Basketball is coming to town. Los Capitanes will be battling it out with 18 other teams in a league representing cities in Sonora, Baja, and SInaloa.
The 14 player team will present local talent along with 2 players from outside of Mexico.
A press conference at Banditos yesterday presented the team, whose first game will be at home on August 30th against Ensenada.
Key to making the team happen are two Tucson natives. Club President and trainer Brain Semonian, and well known sports radio announcer Betsy Bruce. Bruce is a team owner, and Vice President of Public Relations. The Director of Operations for the team is Rocky Point native Francisco Cabrales.
I asked coach Brian Semonian how this all got started.
“My time abroad in Australia, in Britain, as well as New York has really opened my eyes to what basketball is like internationally, and I’ve connected American players with dozens of foriegn leagues all over the world.
I saw that there was no team in Penasco, actually I saw Caborca too, I was weighing those two towns. But Penasco had the American connection, the beach, and the administration is bilingual too. Plus Mexico is doing well with their leagues, they’re not folding, they’re paying their players. So their reputation is good, the play is good, the pay is good …”
Betsy Bruce told us…
“Brian and I worked together at a radio staion called The Point, and when went on his journeys we always kept in touch. And then when he came to Flagstaff, he said they need a team in Rocky Point…I ’ve been blown away at how lovely and gracious the people are in Puerto Penasco.”
Home games will be played at the city stadium on Blvd. Benito Juarez, located across the street from CoffeePoint. Online ticket sales are coming soon. Adult tickets wil cost 100 pesos, children 50 pesos. Ticket packages will be available also.