CBA teams will bring in college players in the upcoming Millennium Series because most of the teams are short of players, the league announced yesterday. Also the league limit the import player height to 6-8, while only one is allowed to play in each game.
All teams must submit their roster, imports included, before Saturday. The series will play under FIBA rules, which means four 12-minute quarters, three refs, and any type of defense is allowed.
On import news, defending champion Hong-kuo will resign its former import 6-3 Joe Temple(San Diego) and 6-8 Rex Manu(Pepperdine) and Mars is said close to sign former Yulon import 6-5 Brian Reese(UNC).Yulon tried to bring in former Dacin player Mark Atkins(6-4, Missouri), who's playing in IBA's Magic City Snowbears right now. Hong-fu will probably sign 6-4 Johnny Rhodes(Maryland), who's voted 1997-98 CBA Import of the Year. Luckipar is contacting 6-6 Erik Martin(Cincinnati), who also played for Luckipar prior to the league's suspension. 6-8 Von Bennett(Oklahoma State) will reunited with his Dacin teammate.
Virtually every team tried to bring back its original import. From the standpoint of both fan familiarity and team chemistry, bringing back old import is good for the team, they assumed. However, all teams' import situation are not set except for Hong-kuo. Teams will probably keep more than just one player and bring in more imports.