WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
DANVILLE, IN – Amid public health concerns relating to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the American Basketball Association (ABA) announced that it has cancelled the remainder of the 2019-20 season which includes the Final Eight, the ABA Championship Game, and the ABA All-Star Game. Hendricks County’s ABA team, the Indiana Lyons, finish their second season with a 20-4 record, ranked #8 in the ABA out of over 150 teams.
“Thank you to all of our players, coaches, staff, sponsors, and amazing fans for their support this season,” said Lyons co-owner, CEO, and head coach, Tyrone Brown. “It was truly a special year. We could not have had such a successful season without all your support.”
Bosstick Gym, located within Danville Town Hall, provided the home team a distinct advantage this season. In the gym affectionately known as the Lyons Den, the Lyons sported a 15-1 record, including a win over the #3-ranked team in the ABA. Their only home loss was by a single point.
In the Lyons’ inaugural 2018-19 season, the team won its first-ever game, finished with a 14-9 record, and qualified for the ABA playoffs. A home loss in the first round ended their season.
The 2019-20 season resulted in a significant improvement on the court and a sense among players, staff, and fans that this could be a special year for the team. Instead, they had their season cut short by a pandemic.
“These are difficult times indeed,” stated ABA CEO Joe Newman. “But the health concerns of fans, players, coaches, personnel are far more important as all sports leagues, entertainment and other industries take these measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus.”
The Lyons saw a marked increase in game attendance this season, boasting its largest home crowd in franchise history during their final home game on Feb. 29. The team was looking to break that record on March 14 during their home playoff game – a contest that was postponed indefinitely and, ultimately, cancelled.
“It’s certainly frustrating,” said Eric Ivie, Communications Director for the Lyons. “We felt like we had a legitimate shot at making the Final Eight and bringing an ABA championship home to Hendricks County. Ultimately, though, we must keep everyone safe, so now we’ll set our sights on the 2020-21 season.”
The ABA season runs from October through April, and Ivie encourages fans to follow the Indiana Lyons on Facebook and visit www.IndianaLyons.com to keep up with the team during the offseason.
