The Continental Basketball Association (CBA)—and its previous incarnations as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL) and the Eastern Basketball Association (EBA)—was a professional basketball league which lasted 63 seasons from 1946 to 2009.

1978–79 season

Teams Allentown Jets Anchorage Northern Knights Baltimore Metros Jersey Shore Bullets Lancaster Red Roses Maine Lumberjacks Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds Rochester Zeniths Wilkes-Barre Barons

Regular season standings Team W L PCT GB Rochester Zeniths 36 12 .750 Anchorage Northern Knights 27 22 .551 9.5 Jersey Shore Bullets 22 26 .458 14 Maine Lumberjacks 17 30 .362 18.5 Wilkes-Barre Barons 22 22 .500 Allentown Jets 20 21 .488 .5 Lancaster Red Roses 14 26 .350 6 Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds 16 15 .516 Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds disbanded midseason

Timeline July 1978: the CBA board of directors unanimously approved the admittance of the Rochester Zeniths to the league. The Zeniths were previously members of the All-American Basketball Alliance. The EBA announced that the Providence Shooting Stars were folding due to unpaid debts. The league allowed the Long Island Ducks and the Brooklyn Dodgers to attempt to find financial backing. February 17, 1979: the Anchorage Northern Knights set CBA records for team points in a game with 183 and, points in a single half with 99 in the second half, and field goals in a game with 74.

Postseason

NBA affiliates

+CBA TeamNBA AffiliatesReferenceBaltimore MetrosWashington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks

1979–80 season

Teams Anchorage Northern Knights Hawaii Volcanos Lancaster Red Roses Lehigh Valley Jets Maine Lumberjacks Pennsylvania Barons Rochester Zeniths Utica Olympics

Regular season standings Team W L PCT GB Rochester Zeniths 31 15 .674 Anchorage Northern Knights 29 16 .644 1.5 Maine Lumberjacks 21 23 .477 9 Hawaii Volcanos 20 25 .444 10.5 Lehigh Valley Jets 19 12 .613 Pennsylvania Barons 14 17 .452 5Lancaster Red Roses 12 24 .353 8.5Utica Olympics 15 31 .326 12

Timeline April 1, 1980: Maine Lumberjacks player Charles Jones had a CBA record 26 rebounds in a game. Maine lost the Eastern Conference Finals game to the Rochester Zeniths, 140–132. Postseason

1980–81 season

Teams Alberta Dusters Anchorage Northern Knights Atlantic City Hi-Rollers Billings Volcanos Lehigh Valley Jets Maine Lumberjacks Montana Golden Nuggets Philadelphia Kings Rochester Zeniths Scranton Aces

Regular season standings Team W L PCT GB Rochester Zeniths 34 6 .850 Atlantic City Hi-Rollers 22 18 .550 12Philadelphia Kings 17 23 .425 17Lehigh Valley Jets 16 24 .400 18Maine Lumberjacks 16 24 .400 18Scranton Aces 13 27 .325 `21 Montana Golden Nuggets 27 15 .643 Anchorage Northern Knights 25 17 .595 2Billings Volcanos 23 19 .548 4Alberta Dusters 11 31 .262 16

Timeline July to October 1980: After Darryl Dawkins shattered two basketball backboards during his 1979–80 NBA season, the CBA implemented a collapsible hinged rim for the 1980–81 season. The design was chosen from 10 prototypes which were set up in a New York City high school gymnasium in the summer of 1980. Unidentified college basketball players were asked to try to break the rims and the three strongest designs were chosen for a trail run in the CBA. All three rims broke away from the backboard and snapped back in place. The NBA implemented one of the CBA's designs the following season.

