Can You Hoop? Show off your skills at the Halifax Rainmen open tryouts

Do you have the skills to make the Halifax Rainmen roster?  The Halifax Rainmen are holding open tryouts on Saturday, November 20th at Citadel High in Halifax from 11am to 1pm.  This gives ballers from across the country an opportunity to showcase their skills.  Some of the past Rainmen players who have attended previous open tryouts include Canadian talents like Team Canada representative, Jevohn Shepherd, Dal Alum, Devon Norris, and St. FX alum, Garry Gallimore who all cracked last season's roster. 

For more information regarding the open tryouts, check out the Halifax Rainmen official website.

And in case you missed the PBL Draft, the Halifax Rainmen wanted to draft big, and they did just that. The Rainmen drafted two St. John's products including big man, Aaron Spears with the sixth pick. Halifax also drafted the 6-7 forward Kyle Cuff with the 14th pick.

(Photo via the Halifax Rainmen Facebook Page)

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

PBL Draft Time: Rainmen and Mill Rats to Draft on Thursday Night

Well, on Tuesday night, the highly-anticipated NBA regular season began which means the PBL season is just around the corner for local hoops fans. The first event to kick off the PBL preseason is the 2010 PBL Draft on Thursday night (October 28th) at Sox Park (US Cellular Field) in Chicago. The two PBL teams out of Atlantic Canada will be participating with both the Halifax Rainmen and the Saint John Mill Rats looking to bring in some young basketball talent to their respective rosters.

The Rainmen who struggled with the centre spot last season are looking to draft a big man in this year's draft. According to Rainmen owner, Andre Levingston: "We're looking to draft big, we're looking for players with some size and length to allow us to compete with the "bigs" of Oklahoma and Rochester." The Rainmen had a revolving door of big men last season with the likes of DeAndre Thomas, Gordon Malone, Marc Mazur, Shagari Alleyne, and Larry Turner filling in at centre.

Saint John on the other hand, are targeting athleticism under a new head coach, former San Antonio Spur, Jaren Jackson. From the Mill Rats latest press release, Coach Jackson explains "We are excited about the available prospects in this years draft. We are going to be looking for the best available players, and hopefully they will bring some athleticism and intangibles to the table."

Coach Les Berry and Rainmen owner, Andre Levingston, will be representing the Halifax Rainmen at the PBL draft while Coach Jaren Jackson and Mill Rats GM, Ian McCarthy will be in attendance for Saint John. You can watch the draft live online at www.atsportstv.com at 10pm Atlantic (8pm Central Time.) Halifax will be drafting the 6th and 14th pick while the Mill Rats will be drafting the 4th and 16th pick.

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

48 Minutes of Heart: Remembering John Strickland

written by Romy Aquino
 
When John Strickland first came to Halifax; as a basketball fan, you only saw a basketball journeyman in his mid-thirties who was a bit of a goofball on the court.  He'd have some funny antics on the court, putting up goggles when he made a nice assist and sometimes you'd see him look at his left hand, then his right hand and then back to his left hand if he made a nice layup.  No one in Halifax really knew who he was when he first joined the Rainmen, a lot of us Rainmen fans just saw a minor league basketball player who was past his prime.  We later discovered he was more than just that.

I didn't know John Strickland personally, I just knew him for the 48 minutes he was either on the court or on the bench for the Halifax Rainmen.  I'm a basketball fan, and the sport is my entertainment.  John Strickland entertained.  The more I got to watch him play with the Rainmen, the more I realized how much this dude put in work.  Sure he had his faults on the court: he was a bit slow, could barely make his free throws, talked a lot to the refs, talked a lot to the opposing coach and talked a lot to whomever he was guarding, but the guy grew on you.  He was a showman and the basketball court was his stage.  The guy rebounded, defended and was a leader on the floor for the Rainmen.  You would always see Strick supporting his teammates after every play, taking guys aside to give advice. You could tell that every player who stepped on the court with him, respected him.  The more you watched him play, the more you realized how much this guy loved playing the sport of basketball.

