Richmond Rhythm

The Richmond Rhythm were a professional basketball team based in Richmond, Virginia from 1999 to 2001. The team played in the International Basketball League. They played their home games at Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Richmond Rhythm
LeagueIBL
Founded1999
Folded2001
StadiumSiegel Center
LocationRichmond, Virginia
Team colorsred, yellow, white
     
Websitewww.iblhoops.com/teams/rhythm (archived onJanuary 25, 2000)

History

Former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Ralph Sampson served as Richmond's general manager and vice president.[1][2] Originally the team was going to join the United States Basketball League (USBL), but eventually joined the fledgling International Basketball League (IBL) in 1999.[3] On June 15, 1999, the Rhythm announced Allan Bristow had been hired as head coach.[4][5] In July 1999, Chico Averbuck was hired as an assistant coach.[6]

During the IBL's inaugural draft in July 1999, Richmond selected Eddie Lucas from Virginia Tech, who had also been selected in the second round of the National Basketball Association draft by the Utah Jazz.[7] They selected another Virginia Tech player—Ace Custis—in the draft.[8] James Blackwell of Dartmouth College was Richmond's third pick in the 1999 draft.[9] Former NBA player Michael Adams was hired as an assistant coach in September 1999.[10] After losing their first four games of the season, Bristow resigned as the head coach of Richmond and general manager Ralph Sampson took his place in December 1999.[11][12] Richmond made it to the inaugural IBL championship against the St. Louis Swarm in May 2000. The Rhythm were defeated thee games to none in a best-of-five series.[13]

See also

References
  1. Molinaro, Bob (May 21, 1999). "Sampson is literally a very big fish in a small pond". The Virginian Pilot. Norfolk, Virginia: The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. p. C1.
  2. Powell, Tom (May 29, 2000). "International Basketball Season Finishes Strong; Expansion Seen". Amusement Business (112.22). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 9.
  3. "Sampson speaks today in Roanoke". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. June 13, 1999. p. C5.
  4. DeLong, John (June 15, 1999). "Hornets deny Mason to Wizards trade". Winston-Salem Journal. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Piedmont Publishing Company, Inc. p. C6.
  5. "Bristow gets Richmond Rhythm job". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. June 16, 1999. p. B7.
  6. "Transactions". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. July 8, 1999.
  7. "West wins 9th straight all-start tilts". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. July 13, 1999. p. B7.
  8. "VMI, Ferrum to meet on court for the time". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. July 16, 1999. p. C4.
  9. Maese, Rick A. (July 20, 1999). "Slam pick 5, now search out shooters". The Albuquerque Tribune. Albuquerque, New Mexico. p. B3.
  10. Cofman, Mark (September 5, 1999). "NBA needs Bird in the nest". The Boston Herald. Boston, Massachusetts. p. B10.
  11. "Saturday's sports transactions". United Press International. December 4, 1999.
  12. "Bristow out, Sampson coach at Richmond". United Press International. December 4, 1999.
  13. Dolgan, Bob (May 23, 2000). "Swarm win IBL championship with win in Richmond". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. p. C1.
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