ST. LOUIS – The Midwest Professional Basketball Association has announced its first expansion team for the 2017 season, set to begin play in January. The team will be located in Jacksonville, Illinois, just over thirty miles west of Springfield, and will be nicknamed the Generals.

                “I am enthusiastic in welcoming the MPBA to Jacksonville and our region,” said Andy Ezard, mayor of Jacksonville. “Our community is a perfect fit for the quality of what their mission is. What sets the MPBA apart from others who have tried this in the past is their commitment to our youth and getting everyone involved.”

                The Generals will play their home games at Wall Gymnasium on the campus of NCAA Division III MacMurray College. The 1,800-seat facility was recently completely renovated with a new competition floor, scoreboards, bleachers, and other improvements following a 2011 flash flood that swamped the building.

                “I am very excited about our partnership with the MPBA,” said Justin Fuhler, director of athletics for MacMurray. “I was very impressed with the idea of bringing professional basketball to Jacksonville and to work with an organization that will bring so much back to our community. This partnership is truly win-win for MacMurray.

“When we began talking with the owners of the league, I wanted to make sure this partnership would benefit our students,” Fuhler continued. “Having the Generals on our campus will give our sports management students real-world experience working with a professional basketball team and it will provide a product that can set MacMurray College apart from other institutions.”

                MPBA Associate Commissioner and Director of Basketball Personnel A.J. Guyton is leading the search for the team’s first head coach. 

                The Generals can be found on social media at Jacksonville Generals Professional Basketball on Facebook, and on Twitter at @GeneralsMPBA. A team website, along with a color scheme and logo, is also in development. The announcement of the Generals is the first in what will be a series of franchise-related items over the coming weeks.

The MPBA launched in 2015 with six teams, and played the 2016 season with seven teams: Champaign Swarm, Pontiac 66ers, Lima Express, Windy City Groove, St. Louis RiverSharks, Gateway Steam, and eventual champion Chicago Blues.