NEW GM AND HEAD COACH TO BRING BIGGER VISION TO THE FRANCHISE

After a slow start to the season and some disconnect with the Tucson Buckets players and previous coaching staff, we had to take the holiday season to reevaluate our approach.  We have put significant amount of energy into growing this organization but the commitment and play were becoming a concern especially losing in the manner that we did early in the season. As a first year organization discovering our identity in a new league and with a team that lacked a proper training camp has been a learning lesson to say the least. Fortunately, we were able to assemble a team that had some prior history of playing around the city with each other. Chemistry has never been an issue with our roster. Each player enjoys one another and has one goal in mind and that is to win by any means. Although our turnovers and lack of fluidity during the initial four games of the season would indicate otherwise, we believe the team is on the verge of great things.
As a start up business we were forced to make a decision on the direction we wanted our organization to go. Mario Ramirez although one hell of a coach just did not deliver the personality we expected from our players. This being said the organization decided to part ways with coach Ramirez in December. We thank him for helping us get this organization off the ground but a change was  needed to spark a needed flame. Our players have responded well since the change and come this weekend we will be able to show case our next growth. 2016 AZ/CAL DIVISION ABA SHOWCASE 

Coaching Change with hopes to help our growth

The new head coach and General Manager of the Tucson Buckets is Marc Johnson. Johnson played 13 years in France in European Professional League. He brings a professional attitude adjustment to our organization. We started this journey with a roster full of players who for the most part had little to no professional experience. The weekly grind of sustaining a professional career is new to our players and having someone who worked and played professionally provides our players someone with respectable experience and knows how to handle the grind. His influence has already shown in the manner of practice since he was named interim coach in late December. He had a three weeks of unrestricted practices as well as a tournament Title on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation before Christmas.
Being a Tucson bred ball player and resident with a son who plays junior college basketball right now he has been maneuvering through the Tucson basketball scene for decades. Playing at The University of Montana Billings he grew to be very solid professional player. He sees the Tucson Buckets organization as an opportunity to provide Tucson athletes an opportunity to be a part of competitive basketball on a weekly basis. We are inviting the best ball players in the city out to play/ practice for our organization. Even I you can’t play, your energy and effort can help mold a championship team. We are young and eager to attract those who can bring a positive impact to our franchise.
Coach Johnson has a big vision for the Tucson Buckets franchise. He wants to utilize his connections to help bring our players overseas to compete with teams in France. Our job is to create an opportunity for our players to reach whatever level they can. We never want to hinder their growth just because we lacked personnel that could provide a valuable platform. Practices under coach Johnson are strenuous and tedious but the players are responding well. His hunger for perfection has made a significant difference on the play of our guards, an area we needed strengthening.