BY EILEEN SOLER
Miramar's motto boasts that the city is ``The Center of Everything.''
Now ''everything'' includes professional basketball.
The Miami Tropics, a new franchise in the American Basketball Association, switched its tryouts and practice home from its city namesake to Miramar last week to accommodate players from Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
''We wanted to be accessible to the entire community,'' said Art Alvarez, president and part owner.
Nearly 30 determined hoopsters turned out from both counties for open tryouts Sept. 8 and 12 at Miramar's Sunset Lakes Community Center.
Alvarez, a veteran basketball coach, said some hopefuls already played for him and the Tropic's newly appointed head coach Ed Auricchio at Miami Christian High School or for the Tropics' amateur Nike travel team from 2002 through 2005.
More played on college teams, including the University of Miami, other ABA teams, such as the Florida Pit Bulls, or on professional teams outside the United States.
On Wednesday, the team signed 6-foot-10, 260-pound center Ivan Lopez, who started for Miami Christian and led the school to the 2002 state title. Lopez has since played in Puerto Rico and Spain.
''These kids were big-time high school players, played great college ball, or they played pro overseas. Now they have an opportunity to play at home, make a decent buck, and play on a possible farm team for the NBA,'' Alvarez said.
Players can earn $12,000 to $20,000 for a 36-game three-month season during the first pro Tropics season, which gets under way in November. Training camp will start Oct. 16.
The minor league ABA, which previously operated from 1967 to 1976 and produced the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers, was re-established in 2000 with eight teams. This year, more than 50 teams will compete.
Team owners are Alvarez, general manager Leo Goughan of Hollywood, and Daniel Imperato of the Imperiali Organization, which also owns another ABA expansion team called the Palm Beach Imperials.
Goughan said ABA games offer great basketball and family entertainment.
Competitions are fierce, affordable, high-scoring and can include one celebrity player, on both or either team, who suits up and gets to play. Home court will be the Barry University gymnasium in Miami Shores.
''If we get 3,500 people in the arena, we'll go larger next year. But we have a good product. Kids love basketball. It's going to work,'' Goughan said.
The next scheduled Miami Tropics tryouts are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 29 and 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Sunset Lakes Community Center, 2801 SW 186th Ave., Miramar. The Cost is $125 for preregistered players or $150 for walk-up players. E-mail the team at miamitropics2004@yahoocom.