Monroe welcomes ABA basketball

Semi-professional sports is returning to Monroe.

The Twin City Jazz of the American Basketball Association announced their intention to begin play this month.

The Jazz will be the first semi-pro franchise to play in Monroe since the Bayou Beast indoor football team almost 10 years ago.

Tjuan Benefactor, a Pittsburgh-based hip hop artist, is majority owner of the team. A local front office staff of part-owner Lajuana Logan, vice- president Arthur Clark, Director of GameDay operations Brooke Mouton, coach Montrell Ambers were all on hand at the press event Thursday at the Clarion Hotel in Monroe.

The Jazz plan to play 20 regular season games at the Benoit Recreation Center in a league that features teams across the country and regionally in Lafayette Shreveport, New Orleans, as well as Mobile, Alabama

“The process has been challening,” Logan said of bringing the team to Monroe from a previous home in West Virginia. “We hope everyone in the community will come out and support us.”

The team will host an exhibition on Oct. 15 at its home court — Benoit Recreation Center in Monroe — against a team from Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.

Admission is $5 for the public and free to each Military personnel and their families members with I.D.

“We want to show the city of Monroe we are here to stay,” Ambers said. “We will support you and we would ask that you support us.”

The team is comprised of some local players such as Monroe native Xavier Lee (Carroll High School) as well as several from Richland Parish as well as other regions such as Alabama and Vermont.

“We got some guys that can jump,’’ Ambers said. “Some special guys.”

For more information such as how to join the dance team or for ticket information visit the team on Facebook or on Twitter (@jazz_ABA).

Connect with Cody on Twitter @cfutrellTNS