FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2015
Contact:   Craig Fata, Vice President
(844) THE-MPBA / craig.fata@theMPBA.com

ST. LOUIS – Suburban St. Charles will have the honor of hosting the inaugural game of the new St. Louis-based Midwest Professional Basketball Association, as the two clubs that call Family Arena their home tangle at 7:00 p.m. Friday to tip off the MPBA season.

                    The matchup will feature the Gateway Steam and the St. Louis RiverSharks, with the Steam designated as the home team. 

                    Durrell Robinson, head coach for Gateway, is excited to be a part of the MPBA’s opening night.  “I believe we will have a team on the floor Friday night that the community will find both competitive and fun to watch.  I am especially excited to see the end-product of the work we have put in during training camp.”

                    Robinson’s counterpart for the RiverSharks is Al Grushkin, a 30-year college coaching veteran who will be making his professional coaching debut.  “I am very proud of the team we have assembled.  I expect a competitive match-up on Friday between two athletic teams,” Grushkin said.

                    Following their head-to-head matchup Friday, both teams will play again in a double-header matinee on Sunday.  The RiverSharks play first, at 1:00 p.m. against the Bloomington (Illinois) Flex, who will be making their season debut.  The Flex won back-to-back championships in the Premier Basketball League in 2012 and 2013, and were 18-0 in 2014 before the league kicked them out before the start of last year’s playoffs over a scheduling conflict.

                    The second game of the afternoon will feature the Gateway Steam against the Chicago Force, another team playing its season—and franchise—opener.  Tip-off for the nightcap is set for 4:00 p.m.

                    Tickets range from $10 to $25 and can be purchased at the Family Arena box office.  The box office can be reached during regular business hours at (636) 896-4200.  For more information about the teams and the MPBA, fans can go to the league website at www.theMPBA.com.

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The mission of the MPBA is to attract the top minor league basketball players, coaches, owners and staff members from across the United States, and to provide that talent with the opportunity to develop their skills in a professional environment; the MPBA will also provide its fans and supporters with a fun, value-based entertainment experience, as well as incorporate community outreach programs into its members’ operations.