COUNTYWIDE : ‘Abandoned’ Islanders Build Core of Followers

There weren’t any stretch limos delivering 7-foot-tall players earning seven-figure salaries. But fans of the Santa Barbara Islanders nonetheless were treated to a spirited basketball game Sunday night as the local favorites were defeated by the Rapid City Thrillers, 127-100.

The Islanders--whose players average about $10,000 annually--became an abandoned franchise in February after the Continental Basketball Assn. team’s managing partner reportedly failed to pay rent at the team’s former home, Santa Barbara City College.

Association officials decided to move the club to Ventura College to complete post-season play and Ventura has since welcomed the team with open arms.

And now that the “Cinderella” Islanders have advanced to the final round of the national conference playoffs, their local popularity has been even greater. While an estimated 600 fans travel from Santa Barbara to Ventura to view the games, most of those attending recent games were from Ventura County.

“This is my first game,” said Tom Flaminio of Ventura. “I’m here primarily out of curiosity,” he said.

The Islanders are up against the wall following Sunday’s loss, which put the Thrillers of South Dakota ahead 3-2 in the best of seven series. Unless the Islanders win both remaining games Monday and Tuesday, fans may have witnessed their final professional basketball game in Ventura for a while.

The CBA considered permanently relocating the Islanders to Ventura County about six months ago, but the absence of a local arena that could accommodate 6,000 fans forced the league to scuttle the idea, said CBA Vice President Bob King. “We were very impressed with the demographics in the Ventura area,” King said.

The CBA, which took over ownership of the Islanders after the previous management defaulted on payments, is talking to about 10 groups who may want to buy the team and keep them in Santa Barbara, King said. The franchise fee is about $600,000.

“This is great basketball,” said Steve Rifkind, a Solvang doctor who claims to be the Islanders’ first season ticket-holder. “Half the players came from the NBA, and the other half is headed for the NBA.”

Victoria Kearny, who accompanied Rifkind to the game, recalled that he often would “drive to the top of San Marcos pass so that he could receive the radio broadcasts of Islander away games.”

If the Santa Barbara Islanders prove victorious in the final games against the Thrillers, they will advance to the league championship playoffs against either LaCrosse, Wis., or Albany, N.Y.