CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Champaign Swarm head coach Chris Daleo finalized his roster on Thursday in preparation for the team’s inaugural game on Sunday, Jan. 11, against the St. Louis RiverSharks.
Daleo has signed 11 players that range from veteran to rookie and include four players from the Champaign-Urbana area: Keith Biggers, Matt Neaville, Tiger O’Neil and Jordan Walker.
“I have a young, energetic group that loves to play,” Daleo said. “We’re learning to play together as a unit and play hard. They’re excited to be here and represent Champaign. We will continue to tweak things, but we’re ready for Sunday’s opener.”
Daleo said he is still determining who his starting five will be, but Carl Mitchell, 35, has the most extensive resume of any Swarm player. The 6-foot-8 forward is a former Continental Basketball Association all-star whose international experience includes playing for teams in Colombia, Hungary, Korea and Venezuela.
In addition, four local faces will suit up on Sunday:
Biggers, 25, is a former Champaign Central High School player who started at center for the Maroons’ 2007-‘08 run to third place in Class 3A. He was a standout player at Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) ahead of one season at Kentucky Wesleyan University.
O’Neil, 23, was a member of the Centennial High School Class 3A state title team in 2009 and fourth-place team in 2010. He followed that with two seasons at Parkland College, where the Swarm will play their home games, and then transferred to play at Benedictine University at Springfield.
Neaville, 30, was an Urbana High School standout player who followed with time played at Parkland College, where he set a national junior college record with 17 three-point field goals made in one game during the 2006-’07 season. Neaville then played two seasons at Union University (Tenn.), where he was named the TranSouth Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He has also played professionally in Mexico.
Walker, 24, is a former Champaign Central High School player, competing for two seasons with the Maroons before eventually transferring to Seton Academy in South Holland, Ill., helping that school to a Class 2A state championship in 2009. He played collegiately for two seasons at Midland College (Texas) and one at Walsh University (Ohio).
Midwest Professional Basketball Association rules stipulate that teams are allowed to carry up to 12 active players and an additional two inactive players. All players listed above are active.
Tickets to Sunday’s game are $8, available at the door. The game will also be broadcast live via the MPBA website, http://www.thempba.com/game/show/8735871.