When I first looked at last season's Halifax Rainmen roster, I saw about 8-10 guys on the list whose hometown was somewhere in New York.  I was surprised.  How did all these New Yorkers end up playing for the Halifax Rainmen?  I did a few Q and A's with some of the Rainmen players, and came to find out that one of the main reasons a lot of these guys got these playing opportunities was through John Strickland.  This guy was someone that a lot of the young basketball players in New York looked up to and got advice from.  This was just another side of John Strickland that I had never known as a Rainmen fan.  On top of that, I also found out that this minor league veteran who I was watching on the basketball court was a streetball legend back in New York and was known as "The Franchise".  So for the two seasons that I saw him play in Halifax where he put a lot of smiles on people's faces, both young and old,  he was also doing the same thing in New York and around the world for many years before that.

(Strick with Heckler's Row)

It didn't take long for Strick to make an impression in Halifax.  He quickly went from this ol' vet on the Rainmen to someone who really made his presence felt here in the city.  So much so, that the crowd would chant "MVP, MVP, MVP" every time he set foot on the court.  The dude averaged 5.0 points per game for the Rainmen last season, I repeat..5.0 POINTS PER GAME.  It was crazy. The guy put his heart and soul on the floor and the Halifax fans appreciated that.  He entertained us and we enjoyed every minute.  Once the game was over, he didn't stop, he would go to the stands and talk to fans after the game,  he joked with the kids and continued to put smiles on people's faces. 

Now that he's passed, I realize that this guy who I watched at the Halifax Metro Centre has had a huge impact not only in Halifax but all over the basketball world.  Twitter is a crazy thing. I've seen tweets from former teammates Corey Underwood and Glen Dandridge, Halifax Rainmen Desmond Ferguson, the Boston Celtics' Nate Robinson, Fat Joe, SLAM Magazine, DJ Clue, and even Lebron James paying their respects to John Strickland.  He was a bigger dude than some Halifax hoops fans even knew about and he will be missed in this city.

If you've ever watched John Strickland on the basketball court, just think of how many times the guy put a smile on your face.

Rest in Peace, Strick.

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen Assistant Coach, Shannon Hansen

With the Halifax Rainmen coming off one of its most successful season to date, Halifax Rainmen assistant coach, Shannon Hansen, was there from the beginning.  Shannon started with the Rainmen in their inaugural season and now is one of Les Berry's assistant coaches.  Even though the PBL is in its offseason, it has been  a busy period.  First of all, the Manchester Millrats have relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick and will be one of the Rainmen's rivals next season.  Also, Andre Levingston was named the new president of the PBL while maintaining his role of owner and CEO of the Halifax Rainmen.  I asked Shannon his thoughts on Andre's recent promotion, his coaching background and what his thoughts were with the NBA free agent frenzy.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca): First of all, what are your thoughts on Andre Levingston's promotion to the role of President of the PBL? What changes do you anticipate next season with the Andre running the league?

Shannon Hansen: First off, Andre's promotion is a great thing for the PBL. His fire for the sport is unrivaled and he will definitely propel the league. With him at the helm, I definitely expect more stable teams in the PBL over the next few years as well as a longer season sooner than later.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): So let's hear a bit about your background....break down your coaching career and how you got involved with the Rainmen.

Shannon Hansen: I have been in basketball my whole life but I have been serious about coaching for the last several years and one of the things that drives me is seeing players learn to thrive as they improve their game which has driven me to training as well. I really love to teach the game. I was one of the first year staff and have been here since.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): We're in the PBL offseason, what's the next order of business for the Rainmen during the summer?

Shannon Hansen: Next for the Rainmen, is to find talented and skilled guys who can fit into the system to add to the team. Whoever we bring in must compliment the system and be ready to produce if we are going to reach the elite level in the PBL. We just have to resign the key guys, decide which role players to bring back and add one or two key guys. Then it's time to compete for the championship

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What was your favourite moment of the past Halifax Rainmen season?

Shannon Hansen: One of my fav moments of this past year was the Jevohn Shepherd dunk. Crazy!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You were recently at the Provincial Black Basketball tourney, what have been your impressions of Halifax as a basketball city?

