The American Basketball Association (ABA) today announced that the Windy City Inferno has been added to the record-setting number of expansion teams that will begin when the league resumes play in November. “This is the first of several new teams we’ll be announcing in the next week to ten days as we close out expansion…
The American Basketball Association (ABA) today announced that the Windy City Inferno has been added to the record-setting number of expansion teams that will begin when the league resumes play in November. “This is the first of several new teams we’ll be announcing in the next week to ten days as we close out expansion for the upcoming season,” stated ABA CEO Joe Newman. “The interest in the ABA is at an all time high since we adapted Operation Upgrade three years ago and dramatically improved all aspect of the league. We anticipate over 150 teams this year making the ABA the largest professional sports league in US history – and we’re still growing.”
The Windy City Inferno is owned by Frank Lollino who will also serve as General Manager/Head Coach. As the son of IHSA Hall of Fame coach, Frank V. Lollino, the younger Lollino grew up watching the amazing Westinghouse High School teams of the 70’s and 80’s and learned first hand from his father as the top assistant coach at Triton College where he was also named the head coach at 26 years old and coached both high school and college at the same time.
Following that, Coach Lollino became Head Coach of Morton College where he won the Region IV tournament and participated in the 12 team NJCCA National Tournament, followed by two undefeated Sky Conference Championships where he amassed a 28-game winning streak. In 2023, he coached the ABA Chicago Rebels. “We are very excited to be a part of the ABA,” added Lollino. “This is a great league, our Division has some terrific teams including the past two ABA Champions. It should be a great year.”