The following players have been signed for the 2005 season:

Chris Bacon - 6'9", Small Forward/Power Forward

Bobby Brown - 6'7" Shooting Guard/Small Forward

Jonathan Hargett - 6'0" Point Guard/Shooting Guard

Marcus Taylor - 6'3", Point Guard

Xavier Oliver - 6'7" Small Forward/Power Forward

Alvin Pettway - 6'9" Power Forward/Center

Shawn Ward - 6'5" Shooting Guard/Small Forward

By DONNA SOPER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/10/05

Two Peachtree City businessmen bought the city's minor league developmental basketball team on Feb. 1, just three months shy of the season opener April 22.

Brothers Todd and T.J. Hannon formed Hannon Brothers Sports Entertainment and paid a $50,000 franchise fee to the Atlanta-based World Basketball Association to become owners of the Southern Crescent Lightning, which debuted in Peachtree City last year.

"The league had the franchise to sell, and we were looking for business opportunities," said Todd Hannon. "We want to bring family entertainment to Peachtree City." The brothers, neither of whom are taking a salary, have vowed to donate all proceeds from the team to local community youth sports leagues.

The Lightning, which won the league championship in 2004, previously was owned by Ed Harris.

Peachtree City resident Bryan Clark is vice president of basketball operations. The Hannons hope to name a coach this week and then settle on a roster.

The Hannon brothers, both Fayette County residents, owned ATM distribution company Hanco Systems Inc., which sold off its U.S. operation in 2002 to eFunds and its European counterpart last June to the Royal Bank of Scotland. The two still own a 26,000-square-foot building at 401 Westpark Court in Peachtree City, which will serve as the Lightning's new headquarters.

The brothers said they hope to raise more local awareness of the Lightning and are counting on increased fan and business support. In 2004, attendance averaged only 300 per game. This year, the co-owners hope to draw between 1,500 to 2,000 spectators for the 12 home games at the Starr's Mill High School gymnasium.

The Lightning is scheduled to play its first game April 22 against Carolina at Starr's Mill. Tickets are $6 per person, but discounted season tickets are available.

The WBA began last year with the intent of developing professional basketball players with five years or less experience and exposing them to national and international league scouts. The Lightning is one of four teams in the WBA's Eastern Conference, which also includes teams in Macon, Raleigh and Greenville.

By W.A. Bridges, Jr.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Fayette Edition
Published on: 02/17/05

Ricky Benitez has been named head coach and general manager of the Southern Crescent Lightning, Peachtree City's minor league basketball team.

A native of Puerto Rico, Benitez has five years of professional coaching experience, including positions with the ABA, the USBL and the WBA. Most recently, he was general manager of the Jackson Rage, another WBA team.

T.J. Hannon, who owns the Lightning with his brother, Todd, said of all the coaching candidates they interviewed, Benitez came across as the most passionate about the game.

This is the second year the Lightning has played. Litterial Green was coach last year.

The hannons will hold a news conference at 11am Friday at City Hall to outline detials about the team, including plans to donate all profits to area high school athletic departments and the Kedron Fieldhouse, where the team will practice.

Tonight the Peachtree City City Council will discuss a use rfee for the Lightning's use of the field house. The meeting starts at 7pm at City Hall.

By Lee Coleman

Professional basketball is back in Peachtree City.

In last week's meeting of the Peachtree City City Council, Leisure Services Director Randy Gaddo addressed the council to consider approval of a Kedron user fee for the Southern Crescent Lightning professional basketball team of the World Basketball Association. Gaddo said the team would use one court at Kedron for practices during April, May and June. The first practice is scheduled for April 8.

Practices will be held three to five times a week, two hours per practice, depending on the game schedule. Practices will be held from 9am - 11am.

The new owner, Todd Hannon, will pay $1,000 to use the facility and would also provide free basketball clinics for youth. The team would provide two weekend clinics of two hours each, and four one-hour clinics to be held prior to team practice after school is out.

