Sports : Vinton Merchants again sponsor Prime Time League basketball team

For the fourth year in a row, some of Iowa's best basketball players will join a team with the name "Vinton" in it.

Kent Stufflebeam of Vinton, a long-time Iowabasketball fan, has been following the Primte Time League for several years.

He said a few years ago, he became interested in sponsoring a team, and finding out how much it would cost.

"The league was started 23 years ago by (former Iowa Coach) Tom Davis," said Stufflebeam.

For four years now, the Vinton Merchants have represented Vinton in the NCAA-sanctioned summer basketball league.

The games take place in the North Liberty High School gym.

"A few of us from Vinton got together," said Stufflebeam. "We are all Iowabasketball enthusiasts."

The men paid $100 each per year to sponsor the team. The money goes for uniforms, rental of the gym and paying referees and scorekeepers, said Stufflebeam.

"The North Liberty gym is a wonderful facility," he said. "It's air-conditioned. It gives the players and new recruits a chance to compete in summer time — guys can go down there and see what they can do."

The star of UNI's win over Kansasin the 2010 NCAA tournament, Ali Farokhmanesh, was a member of the Vinton Merchants last year.

The games will take place on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings between June 19 and July 12, with playoffs July 17 and July 19 and the championship game Sunday, July 24. For more information see the Prime Time League web site.

The Vinton Merchants share the sponsorship with Hawkeye Tile, on "Team 3." Coach Kevin Sanders' roster includes:

• Devon Archie-Iowa
• Devyn Marble-Iowa
• Darryl Moore-ex-Iowa
• Anthony Lee-Temple
• Wes Washpun-Tennessee
• Duez Henderson-ex-Iowa
• Okey Ukah-ex-IC West
• Tay Parker-ex-CR Jefferson
• Max Martino-UNI
• Clark Anderson-ex-Linn-Mar
• Chance Miller-IMS