By Adrienne Bourdreau:
Thanks to the Buffalo 716ers basketball is still alive and well as a minor league sport in the Queen City.
The American Basketball Association expansion club team, founded in October 2012, is both owned and coached by Buffalo native, Tawan Slaughter, who noticed the need many former college basketball players feel here. “These guys graduate from college in the Buffalo area and are really talented but have nowhere to go [teams] or play competitively. Once you’re out of college you’re kind of done,” said Slaughter. But it’s a trade off too, because the people of Buffalo are still “hungry for professional basketball – they want to go out and see a sort of Buffalo Braves team so it works all the way around,” she said.
The 716ers are also giving an opportunity to local players this summer that could change lives.
The NBA-sanctioned Los Angles Summer Pro League, with alumni such as Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, has asked the 716ers to gather a Rust Belt based team for their July showcase. These players will have a chance to be seen by both national and international professional basketball scouts from July 20 – 29.
You can see the team hit the home court this Friday, March 21 at Tapestry Charter School when they face the Erie Hurricanes. Doors at 6: 30 p.m. Tip off at 7 p.m.
$5 covers general admission seating and children 3 & under are free. See Facebook
Buffalo 716ers
Tapestry Charter School
65 Great Arrow Ave
Buffalo, NY 14216