ABA's Dawgs out, Fever in

Apparently, the American Basketball Association experiment in Lindsay lasted just one year.

After one season, the Central Valley Dawgs dissolved, with a number of them, including coach Marco Vasquez, joining the South Valley Fever — another upstart in the ABA.

That team played its home games in Santa Rosa Rancheria Coyote Corner Gymnasium in Lemoore this spring. It joined the ABA’s NoCal division, which includes the Chico Rage and familiar foes from last year — the San Francisco Rumble and the Sacramento Heatwave.

The Fever’s roster features several carry-overs from the Dawgs, including Fresno State products Alex Blair, Shannon Swillis and Larry Abney. Hanford native Otis Black also crossed over to Lemoore.

One player whose name locals might remember is former Granite Hills star Zack Grasmick. The 6-foot-1 guard played four years at CSU-Bakersfield, where he graduated as the school’s all-time leading 3-point shooter.

Two former College of the Sequoias stars — Edward Walden and Richard Blowe — joined the Fever. as did Tulare native and San Diego State product Myron Epps.

The addition of 7-foot-2 center Rashid Byrd, who played briefly for the Sacramento Kings in the 2007-08 season, bolstered the front line.

“We are excited to be part of this great league, a part of this dynamic community and look forward to developing relationships with local businesses as well as becoming an integral part of family-friendly sports entertainment here in the South Valley area,” Vazquez said.