1981–82 season

Teams Alberta Dusters Anchorage Northern Knights Billings Volcanos Lancaster Lightning Maine Lumberjacks Montana Golden Nuggets Rochester Zeniths Wildwood Hi-Rollers

Regular season standings Team W L PCT QW Points Lancaster Lightning 34 12 .739 105 207Rochester Zeniths 29 17 .630 102 189Maine Lumberjacks 18 28 .391 81.5 135.5Wildwood Hi-Rollers 15 31 .326 84 129 Billings Volcanoes 32 14 .696 106 202Montana Golden Nuggets 30 16 .652 104 194Alberta Dusters 12 34 .261 81.5 117.5Anchorage Northern Knights 14 32 .304 72 114

NBA affiliates

+CBA TeamNBA AffiliatesReferencesBillings VolcanoesChicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

1982–83 season

Teams Albany Patroons Albuquerque Silvers Billings Volcanos Detroit Spirits Lancaster Lightning Las Vegas Silvers Maine Lumberjacks Montana Golden Nuggets Ohio Mixers Rochester Zeniths Reno Bighorns Wisconsin Flyers Wyoming Wildcatters

Regular season standings Team W L PCT QW Points Rochester Zeniths 29 15 .659 106.5 193.5 Lancaster Lightning 30 14 .682 95.5 185.5 Maine Lumberjacks 22 22 .500 88.0 154.0 Albany Patroons 16 28 .364 75.5 123.5 Detroit Spirits 26 18 .591 92.0 170.0 Ohio Mixers 17 27 .386 81.5 132.5 Wisconsin Flyers 14 30 .318 78.0 120.0 Montana Golden Nuggets 33 11 .750 104.0 203.0 Wyoming Wildcatters 22 22 .500 86.0 152.0 Billings Volcanos 20 24 .454 86.0 146.0 Las Vegas/Albuquerque Silvers 17 27 .386 85.0 136.0 Reno Bighorns 18 26 .409 78.0 132.0

Timeline January 30, 1982: The 1982 CBA All-Star Game at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey was the first nationally televised CBA game. It was broadcast on the USA Network.

1983–84 season

Teams Albany Patroons Albuquerque Silvers Bay State Bombardiers Detroit Spirits Lancaster Lightning Louisville Catbirds Ohio Mixers Puerto Rico Coquis Sarasota Stingers Toronto Tornados Wisconsin Flyers Wyoming Wildcatters

Regular season standings Team W L PCT QW Points Puerto Rico Coquis 28 16 .636 98 182 Albany Patroons 25 19 .568 89.5 164.5 Bay State Bombardiers 22 22 .500 95 161 Lancaster Lightning 24 20 .545 88.5 160.5 Sarasota Stingers 16 28 .364 81.5 129.5 Toronto Tornados 16 28 .364 74 122 Wisconsin Flyers 27 17 .614 101 182 Detroit Spirits 26 18 .591 89 167 Wyoming Wildcatters 23 21 .523 93.5 162.5 Ohio Mixers 23 21 .523 88 157 Louisville Catbirds 23 21 .523 87 156 Albuquerque Silvers 11 33 .250 71 104

NBA affiliates +CBA TeamNBA Affiliates ReferenceAlbany PatroonsDenver Nuggets, New York KnicksAlbuquerque SilversLos Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonicsBay State BombardiersBoston Celtics, Houston RocketsDetroit SpiritsDetroit Pistons, Dallas MavericksLancaster LightningCleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ersLouisville CatbirdsWashington Bullets, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah JazzOhio MixersAtlanta Hawks, San Antonio SpursPuerto Rico CocuisNew Jersey Nets, Portland Trail BlazersSarasota StingersKansas City Kings, Utah JazzToronto TornadoesChicago Bulls, Golden State WarriorsWisconsin FlyersIndiana Pacers, Milwaukee BucksWyoming WildcattersPhoenix Suns, San Diego Clippers

1984–85 season

Teams Albany Patroons Albuquerque Silvers Bay State Bombardiers Cincinnati Slammers Detroit Spirits Evansville Thunder Lancaster Lightning Louisville Catbirds Puerto Rico Coquis Sarasota Stingers Tampa Bay Thrillers Toronto Tornados Wisconsin Flyers Wyoming Wildcatters

