ur ous ▁basketball ers ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁created ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁( AB A ) ▁which ▁had ▁a ▁strong ▁commit ment ▁from ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁Still ▁another ▁group ▁played ▁its ▁inaug ural ▁ 1 9 9 6 / 9 7 ▁season ▁as ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Basketball ▁Alliance ▁( E BA ). ▁This ▁league ▁played ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁seven ▁teams . ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁E BA ▁became ▁organized ▁and ▁incorpor ated , ▁and ▁expanded ▁to ▁ten ▁franch ises , ▁representing ▁five ▁different ▁states . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁season ▁featured ▁teams ▁located ▁in ▁Lanc aster , ▁PA ; ▁York , ▁PA ; ▁Reading , ▁PA ; ▁Harris burg , ▁PA ; ▁Wil kes - Bar re , ▁PA ; ▁Mer cer ▁County , ▁N J ; ▁Spring field , ▁MA ; ▁Brook lyn , ▁NY ; ▁Hudson ▁Valley , ▁NY ; ▁and ▁New ▁H aven , ▁CT . ▁The ▁' 9 8 ▁season ▁also ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁E BA ▁elected ▁a ▁commission er , ▁in ▁the ▁person ▁of ▁Julius ▁Mc Co y , ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁league ▁office . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁four ▁E BA ▁teams ▁and ▁two ▁A BA ▁teams ▁joined ▁together ▁and ▁played ▁the ▁season ▁under ▁the ▁b anner ▁of ▁U BA ▁( Un ited ▁Basketball ▁Alliance ). ▁This ▁continued ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁with ▁nine ▁teams ▁particip