SLAM SIGN EX-GEORGIA TECH CENTER

The Slam have bolstered their frontcourt for the 2010 season with the signing of former Georgia Tech player Ra’Sean Dickey today.

Dickey is the first player from the NCAA’s prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference to play for the Slam in the team’s history.

Dickey, a 6’9” center from Clio, South Carolina, was one of the ACC’s dominant centers during his sophomore season at Georgia Tech in 2006-07, when he averaged 13.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. One of Dickey’s best games came on Jan. 10, 2007 when he scored 21 points in an upset victory over a nationally-ranked Duke team. In total, he played three seasons for the Yellowjackets, shooting 60.1 percent from the floor. He finished his Georgia Tech career ranked sixth among all-time blocked shot leaders with 96. Dickey was also named high school state player of the year in South Carolina.

Prior to his senior season at Georgia Tech, Dickey signed a professional contract to play in the Ukraine with the club Budivelnyk Kiev. At the time, Dickey’s decision to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and play overseas came on the heels of Brandon Jennings and Josh Childress announcing similar plans to compete in Europe instead of the United States.

Dickey will arrive in Bellingham in two weeks for the start of the Slam’s training camp. The Slam start the 2010 IBL season at home on April 9, against the Tacoma Tide at 7 p.m. at Whatcom Pavilion.

More info:
 ◊ Learn more about Ra'Sean Dickey on Georgia Tech's website
 ◊ Buy tickets for the home opener online

SLAM RE-SIGN THREE KEY PLAYERS

The Slam have taken the first steps towards returning to the International Basketball League championship game as they have re-signed three players who helped them win the league title in 2008.

Guards Brandon Hartley, Paul Hafford and Jacob Stevenson will re-join the Slam for the 2010 season. The announcement was made by general manger Robert Hofstetter.

Hartley, who played collegiately at Saint Martin’s, was a key contributor for Bellingham during the franchise’s first three seasons, but missed the 2009 IBL campaign after sustaining a hamstring injury while playing in Austria that winter. With the Worthersee Pirates in Austria, Hartley averaged 16 points and three assists per game before the injury sidelined him. In his last season with the Slam in 2008, he averaged 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Most recently, Hartley played several games last fall in China with the Beijing Olympian.

Hafford, a graduate from Portland State, re-joins the Slam for his third season with the club. He recently returned from a short stint in Norway where he averaged 26.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Ulriken Eagles. Last season with Bellingham, Hafford averaged 12.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. In 2008, he was instrumental in helping the Slam claim the IBL championship, as he scored 30 points in the title game and earned game co-MVP honors.

Stevenson, from Western Washington University, has been the longest serving Slam player in team history and has missed only three games since the franchise played their first game in 2005. He has seen his scoring production increase steadily since his rookie season, and was the Slam’s second-leading scorer in 2009 with 21 points per game. Stevenson has also been an IBL All-Star team selection the last two seasons.

The Slam will continue to sign players in the coming weeks as they prepare for their season opener on April 9 against the Tacoma Tide. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. at Whatcom Pavilion.

SLAM'S 2010 SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
HOME OPENER IS APRIL 9 - SEASON TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

The Slam have released the team's 2010 regular season schedule and will tip things off on April 9, returning to the court for the first time since falling to the L.A. Lightning in the IBL conference championship game last July. The season, which will be the Slam’s fifth since starting in 2005, will feature a 20-game schedule, with ten home contests taking place at Whatcom Pavilion.

The Slam will enjoy a long homestand to start their season, with their first game taking place April 9 against the Tacoma Tide, a team Bellingham defeated in the second round of the 2009 playoffs. The team will then remain at home for the rest of the month, playing one home game each weekend. The Slam will not play its first road game until May 2, when they travel north to play the Vancouver Titans.

Bellingham will be among 14 other teams this season in the IBL, which features teams from the West coast, Midwest, and Canada. The season runs through June and is followed by the IBL’s conference playoff tournament July 1-3. The host cities for two conference tournaments will be announced at a later date. The winners of the conference tournaments will then advance to the IBL Championship game in mid-July.

The Slam’s home schedule features nine games played on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, and one game taking place on Memorial Day, May 31. Friday and Saturday games will start at 7:00 p.m. while Sunday and Monday games will tip-off at 5:00 p.m.

Season tickets for the Slam’s home schedule are currently on sale.  Season ticket holders enjoy great benefits, including a savings of 50% off of single game ticket prices.

More info:
 ◊ View the 2010 season schedule
 ◊ Purchase season tickets