Regular season standings Team W L PCT QW Points Albany Patroons 34 14 .708 118.5 220.5 Tampa Bay Thrillers 35 13 .729 108 213 Lancaster Lightning 28 20 .583 102.5 186.5 Toronto Tornados 26 22 .542 101.5 179.5 Puerto Rico Coquis 27 21 .562 98.5 179.5 Bay State Bombardiers 20 28 .417 93 153 Sarasota Stingers 21 27 .438 89.5 152.5 Wyoming Wildcatters 24 24 .500 99 171 Evansville Thunder 23 25 .479 95.5 164.5 Detroit Spirits 23 25 .479 94 163 Wisconsin Flyers 21 27 .438 91 154 Louisville Catbirds 19 29 .396 92.5 149.5 Cincinnati Slammers 17 31 .354 84 135 Albuquerque Silvers 18 30 .375 76.5 130.5

Timeline February 1984: To keep travel costs down, the CBA barred teams from bringing their assistant coach(s) on road trips. The Albany Patroons were fined $1,200 after assistant coach Charley Rosen accompanied the team on a road trip to Puerto Rico. The Partoons later skirted the rule by classifying Rosen as a trainer, as teams were permitted to have a trainer travel with them. May 21, 1984: During the annual board of directors meeting CBA commissioner Jim Drucker announced plans for expansion to at least 13 cities. Drucker also unveiled his plans for "CBA East", a developmental league for the CBA which would be the third-tier men's professional basketball league in the United States behind the CBA and the NBA, respectively. Possible sites for the CBA East franchises were Columbia, Maryland; Trenton, New Jersey; Springfield, Massachusetts; Syracuse, New York; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and Long Island, New York. Drucker was quoted by UPI reporter David Nathan, "This year the CBA will take off [...] We're moving into larger markets and I have no doubt the CBA East will exist". Rule changes were adopted which included a change to three point fouls where the shooter would be granted three free throws as opposed to two. A rule similar to the clear path foul was adopted where a foul on a "uncontested breakaway" would result in an automatic two points and possession of the ball. Rosters were decreased from 10 spots to nine. The board of directors approved an expansion franchise in Evansville, Indiana and another in Hartford, Connecticut contingent on the required ticket sales. Changes to the CBA drug policy were described by UPI's David Nathan, "a tough drug policy, much like the NBA's". May 22, 1984: The CBA board of directors approved the re-location of the Ohio Mixers from Lima, Ohio to Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati's last professional basketball team was the NBA Cincinnati Royals who left the city in 1972 for Kansas City. September 7, 1984: The CBA announced it had signed a broadcasting agreement with Black Entertainment Television to air 15 games during the 1984–85 season. October 28, 1984: A game between the Soviet Union men's national basketball team and a team composed of CBA players was held in Albany, New York. The Soviet team was without Arvydas Sabonis who was sidelined with a foot injury. The Soviet team defeated the CBA team by a score of 77–72. Vladimir Tkachenko and Šarūnas Marčiulionis of the Soviet team led all scorers with 18 points a piece. Kenny Natt of the CBA club led his team with 16 points. Other CBA players included Billy Goodwin, Derrick Rowland, Lowes Moore and Cozell McQueen. February 16, 1985: CBA commissioner Jim Drucker and the league was profiled in a UPI article by Joe Juliano titled "CBA is providing games, gimmicks". Juliano notes that one of Drucker's strategies for promotions are unique like the "Ton of Money CBA Free Throw" in which a randomly selected spectator is given a chance to make two shots from the free throw line for a chance at 5,000 pennies ($5,000). When asked about the gimmicks and promotions Drucker responded, "You can't touch anything at a basketball game [...] so we've got to be able to guarantee our fans 10 memorable moments, five of which are totally detached from the game. We have to guarantee that our fans go home happy." Other promotions included "The 1 Million Dollar CBA Supershot" where a spectator could win $50,000 a year over 20 years if they made a shot from 69 feet and 9 inches away from the basket. The "Fly In, Drive Away" promotion gave spectators a chance to fly a paper airplane into the sunroof of a vehicle for a chance to win its title. During the 1977 season the expansion franchise fee was $5,000 as opposed to the $500,000 fee in 1985. Drucker laid out his plans for further expansion to the UPI telling Juliano there was inquiries from investors in San Diego, California; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Vancouver, British Columbia and Tacoma, Washington. Drucker also announced plans for a league called the "CBA East" which would be a developmental league for the CBA. He said the CBA East would begin during the 1985–86 season.

NBA affiliates