What Happened to JerseyExpress.net? A Look Back at the ABA Team’s Legacy

JerseyExpress.net was once the official home of the Jersey Express, a professional basketball team that competed in the American Basketball Association (ABA). For several years, the site served as a hub for fans, players, and supporters to follow the team’s journey, check game schedules, view rosters, and stay updated on news and community events. But today, jerseyexpress.net no longer represents the legacy it once stood for. The domain has changed hands and is now used as a general blog filled with unrelated content, including casino and betting ads.

This article explores the complete history of the Jersey Express basketball team, their impact in the ABA, the evolution of their official website, and what eventually happened to jerseyexpress.net. It also includes facts, leadership insights, and player contributions from the team’s earliest days to its final seasons.

The Launch of the Jersey Express

The Jersey Express franchise began in 2005 when Marsha Blount, a former athlete and business owner from Mount Vernon, New York, purchased the ABA rights for the New Jersey territory. She launched the Newark Express, which later became the Jersey Express. The mission was simple: bring professional basketball excitement back to the New Jersey area while also promoting youth development and community involvement.

Marsha Blount played a major role in the development and management of the team. She served as Owner, President/General Manager, and later as Head Coach. Her leadership made the Jersey Express a recognized name in ABA circles, especially through her efforts in marketing, coaching, and player support. She also made history as a woman leading a men’s professional basketball franchise.

Team History and Performance

Over the years, the Jersey Express achieved significant milestones in the ABA. Some of their most notable achievements include:

• Winning the Northeast Division Championship in multiple seasons
• Participating in the Elite 8 Playoffs several times
• Hosting and participating in nationally televised games
• Sending multiple players overseas for professional contracts
• Hosting community and charity events in New Jersey

In 2014, the team had one of its most memorable years. They were crowned ABA Northeast Division Champions and made it to the ABA Elite 8 Finals in Shreveport, Louisiana. That same year, the team was featured in a nationally televised game on ESPN3. Almin Hodzic was named an ABA All-Star for his performance during the season.

The 2013 season was also eventful. With Ray Ortiz named as Head Coach, the team won the Northeast Division Championship and saw three players sign professional contracts to play overseas. Standouts included William McDonough, SuQuan Gary, and Brandon Weldon.

The team’s journey extended beyond domestic basketball. In previous years, the Jersey Express participated in international tournaments in China, including the Chengdu and Henan Invitational Basketball Tournaments. This not only gave the players international exposure but also strengthened the ABA’s global presence.

Player Contributions and Recognition

The Jersey Express roster saw numerous talented athletes pass through its program. These players contributed to the team’s success and carried its name into broader basketball circles. Names such as Kayode Ayeni, who was named an ABA All-Star and later won All-Star Game MVP, brought prestige to the franchise.

In 2009, Ahmad Mosby was named ABA Rookie of the Year. Devin Davis and Antoinne Morgano also received ABA All-Star recognition. These players helped define the team’s competitive spirit and were instrumental in building a strong roster year after year.

The 2014-2020 roster included a mix of seasoned players and new talent. Players like Rashad Calloway, Sam Furr, Jason Smith, Donald Hennie, and Hashim Bailey were some of the key names representing Jersey City, Newark, and Paterson, NJ. Their contributions helped the team remain competitive in a fast-paced league.

Community Engagement and Media Growth

The Jersey Express was known for more than just on-court success. The team made a concerted effort to be involved in community events. They supported cancer fundraisers, local 5K runs, youth basketball camps, and school-based health and wellness campaigns. This made them more than just a basketball team; they were seen as a community asset.

In terms of media, jerseyexpress.net served as the central source for all things related to the team. Fans could visit the site to buy game tickets, check player stats, view team photos, read news updates, and learn more about upcoming events. The website was well-structured and designed by Aqiyl Aniys, who is credited in the site’s footer.

For many years, jerseyexpress.net functioned smoothly. It provided regular updates and offered fans a reliable platform to engage with the team. In the digital age, this helped the Jersey Express grow its brand and reach a broader audience.

The Domain Expiry and Site’s Disappearance

By 2020, things began to change. The jerseyexpress.net domain expired, and the original content slowly disappeared from the web. Fans looking to visit the site began encountering errors or were redirected to unrelated pages. Eventually, the domain was purchased by a different party and rebranded as a general-purpose blog.

Today, jerseyexpress.net is no longer associated with the ABA or the Jersey Express team. The site is filled with unrelated blog content, many of which promote gambling, betting, and other click-driven articles. The name still draws traffic from those searching for the team, but what they find now is very different from the site’s original purpose.

This change has created confusion for fans and former players. Many still search for archived team information or try to reconnect with the team, only to find a completely different website. Unfortunately, no official announcement was made regarding the domain’s transfer or the discontinuation of the original site.

Organizational Structure and Staff Roles

During its prime, the Jersey Express had a clear team operations structure. Marsha Blount managed both business and coaching duties. Assistant Coaches included James Adams and Elijah Thorpe. The Operations Manager was Mario Valme, while game day responsibilities were handled by Jeffrey R. Brown Sr. and Gail Bryant. The announcer was Kirk Quockco, and creative services were managed by intern Quade Riley.

The team also had plans to expand its media, marketing, and sponsorship roles. Some of these positions were marked as “TBA” on the website, showing the team’s intention to grow further in the years ahead.

The front-end presentation of the site included links to the team’s Facebook and Twitter pages, a purchase ticket section, and even featured the 2015 ABA Championship Finals banner. It showcased a professional design that appealed to fans and prospective partners.

What about jerseyexpress.net, Lucy Wells?

