The Continental Basketball Association’s Rockford Lightning announced Thursday they will play five of their home games at the Convocation Center for the 2003-’04 season.

All games taking place Fridays or Saturdays, the games are tentatively scheduled for Dec. 27, Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 20 and Feb. 27. The Lightning will continue to play the rest of their home games at Rockford’s MetroCentre.

“[We] are thrilled about this opportunity to expand our fan base and expose the people of DeKalb, Rochelle and the surrounding area to the excitement of CBA basketball,” Lightning Director of Business Operations Mike Tuite said.

Some players who have gone from the Lightning to the NBA include Chris Childs (New York Knicks), Howard Eisley (Utah Jazz) and Bruce Bowen (Miami Heat).

“It’s a great way to get students out there,” senior biology major Greg Pedrola said. “If they’re good, the students will come.”

In existence since 1986, the Lightning had a total of 54 players called up to the NBA. Among its current players are Farragut High School graduate and Chicago legend Ronnie Fields and former McDonald’s All-American and University of Florida guard Ted Dupay.

“I like basketball and a lot of students at NIU like basketball,” said junior electrical engineering major Ernest Boafo. “So if they do good, I think a lot of people would come.”

Not everyone at NIU is excited about a professional team making its way to DeKalb, though.

“I find it strange,” junior English major Amalia Spiridakos said. “It just seems strange because the Convo Center is having trouble already. Why don’t they go to a local high school in Rockford? We have our own team. It seems no one goes to the Convo Center anyhow, and now a basketball game? And it’s not NIU or anything.”