The La Crosse Catbirds was an American basketball team based in La Crosse, Wisconsin and member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). The Catbirds were the 1990 and 1992 CBA champions. The team moved to La Crosse from Louisville in 1985, and left La Crosse for Pittsburgh in May 1994. La Crosse would see the CBA return in 1995 when the La Crosse Bobcats took to the court.
Widely known as the training ground for future NBA coach Flip Saunders, who led the team to both championships.
Several future and previous NBA players played for the Catbirds, including Kenny Battle, Russell Cross, Mark Davis, Derrick Gervin, Jaren Jackson, Kevin Lynch, Dennis Nutt, David Rivers, Elliot Perry and Andre Turner.
Season by season SeasonDivisionFinishGamesWinsLossesPct.Postseason Results La Crosse Catbirds 1985–86 Western 4th 48 24 24 .500 Won Division Semifinals (Detroit) 4-3 Won Division Finals (Cincinnati) 4-2 Lost Championship Series (Tampa Bay) 4-1 1986–87 Western 1st 48 28 20 .583 Lost Division Semifinals (Rockford) 4-3 1987–88 Western 1st 54 40 14 .741 Lost Division Semifinals (Wyoming) 4-2 1988–89 Western 5th 54 19 35 .352 1989–90 Central 1st 56 42 14 .750 Won Conference Semifinals (Quad City) 3-0 Won Conference Finals (Albany) 4-3 Won Championship Series (Rapid City) 4-1 1990–91 Central 2nd 56 32 24 .571 Lost Conference First Round (Quad City) 3-2 1991–92 Midwest 2nd 56 40 16 .714 Won Conference Second Round (Grand Rapids) 3-1 Won Conference Finals (Quad City) 3-2 Won Championship Series (Rapid City) 4-3 1992–93 Mideast 3rd 56 32 24 .571 Lost Conference First Round (Rockford) 3-2 1993–94 Mideast 1st 56 35 21 .625 Won Conference First Round (Rockford) 3-0 Lost Conference Finals (Quad City) 3-0 Regular season total 484 292 192 .603 1985–1994 Playoffs total 78 42 36 .538 1985–1994
Notable players Brad Leaf
References