Metro Basketball Association Information

The Metro Basketball Association (MBA) was formed in 1989 by three fathers looking for a more competitive program for their young sons. The three men were Kevin Wilkinson, Patrick O'Donnell and Charles Carney. Kevin Wilkinson has served as the MBA President since its beginning and Patrick O'Donnell served through the 2004/2005 season on the Executive Board. Mr. Carney left the program after his kids were too old to play. He has been replaced by Jeff Bradley who serves as the organization's Treasurer and Cliff West who is the Vice President. In the first season the league was divided into two age groups of 8-10 and 11-12 year olds. Each division had four teams with 8 players per team. The games were played in a local Salvation Army gym, in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. The second year saw a substantial growth from 8 to 20 teams. That raised the number of participants from 64 to 160. In the third year, an additional 80 registrations increased the league to 32 teams and 240 players. The MBA is now starting its 23rd season. During those years, the MBA has put games on local cable television and also produced an in studio cable show called the MBA Fifth Quarter. MBA Fifth Quarter won several cable awards including Best Show of the Year and Best On Air Talent. The organization has seen over 5,000 boys and girls go through the program. Many of the kids had very successful high school careers in sports and there are several playing college athletics in a number of sports. In addition to running a basketball league, the MBA has been generous by giving back to the community. We have been active in helping the Salvation Army with cash and food donations; Angel Tree Christmas Program; flood victims in Missouri in the middle 90's were also helped. Our members also raised $3,000 on two separate occasions that was donated to two of our families in our organization who lost everything in a local flood and to a Dearborn Police officicers family when he was permanently injured in an accident. We have donated money to the Naismith International Basketball Foundation to help orphans in the Caribbean islands to attend a life camp. We created and fund the Ian Simpson Scholarship which is for Dearborn High School Thespian Student in memory of Ian Simpson, one of our former players who passed away with Crones Disease. We are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and hold Coaches, referee Bible Study Huddle Group every Saturday morning before games. We have donated money to the Michigan Food Bank supporting Seniors and homeless people in conjunction with the Detroit Pistons Community Outreach Program. The long range goal of the MBA is to provide a fun, competitive atmosphere of basketball, while teaching it's young people the value of giving back, discipline, education, and generally how to become a good solid person.