One of the more curious search terms associated with the domain is “jerseyexpress.net lucy wells.” However, there is no official record or verified connection between any person named Lucy Wells and the original Jersey Express basketball team. This keyword might be associated with auto-generated blog content that now appears on the repurposed site. It highlights how previously meaningful domains can become overrun with unrelated or misleading information once their ownership changes.

Impact of Losing the Original Domain

The loss of jerseyexpress.net represents more than just a missing website. It symbolizes a gap in preserving the history of a team that contributed meaningfully to the American Basketball Association and its local communities. Without a central digital archive, much of the content, including player stats, photo galleries, news updates, and press releases, has become difficult to access.

For historians, sports journalists, and fans, having access to accurate and preserved records is essential. This includes full rosters, coaching changes, playoff records, and public community efforts. The expired domain and its repurposing into something entirely unrelated mean that a part of semi-professional basketball history has been digitally erased or confused.

The original jerseyexpress.net served as a repository for the team’s official announcements, game schedules, and achievements. When it became inactive and later turned into a blog promoting unrelated content, including casino links and betting ads, it blurred the team’s identity and made it difficult for new fans to understand the legacy of the Jersey Express.

The Rise of Domain Squatting and Blog Rebranding

What happened to jerseyexpress.net is a common scenario today. When official team websites, small businesses, or personal blogs stop renewing their domain names, third-party buyers often claim them. These buyers frequently turn the site into general-purpose blogs or ad-heavy content farms aimed at search engine traffic.

In this case, the new version of jerseyexpress net appears to use the name and domain authority to attract visitors looking for the old ABA team content. However, instead of sports history or archived records, visitors find clickbait articles, gambling banners, and non-relevant blog posts.

Such repurposing can damage the original brand. Fans of the Jersey Express may assume that the team is still operating under the domain, not realizing that the site now belongs to someone with no connection to the ABA or the basketball world. In some cases, this might even be considered misleading, especially if users believe they are supporting or contacting the original team.

Preserving the Jersey Express Legacy

Even though the team no longer has control over jerseyexpress.net, the legacy of the Jersey Express continues through former players, staff, fans, and the impact it had on New Jersey’s semi-pro sports community. Archiving efforts and digital preservation projects are increasingly important for teams and organizations like this.

For example, screenshots from the original website show the 2014-2015 team roster with players such as Rashad Calloway, Sam Furr, Jason Smith, Hashim Bailey, and Ishier Meredith. These archives help remember not just names and numbers but local talent that shaped the team’s competitive years.

The team also partnered with key sponsors such as Spalding and Privilege Transportation and hosted high-profile events, such as the ABA Championship Finals and community health initiatives. These efforts made the team more than just a seasonal franchise—they became part of the regional sports culture.

Website Design and Fan Interaction

The original jerseyexpress.net included design and content contributions from Aqiyl Aniys, who served as the web designer. The site layout featured a clean navigation structure with links to Team Roster, Stats, Schedule, Entertainment, News, Video, Gallery, and more. It also included game day banners, sponsor logos, and rotating Twitter updates from the official @jerseyexpress handle.

The interactive approach made the site not just an information source, but a fan engagement platform. With links to buy game tickets and social media integration, the website played a vital role in building a loyal fan base in New Jersey and beyond.

The bottom of the site even included a direct credit to the designer, giving fans and followers an authentic view into how the organization operated behind the scenes. This level of transparency and professionalism was rare for ABA teams at the time, many of which lacked consistent branding or online presence.

Why Domain Expiry Hurts Small Teams

Domain names are often overlooked until it’s too late. In professional leagues like the NBA or NFL, domain names are managed by teams of media professionals. But in smaller leagues like the ABA, domain maintenance may fall to a single person. If the domain isn’t renewed on time, it becomes available on the open market, where it can be bought by unrelated content creators or advertisers.

In the case of jerseyexpress.net, the expiration meant the loss of an entire digital archive. For former players, coaches, and fans trying to revisit team history or validate achievements, there is now no direct source. Additionally, job references, player resumes, and fan links that once pointed to the official website are now misdirected or defunct.

Teams like the Jersey Express could have benefited from permanent archiving strategies, such as submitting their pages to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine or maintaining a free subdomain version of their site for historical purposes.

Efforts to Reconnect and Rebuild

Although the domain is no longer active under original management, former staff, fans, and community members still share memories and updates on social media. These grassroots efforts keep the team’s story alive and allow new audiences to discover the work that went into building and maintaining a local professional sports team.

With the rise of nostalgia content and interest in sports history, it’s possible that efforts may grow to reclaim or rebrand the team’s legacy. Former players, coaches, and fans might choose to create a new digital platform to preserve the Jersey Express name and its contributions to the ABA.

Final Thoughts

The Jersey Express was more than just a basketball team. It represented a period of dedication, community involvement, and competitive sportsmanship in the ABA. From 2005 through 2020, the team made lasting contributions to New Jersey’s athletic landscape.

Jerseyexpress.net was the digital face of this effort. Its disappearance and repurposing mark the loss of a valuable online asset. It now exists as a cautionary tale for other small and mid-sized sports teams: always secure and preserve your digital legacy.

From the early days at Drew University to televised ABA games and community outreach events, the team left behind a strong record. Though the domain is now filled with unrelated content and misleading articles, the legacy of the Jersey Express continues through archived screenshots, social media mentions, and personal memories.

While some may stumble upon the current version of jerseyexpress.net and feel confused or disappointed, those who followed the team during its active years will always remember what it really stood for. The hope is that, one day, more attention will be given to preserving the digital and historical legacy of semi-professional sports teams like the Jersey Express.

And perhaps one day, the true story of the team will once again have a place on the web, separate from misleading content, and fully dedicated to honoring its past, including its forgotten but important website, jerseyexpress.net.