Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association is a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league views itself as a minor league that develops talent for the National Basketball Association.
The CBA can date it origins back to April 23, 1946, when it was called the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League (1946-47). Between 1948 and 1970 it was called the Eastern Professional Basketball League, and then renamed the Eastern Basketball Association. On June 1, 1978, the league's name became the Continental Basketball Association.
Financial problems arising while Isiah Thomas was owner led to the CBA disbanding on February 8, 2001, with some of its teams moving briefly to the International Basketball League. CBA and IBL teams then merged later that year with the International Basketball Association, establishing a resurrected CBA.
CBA Teams 2003-04
CBA Champions
Best-of-three games series
- 1946-47 Wilkes-Barre Barons Lancaster Red Roses 2-1
- 1947-48 Reading Keys Hazelton Mountaineers 2-1
- 1948-49 Pottsville Packers Harrisburg Senators 2-1
- 1949-50 Williamsport Billies Harrisburg Senators 2-1
- 1950-51 Sunbury Mercuries York Victory A.C. 2-0
- 1951-52 Pottsville Packers Sunbury Mercuries 2-1
- 1952-53 Williamsport Billies Berwick Carbuilders 2-1
- 1953-54 Williamsport Billies Lancaster Red Roses 2-1
- 1954-55 Wilkes-Barre Barons Hazelton Hawks 2-1
- 1955-56 Wilkes-Barre Barons Williamsport Billies 3-1
- 1956-57 Scranton Miners Hazelton Hawks 2-1
- 1957-58 Wilkes-Barre Barons Easton Madisons 2-1
- 1958-59 Wilkes-Barre Barons Scranton Miners 2-1
- 1959-60 Easton Madisons Baltimore Bullets 2-1
- 1960-61 Baltimore Bullets Allentown Jets 1-0
- 1961-62 Allentwon Jets Williamsport Billies 2-1
- 1962-63 Allentown Jets Wilkes-Barre Barons 2-1
- 1963-64 Camden Bullets Trenton Colonials 2-0
- 1964-65 Allentown Jets Scranton Miners 2-1
- 1965-66 Wilmington Bl.Bombers Wilkes-Barre Barons 2-1
- 1966-67 Wilmington Bl.Bombers Scranton Miners 2-1
Best-of-five games series
- 1967-68 Allentown Jets Wilkes-Barre Barons 3-2
- 1968-69 Wilkes-Barre Barons Wilmington Blue Bombers 3-2
- 1969-70 Allentown Jets Wilmington Blue Bombers 3-2
- 1970-71 Scranton Apollos Hamden Bics 3-1
- 1971-72 Allentown Jets Scranton Apollos 3-2
- 1972-73 Wilkes-Barre Barons Hartford Capitals 3-2
- 1973-74 Hartford Capitals Allentown Jets 3-2
- 1974-75 Allentown Jets Hazelton Bullets 2-1
- 1975-76 Allentown Jets Lancaster Red Roses 3-2
- 1976-77 Scranton Apollos Allentown Jets 3-1
- 1977-78 Wilkes-Barre Barons Lancaster Red Roses 3-2
Best-of-seven games series
- 1978-79 Rochester Zeniths Anchorage Northern Nights 4-0
- 1979-80 Anchorage North. Nights Rochester Zeniths 4-3
- 1980-81 Anchorage North. Nights Rochester Zeniths 4-3
- 1981-82 Lancaster Lightning Billings Volcanos 4-1
- 1982-83 Detroit Spirits Montana Golden Nuggets 4-3
- 1983-84 Albany Patroons Wyoming Wildcatters 3-2
- 1984-85 Tampa Bay Thrillers Detroit Spirits 4-3
- 1985-86 Tampa Bay Thrillers La Crosse Catbirds 4-1
- 1986-87 Rapid City Thrillers Rockford Lightning 4-1
- 1987-88 Albany Patroons Wyoming Wildcatters 4-3
- 1988-89 Tulsa Fast Breakers Rockford Lightning 4-0
- 1989-90 La Crosse Catbirds Rapid City Thrillers 4-1
- 1990-91 Wichita Falls Texans Quad City Thunder 4-3
- 1991-92 La Crosse Catbirds Rapid City Thrillers 4-3
- 1992-93 Omaha Racers Grand Rapids 4-2
- 1993-94 Quad City Thunder Omaha Racers 4-1
- 1994-95 Yakima Sun Kings Pittsburgh Piranhas 4-2
- 1995-96 Sioux Falls Skyforce Fort Wayne Fury 4-1
- 1996-97 Oklahoma City Cavalry Florida Beach Dogs 4-2
- 1997-98 Quad City Thunder Sioux Falls Skyforce 4-3
- 1998-99 Connecticut Pride Sioux Falls Skyforce 4-1
Championship game
- 1999-2000 Yakima Sun Kings 109, LaCrosse Bobcats,93
- 2000-2001 Idaho Stampede (17-7) and Connecticut Pride (15-9) led their divisions when the league suspended operations.
- 2001-2002 Dakota Wizards 116, Rockford Lightning 109
- 2002-2003 Yakima Sun Kings 117, Grand Rapids Hoops 107
- 2003-2004 Dakota Wizards 132, Idaho Stampede 129
