Long Beach Stingrays

The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997–98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League (ABL).

Long Beach Stingrays
Founded1997
LeagueAmerican Basketball League
Team history1997–1998 (one season)
Based inLong Beach, California
ArenaWalter Pyramid, California State University, Long Beach
Head coachMaura McHugh
Championshipsnone

The Stingrays played most of their home games at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of California State University, Long Beach; however, one home game was played at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (now the Honda Center). Their head coach was Maura McHugh.

The Stingrays' biggest star player was their center, Yolanda Griffith. Other notable Stingrays included Beverly Williams, Michelle M. Marciniak, and the former Olympic athlete Venus Lacy.

In what turned out to be the team's only season, the Stingrays made it all the way to the ABL's championship round. They beat the defending champion Columbus Quest in the first two games (both in Long Beach) but lost the final three games in Columbus, and with that, the series.

Despite their strong first season, the Stingrays were viewed largely with indifference by area fans. They had the league's worst attendance; for most of the season, they attracted crowds in the hundreds. Citing anemic season ticket sales and weak corporate sponsorship, league officials shuttered the Stingrays in August 1998. The rest of the league followed in December.

Griffith, like most of the ABL's star players, eventually joined the competing Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Griffith went on to a long career in the WNBA, most notably for the Sacramento Monarchs. As for McHugh, she has coached various professional and college teams.

Team record

Regular season

Season W L Win % Result
1997–19982618.5912nd Place, Western Conference

Post-season

ABL Playoffs First-Round
Date Winning team Losing team Score Notes
21 February 1998Long Beach StingraysColorado Xplosion96–72
22 February 1998ColoradoLong Beach88–68
25 February 1998Long BeachColorado92–61Long Beach wins series, 2–1
ABL Semifinals
Date Winning team Losing team Score Notes
27 February 1998Long Beach StingraysPortland Power72–62
1 March 1998Long BeachPortland70–69Long Beach wins series, 2–0
ABL Championship Series
Date Winning team Losing team Score Notes
8 March 1998Long Beach StingraysColumbus Quest65–62
9 March 1998Long BeachColumbus71–61
11 March 1998ColumbusLong Beach70–61
11 March 1998ColumbusLong Beach68–53
15 March 1998ColumbusLong Beach86–81Columbus wins ABL Championship, 3–2

League honors

Yolanda Griffith

  • ABL Defensive Player of the Year, 1997–98
  • All-ABL First Team, 1997–98

References

  • "Articles about Long Beach Stingrays Basketball Team". Los Angeles Times. May 6, 1998. Archived from the original on 2015-12-02. Retrieved 26 December 2015. Article headline, author, date, and lead paragraph, in reverse chronological order, each linked to page of the article.
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