Blue Ducks hope to rebound from losses

Brevard team struggled in second year
By Scott Brown

The Brevard Blue Ducks open their third season of United States Basketball League play in April, and no one knows what to expect from the county’s lone professional basketball team.

After experiencing the good in 2002 — Brevard went 21-9 and won the USBL’s East Division — the Blue Ducks went through the bad and ugly last year.
Brevard won just six of 30 games, and had trouble connecting with local fans, in part, because of the constant roster turnover the team endured.
Dennis Scott never took on the coach-player role for which owner Mike Richman had signed the former Magic forward, and first-year coach Derek Howard didn’t make it through the season (he left the team late in the year, citing personal issues).

The team’s move from Bayside High School to the more centrally located Clemente Center at Florida Tech didn’t attract more fans. In fact, attendance probably slipped from the previous year.

The Blue Ducks, who selected LeBron James in the second round of the USBL Draft last April, will again play on the campus of Florida Tech in Melbourne.
The team had not announced its coaching staff as of mid-February.

According to the USBL, 130 of its former players have moved on to the NBA. Alums include former Magic guard Darrell Armstrong, Muggsy Bogues, Chris Childs and Anthony Mason.

For information about the Brevard Blue Ducks and tickets, call (321) 751-2583.

Click here for the Brevard Blue Ducks 2004 schedule

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