The East Kentucky Miners were a professional basketball team in the American Basketball Association that began play as a member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in the 2007–2008 season. The Miners, announced in the local paper,[1] and on the Trinity Sports & Entertainment Group (headed by Jay Fiedler)'s website,[2] were formally announced by the league on July 6, 2007 [3]

East Kentucky Miners
Founded2007
LeagueCBA 2007-2009
ABA 2009
Team historyEast Kentucky Miners
2007-2009
Based inPikeville, Kentucky
ArenaEastern Kentucky Expo Center 2007-2009
various 2009
ColorsBlack, Silver, & White
OwnerPSE Group (headed by Kevin Keathley)
Head coachKevin Keathley
Championships0
Division titles0
DancersDiamond Girls
MascotHard Hat Harry

The Miners were coached by Kevin Keathley for the 2007–2008 season. Keathley is the former coach of the Kentucky Colonels[4]

Though the team may be considered to be a continuation of the Florida Pit Bulls/Miami Majesty, ownership considers the team to be an expansion franchise.

During the 2007–2008 season the Miners scored 194 points in a game, a CBA record.[5] They finished the season with a 26–22 record.

The Miners' finished an abbreviated 2008–2009 season with a 7–7 record, with 13 remaining games canceled after the CBA halted operations midseason.[6]

The Miners then joined the American Basketball Association the following July. Despite expectations of fielding a team into November and potential sponsors lined up, the team never appears to have ever played a game in the ABA.[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ Appalachian News Express [permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Trinity Sports & Entertainment Group - formed to acquire and manage professional sports franchises domestically and internationally and to provide quality, affordable entertainment to the masses. The Company owns 100% of both the Miami Majesty (formerly the Florida Pit Bulls) and the Indiana Alley Cats (fully acquired in May, 2007), both of which played in the ABA (American Basketball Association) during the 2005-2006 season. Both teams were ranked in the top 5 ABA teams throughout the 2005-2006 season
  3. ^ CBAhoopsOnline.com the official website of the Continental Basketball Association // News
  4. ^ "East Kentucky Franchise to Call Pikeville Home - OurSports Central".
  5. ^ Owens, Daryl (27 February 2010). "He won't quit shooting for his hoops dream". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  6. ^ "CBA and Miners' season ends". Lexington Herald-Leader. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  7. ^ Spears, Valerie Honeycutt (30 August 2009). "ABA: League also has teams in Pikeville and Owensboro". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  8. ^ Maloney, Mark (18 November 2009). "Maucy's team ready to Tip Off season". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
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