Ex-La Vega Star Mario Kinsey in News Again
Waco Welcomes American Basketball Association Franchise

By Larry Breen, 4/03/2006
Rewind six years...ah, the memories of the state championship at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin in March 2000: Coach Kevin Gill's team with a 34-4 record after a 60-47 romp over the Gainesville Leopards in the final with the medals handed out by none other than future president George W. Bush, the heart-stopping semifinal, the buzz of where Super Centex guard Mario Kinsey would go to college and whether he would play football AND basketball or just one sport, and on and on.

Fast forward six years to the present through stops at the University of Kansas, Sam Houston State, and Texas College, as Kinsey returned home this week to a press conference introducing the expansion Waco Wranglers to the American Basketball Association.

The team will compete in the George Gervin Division against teams from Fort Worth and Houston, starting with an opener Nov. 10. Last year, the ABA had 34 teams in seven divisions, including international ones in Tijuana, Mexico and Beijing, China. This fall, 19 other teams share expansion status with Waco.

The Wranglers have a training camp beginning soon with 36 games on the schedule but no home arena yet (probably the Ferrell Center or the Heart of Texas Coliseum) with tickets available later for $10, $20, and $25.

Traditionally, past pro teams have not fared well in Waco's small market, including a hockey team and another basketball team, but officials and players believe this time will be different.