I’ve been meaning to get out and attend a Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks game, and I finally did so this past Thursday night, when the undefeated Mavs took on the Dallas-Ft. Worth Stars. I’m a casual basketball fan – and definitely not qualified to comment on technical aspects of the game – but after seeing the Mavericks in action, I think I’ll be attending their games on a regular basis.
The most entertaining aspect of the game was the simple fact that the Mavericks are clearly playing basketball on a different level than many of their opponents. As I write this post, the team is 17-0 for the season. The Dallas-Ft. Worth Stars gave it their best shot, but ended up being defeated 112-93. Most teams, in fact, lose to the Mavs by about 20 points, at the hands of Mavs team members with nicknames like “The Manimal” (real name Rafael Johnson, #45) and “The Ticket” (Alex Sanders, #50). Currently ranked #1 in the ABA league (that’s the league that the Mavs compete in, the American Basketball Association) power rankings, the Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks seem kind of unstoppable. For $12 per adult ticket (see all ticket prices here), you kinda can’t beat a home town team that is pretty much guaranteed to win.
Attendance is definitely still sparse, but a fan community does seem to be growing around the team (as evidenced by a completely dedicated section of Kappa Sigs who – thunder sticks and all – turned out to jeer opposing players at the foul line). I’m no sports fanatic, but I’ve got enough of a brain in my head to know a good thing when I see it, and Shreveport-Bossier’s lucked out with this Mavericks team. They’re really good. If you enjoy basketball at all, I’d definitely recommend making the trip to see them at Hirsch Coliseum. Here’s a schedule listing their upcoming victims opponents.
