The Stampede is Ready to Play

Central Oregon comes to Salem March 31st, where the first-ever professional basketball game will be played in Salem, and broadcast LIVE on KWVT channel 52 (UHF).

See the team in action with the whole family, or watch it LIVE Friday night on channel 52

(SALEM) - Central Oregon comes to Salem March 31st, where the first-ever professional basketball game will be played in Salem, and broadcast LIVE on KWVT channel 52 (UHF).

The Salem Stampede, the city`s first professional basketball team kicked-off their first season on Saturday March 18th.

The Stampede is one of seven expansion markets added to the IBL-International Basketball League for the 2006 season. The league anticipates a total of twenty-five total teams for this season comprised of teams from all over the country. The IBL, which is based out of Portland, Oregon, is going into its second season as a professional basketball league. The new league boasts a philosophy that combines basketball with, music, concerts, comedy and other entertainment options that will entertain the entire family.

The IBL strives to keep the games exciting and fast with two rules that differ from other pro-basketball franchises: 1) The IBL only allows one timeout per quarter; and 2) the IBL speeds up the time between plays with an `immediate inbounds". The result will be a quick game where players stay in a flow. Looking at last season, the average scoring was about 126 points, in around a two-hour game.

The Salem team announced the addition of local hoops star Eric Fiegi to the team most recently. Fiegi led the NAIA Division II in scoring and rebounding by scoring thirty points a game and an average 12 rebounds per game in his senior season. During his college career, Eric Fiegi scored more than three thousand points and more than twelve hundred rebounds. Fiegi will be playing with high profile guards Grayson Boucher, Ramon Taylor and Jermaine Slider.

The Stampede played their first regular season game on March 24th in Bend, Oregon. The local games will be at the Salem Armory Auditorium at 2320 17th Street NE. For information, visit: www.salemstampede.com