Hoops fans can soon feel the Thunder

The expansion team in The Basketball League has a name and a schedule, apparently only lacking a confirmed venue for its home games, the first of which is March 22 vs. the Wichita Sky Kings.

In October, an announcement was made at Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel that an expansion team would be playing its 2024 season in the area, and it was assumed the team would play its home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center. But a contract hadn’t been signed then, so the venue was – and still is – yet to be confirmed.

That said, the new TBL team will be known as the Santa Ana Thunder.

“I do apologize for the delays as we are still not at 100% with full details,” said Neil Holmes, a managing partner and co-owner of the Basketball Legacy Group, LLC. “Our official team name is Santa Ana Thunder in partnership with Santa Ana Star Hotel & Casino. … information on our home game facility (and ticket information will be made available) in the next couple of weeks.”

The team, coached by former NBA standout Cliff Levingston, has held two tryouts and has a third slated for Jan. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Tamaya Wellness Center, 225 Ranchitos Road on Santa Ana Pueblo.

The fee to try out is $250; $100 for pueblo members.

Anyone interested in that opportunity should email Holmes at thebasketballlegacygroupnm@gmail.com. Holmes said he has five “limited spots” available that will be gifted to Rio Rancho residents through the Rio Rancho Observer as a free opportunity to showcase their basketball talent; he must be notified by any of those folks by Jan. 12.

The Santa Ana Thunder Training Camp will officially open in February.

The Thunder will host two preseason games immediately following training camp at Tamaya Wellness Center; they are tentatively slated for Friday, Feb. 23, and Saturday, Feb. 24. (More info to come.)