Starkville now has a new basketball team on the court

The Mississippi Silverbacks is Starkville, Mississippi's first semi-professional basketball team in the town's history.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville now has a new basketball team on the court.

The Mississippi Silverbacks is the city’s first semi-professional basketball team.

College towns often see some of the best athletes who dominate from the gridiron and sand dunes to the hardwood floors.

Now, Starkville has its first semi-professional basketball team.

The Mississippi Silverbacks belong to the American Basketball Association league.

The team’s co-owner, JoJuan Johnson says he wanted to bring new opportunities to the Golden Triangle Region.

“We’re planted here in a nice environment, a nice area,” Johnson said. “We’ve been getting positive feedback all around the community, even outside of the Starkville community. That’s what it’s all about. I just wanted to bring something here with a new breath of fresh air, something positive, something that can help guys excel and help the community excel as well. ”

James Evans is a Starkville native and forward for the Silverbacks.

The former international player says this is a dream come true.

“Having the first team – pro team to be here in Starkville and it’s my hometown has always been one of my dreams,” Evans said. “To see my family come see me play and just to get the electricity from my city.”

Daniel Cohill, co-owner of the team says Silverbacks’ goals travel beyond the basketball hoop.

He hopes his players’ influence will reach far beyond hardwood into schools and the community.

“The ABA has a program for anti-bullying,” Cohill said. “We believe that if we reach the elementary students and the middle school students, that age from kindergarten to eight grade, we feel like if we come in and make a big impact in the schools, we feel like by the time they become high school seniors, the test scores should increase. The violence should decrease. And give them something to look up to for them to feel that they can excel more than just what actually in the neighborhood.”

Johnson says athletes don’t have to look past Starkville for a professional career in sports.

“My main vision just having something that’s gone be here, be here for a while to give our guys that fair opportunity that they need within our state lines,” Johnson said.

Anyone can officially meet the Mississippi Silverbacks Sunday October 22 at 3 p.m.

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