AA Countys New Professional Basketball Team Holds Open Tryout

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By Colin Murphy

About 50 local basketball players gathered at the Kilby Athletic Center on the upper campus of Annapolis Area Christian School in Severn on July 30 to put their skills on display in hopes of ultimately suiting up for the Bay Area Shuckers, Anne Arundel County’s new professional basketball team. Beginning in December the Shuckers will play their inaugural season as part of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League, and the tryout attracted local players with a variety of college and professional experience vying for one of 15 roster spots.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Danny Quinn, 23, following the rigorous and intensely competitive three-hour tryout. Quinn, a former basketball standout at Archbishop Spalding High School who went on to play Division I basketball at Catholic University and Towson University, has been staying in basketball shape with hopes of playing professionally in Europe. But he saw trying out for the Shuckers as an opportunity too good to pass up. “I think it’s great that they’re starting up a team in the area, so I’m really excited.”

While Quinn is fresh out of college, many players at the tryout have years of professional experience in Europe and domestically, some even having preseason stints with NBA teams. Shuckers Head Coach Pete Corriero was pleased with the level of talent he and his coaching staff had the opportunity to evaluate.

“I was actually very impressed,” said Corriero, 28, also the Head Coach at Meade High School. “We didn’t really know what to expect because this is the first time we’ve seen a lot of these players, but several of them really stood out, which is great for us because the ACPBL is going to be a very competitive league.”

The Shuckers are one of six new teams joining the ACPBL, which is expanding this year to a total of 14 teams in cities such as Norfolk, VA; Newark, NJ; Long Island, NY; Buffalo, NY; and Hartford, CT. For pro basketball fans in the area, the arrival of the Shuckers comes as a welcome respite from the ongoing news of NBA players and owners, who are locked in a collective bargaining dispute that is threatening to wipe out the 2011-2012 NBA season. The Shuckers, by contrast, will play a 14-game schedule, with seven home games at the brand-new and state-of-the-art Kilby Athletic Center, conveniently located in Severn just off Interstate 97 and State Highways 32, 100, and 295. Season ticket packages are available for as little as $49 for adults, $26.99 for kids, and the Shuckers’ management team is excited about providing low-cost family entertainment to area sports fans.

As for the team, the amount of talent in the area and the fierce competition evident at the July 30 tryout bodes well for fielding a competitive squad. In an area crazed for sports and a state deep in basketball talent—Baltimore and Washington D.C. turn out top-level Division I prospects every year—Anne Arundel County is well-stocked to supply a squad of talented players. “This is already a great area for sports with some great high school basketball traditions,” said Coach Corriero. “We have a vision for the team where we want to get not only the best players, but players who represent the community well, good character guys. If we can do that, we’re going to have good success.”

Update: The Shuckers subsequently announced the signings of forward Danny Quinn and guard Llewellyn Smalley. The 6’8”, 235-pound Quinn was an All-MIAA and All-County player at Archbishop Spalding High School and played Division I basketball at Catholic University and Towson University. Smalley, a current resident of Bowie and active member of the U.S. Army, has an extensive basketball resume. He is the all-time leading scorer at Hawaii Pacific University, where he was a two-time All-American. The 6’2”, 180-pound Smalley is a veteran of seven professional seasons in Europe, averaging over 24 points per game. The Shuckers are expected to announce more signings in mid-August.

The Shuckers will hold an invitation-only tryout on August 20th from 10 AM to 12 Noon (registration starts at 9 AM) at the Kilby Athletic Center in Severn, Maryland on the campus of the Annapolis Area Christian School. Anyone interested in trying out should contact Coach Corriero at CoachCorriero@BayAreaShuckers.com; Dante’ Howard, Director of Player Personnel, at Dante.Howard@BayAreaShuckers.com; or Chris Jones, Director of Basketball Operations, at Chris.Jones@BayAreaShuckers.com.

The Bay Area Shuckers will tip off their inaugural season in December 2011. For more information on the Shuckers and to purchase tickets please visit www. BayAreaShuckers.com. 

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