The Lightning will be playing their home games at Starr's Mill High School beginning Friday, April 22 at 7pm against Carolina.

The matter will be on the consent agenda at the council's next meeting.

By Shaun Payne
Fayette Neighbor Sports Editor

Peachtree City's World Basketball Association team, the Southern Crescent Lightning, will play under new ownership and a new coach and general manager in 2005.

"This will be a team owned by the community," said T.J. Hannon, who will own the team along with his brother Todd Hannon.

Both Todd and T.J. worked in the family ATM business until the family sold the business in 2004. At the time of the sale, Hanco ATM Systems was the largest independent supplier of ATMs in Europe. Now they hope the WBA and the Southern Crescent Lightning will have as much success in the sports arena.

T.J. said he wants to model the Lightning after one of his favorite sports franchises, the Green Bay Packers, which is community owned.

"We have to have the community say, 'this is our team,'" said Todd. "We'll give clinics and travel to schools. We're looking forward to all the support of the community."

The Lightning finished second in the seven-team league at 16-6 last season, and went on to win the inaugural WBA Championship under Coach Litterial Green, the 2004 WBA Coach of the Year. This year they will have a new coach, Ricky Benitez.

Benitez, 39, is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has coached several high school, college and minor league teams.

"I feel I'm up to the challenge," said Benitez. "I will bring the championship back to Peachtree City and to the Hannon brothers."

Southern Crescent will open its home schedule Friday, April 22 at 7 p.m. against the Carolina Heat. Tickets are $6; children 5 and younger get in free. The Lightning play at the Starr's Mill High School Complex in Peachtree City.

The WBA is a professional minor league with teams throughout the country in communities that may not otherwise see professional basketball, such as Raleigh, N.C., Cleveland, Tenn., and Little Rock, Ark.

For more information on the WBA, visit www.wbaball.net. For more information on the Southern Crescent Lightning, visit www.wbalightning.com.

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Last Friday, members of the World Basketball Association gathered at Peachtree City City Hall to announce and introduce the new owners and coach of the Southern Crescent Lightning. The team won the WBA Championship last year and the new owners, brothers and Peachtree City residents T.J. and Todd Hannon, and coach Ricky Benitez vowed to bring back the title this season.

The WBA is a development league and their goal is to prepare athletes for a possible entrance into the NBA or other basketball leagues including the ABA, CBA or international play. Though only one player from the league made the NBA this season, the Lightning’s assistant coach last year, Travis Williams, is now a head coach for Fort Valley State University. The roster for the team will not be announced until after the league’s annual draft but Todd Hannon is hoping to sign several players from last year’s squad.

This will be the second season of play for the WBA and founder Leroy McMath stated that the league is heading in the right direction.

“In the first year of a new league, everybody counts you out,” said McMath. ‘We surprised everybody.”

In addition to hearing from McMath and former NBA player and head coach of the Macon Blaze Wes Matthews, Mike “Stinger” Glenn, the WBA commissioner addressed the crowd stating that the players and teams were expected to become a part of the community and have a positive impact. The Hannons are expecting that too, promising to get a larger part of the community interested in the team this year and vowing to not take a salary. Instead, proceeds will go directly back into the community with local high schools and youth programs receiving money. The Hannon’s goal is to get between 1,500 and 1,700 fans in the stands at each home game and they expect to hit those numbers by getting the community to rally around the team.

Coach Benitez exhibits the same type of passion for the team and the community. Last season, Benitez coached the Jackson Rage and though he has large shoes to fill, he is looking forward to the opportunity.

“ I am up to the challenge and we will bring the championship back here,” said Benitez. The Lightning will be working out numerous athletes leading up to the draft. A roster is expected to be announced in early April and the first home game is April 22 at 7 p.m. against the Carolina Heat. All games will be played at Starr’s Mill High School.