CT
East All-Stars 189, West All-Stars 202
Scoring by quarter: 35–51, 49–39, 42–58, 63–54
Pts: Lyle (51)
Rebs: Lyle, Boyd (11)
Asts: Butler (10)		 Pts: La. Ball, Hollis (42)
Rebs: Li. Ball (15)
Asts: La. Ball (17)
Quest Multisport, Chicago, Illinois

Playoffs
The Citizens Business Bank Arena debuted the inaugural games of the season and hosted the JBA Championship.

Championship bracket

Venue: Eagle's Nest Arena (Los Angeles, California), Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario, California)

Quarterfinals
August 10 		Semifinals
August 11 		Championship game
August 12
         
1 Los Angeles Ballers 157
8 Philadelphia Ballers 134
1 Los Angeles Ballers 127
4 New York Ballers 124
4 New York Ballers 93
5 Atlanta Ballers 82
1 Los Angeles Ballers 132
2 Seattle Ballers 121
3 Dallas Ballers 105
6 Houston Ballers 106
2 Seattle Ballers 129
6 Houston Ballers 106
2 Seattle Ballers 105
7 Chicago Ballers 90

Boxscores

Quarterfinals
August 10, 2018
12:00
New York 93–82 Atlanta
Scoring by quarter: 29–11, 17–23, 25–23, 22–23
Pts: Antoine (24)
Rebs: Brown (10)
Asts: Irby (8)		 Pts: Chaney (22)
Rebs: Boyd (13)
Asts: Butler (5)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California
August 10, 2018
2:30
Dallas 105–106 (OT) Houston
Scoring by quarter: 16–17, 26–20, 27–27, 20–25, Overtime: 16–17
Pts: McSpadden (35)
Rebs: Morris (11)
Asts: M. Morgan (7)		 Pts: Hollis (31)
Rebs: Myers (12)
Asts: Myers (5)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California
August 10, 2018
5:00
Seattle 105–90 Chicago
Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 19–13, 36–21, 27–36
Pts: Abdullah-Booker (23)
Rebs: Abdullah-Booker (13)
Asts: Uzan (5)		 Pts: Watson (26)
Rebs: Pope (20)
Asts: Pope (4)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California
August 10, 2018
7:30
Los Angeles 157–134 Philadelphia
Scoring by quarter: 36–16, 41–35, 40–38, 40–45
Pts: Li. Ball (58)
Rebs: Davis (11)
Asts: La. Ball (13)		 Pts: Johnson (32)
Rebs: Handy (14)
Asts: Buckner (10)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California

Semifinals
August 11, 2018
5:00
Seattle 129–106 Houston
Scoring by quarter: 29–25, 40–24, 34–28, 26–29
Pts: J. Morgan, Willis (29)
Rebs: Carmon (13)
Asts: Willis (9)		 Pts: Forman (24)
Rebs: Hollis (7)
Asts: Forman (5)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California
August 11, 2018
7:30
Los Angeles 127–124 New York
Scoring by quarter: 33–21, 30–40, 33–35, 31–28
Pts: La. Ball (55)
Rebs: La. Ball, Floyd (16)
Asts: La. Ball (7)		 Pts: Killing (32)
Rebs: Camara (11)
Asts: Antoine (10)
Eagle's Nest Arena, Los Angeles, California

JBA Finals
August 12, 2018 Los Angeles 132–121 Seattle Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, California
7:30 Scoring by quarter: 27–27, 38–30, 31–29, 36–35
Pts: Li. Ball (58)
Rebs: Davis (20)
Asts: La. Ball (9)		 Boxscore Pts: Springer (32)
Rebs: Abdullah-Booker (18)
Asts: Carmon (8)

International season

After the JBA Finals, the league selected 14 players to play for the JBA USA Team, which will take part in 28 exhibition games against international competition. The international season began on September 22, 2018, when the JBA USA Team faced the Svendborg Rabbits from Denmark.[12] Los Angeles Ballers head coach Doyle Balthazar served as the JBA USA Team head coach, with Los Angeles assistant coach Rasul Salahuddin and Seattle Ballers head coach Charles O'Bannon assuming assistant roles.[13] The international season was expected to continue in 2019.[13] However, due to a fight LaMelo Ball was involved with against Dzūkija Alytus on October 1, some of the teams that were previously scheduled for the event dropped out of the event, with the international event concluding earlier than the league anticipated.[14] LaMelo later left the team and the league to enter his senior year of high school. In addition to him, a few other also left the team during the tournament.

JBA USA Team roster
Pos. Player Team
G LaMelo Ball Los Angeles Ballers
G LiAngelo Ball Los Angeles Ballers
F Corey Boyd Atlanta Ballers
F Calvin Brown New York Ballers
F Cameron Clark Seattle Ballers
F/C Melvin Davis Los Angeles Ballers
F Greg Floyd Jr. Los Angeles Ballers
G/F Curtis Hollis Houston Ballers
G/F Deon Lyle Chicago Ballers
F JaMicheal Morgan Seattle Ballers
F/C Nate Morris Dallas Ballers
G Jordan Ray Atlanta Ballers
G/F Harrison Rieger Chicago Ballers
G Jerell Springer Seattle Ballers
F Nyang Wek Dallas Ballers
Head coach: Doyle Balthazar
Assistant coaches: Charles O'Bannon and Rasul Salahuddin

International games

Media

For the 2018 season, the JBA aired games through Facebook Live, including All-Star festivities and playoff matches.[15] Allen Bell and Brandon Williams were the official commentators for the season.[16]

References
  1. "JBA". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  2. "Douglas Byrd". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  3. Peter, Josh (July 20, 2018). "Coach in LaVar Ball's Junior Basketball Association who got physical with player no longer with team". USA Today. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  4. "Ray Johnson". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  5. "Everett Rick". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  6. "Doyle Balthazar". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  7. Junior Basketball Association [@bbbjbaleague] (June 18, 2018). "The New York Ballers, led by Coach Marvin McCullough will face the Los Angeles Ballers in just 3 more days! This team is fierce and hungry. Season opener is June 21st at @CBBankArena" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. "James Martin". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  9. Junior Basketball Association [@bbbjbaleague] (May 30, 2018). "..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "JBA All-Star Game". JBA League. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  11. Nathan, Alec (August 3, 2018). "LiAngelo Ball Named Co-MVP of LaVar's JBA All-Star Game 2018; LaMelo Scores 42". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  12. Rivas, Christian (September 12, 2018). "JBA announces international season opener, 13-man roster". Lonzo Wire. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  13. Alvarez, Manny (September 18, 2018). "JBA USA set for Denmark opener". Junior Basketball Association. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  14. https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2018/12/31/lamelo-balls-fight-forced-jba-to-cancel-international-tour-games/
  15. Martin, Josh (June 15, 2018). "Junior Basketball Association to broadcast games on Facebook". Lonzo Wire. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  16. Rohrbach, Ben (July 20, 2018). "Coach relieved of duties following bullying incident in LaVar Ball's Junior Basketball Association". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
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