Shannon Hansen: Halifax is a great basketball city. The love and enthusiasm are off the charts here, so is the talent, it's just a matter of developing it. The tourney is a great example of that.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Ok, let's talk NBA. On July 1st, who's going where? Does Lebron/Wade/Bosh stay put? Or are they on the move?

Shannon Hansen: The new big three could all end up in Chicago or Miami but don’t count out New Jersey. They may jump in and steal a guy. As a young squad, they are one key guy away from being a real threat in the East. Unless Cleveland makes some major trades, LBJ and Bosh are gone.
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 A big thanks goes out to Shannon for taking the time to answer our questions, be sure to catch more about Shannon and the Halifax Rainmen at the Halifax Rainmen official website, Rainmenbasketball.ca

Check out previous Rainmen-related Q and A's:

• Eric Gilchrese
• Larry Turner
• Marc "Maze" Mazur
• Jevohn Shepherd
• Garry Gallimore
• The voice of the Halifax Rainmen, Shaun "Mavs" Gillis
• Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson
• Devon "Chuck" Norris
• Adris "2 Hard 2 Guard" DeLeon
• Halifax Rainmen DJ, RS Smooth

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen guard, Eric Gilchrese

With the departure of backup point guard, Adris DeLeon, earlier in the season, the Halifax Rainmen needed someone to fill in that void off of the bench.  So back in March, the Rainmen signed the former Manchester Millrat starting point guard, Eric Gilchrese.  Gilchrese, who is originally from Illinois, was selected 8th overall in the PBL draft last October.  He played for the NCAA Division 1 school, the New Hampshire Wildcats before making the transition to the PBL.  Now, Gilchrese is one of the offensive weapons off of the Rainmen bench as they battle through the PBL playoffs.  I had the chance to ask Eric a few questions about his transition to the PBL, his run-in with Puerto Rico's Rafael Cruz and what his video game signature move would be.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca): How has the transition been from the Manchester Millrats to the Halifax Rainmen? Is it tough changing teams midway through the season?

Eric Gilchrese: It has been somewhat of a easy transition, the only struggle which everyone that goes to a different team deals with is the transition on the bball court. Learning the plays and the system, players, and how the coach is, are all some of the transitions that I have faced. How we do things with my old team differs from things on this team. I would say its kind of tough, but its kind of not a tough transition if you could understand what I mean.. If you're a bball player then you understand what i mean!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Did you know a lot of these guys before joining the team?

Eric Gilchrese: Yes, I knew a few of the guys before I came. TB, G. Ervin, Big Dre. Tony B and Dre are from Chicago so I knew them from back home.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Andre Levingston brought you in to play a specific role on this Rainmen squad, what's your role with this team?

Eric Gilchrese: My role on this team: Put the ball in the BOTTOM of the NET!!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You played with the University of New Hampshire last year, what has been the biggest change from college to the pro game?

Eric Gilchrese: Biggest transition from the college game to the pro game is probably the way practices are. In college everything we did we had to go HARD, even if you were going to get water, we had to still go HARD..NO DAYS OFF OR POSSESSIONS OFF!! The pro game, is more laid back.

Practices are not as intense as college to sum everything up!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Flashback to the game against Puerto Rico when you got tangled up with Puerto Rico's Rafael Cruz, what happened there? What were you thinking when he put his hands on your throat?

Eric Gilchrese: What with me and CRUZ is..I tried getting open for the ball and he just grabbed me, so me being me, I elbowed him to get him off me. So then he wouldn't let me go and I told him he betta let me go or ima get ejected from this game because I'm going to punch you right in the face. LOL, so what I was thinking when he put his hands around my throat, lets just say I cant say what I was thinking. I gotta keep that a secret, haha!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): When you were a young kid growing up in Illinois, who do you look up to as a youngster? Who were on the posters on your wall?

Eric Gilchrese: When I was a kid, I looked up to one of my big cousins by the name of Ty Johnson. He was the teacher and I was the student! I learned so much from playing and watching his game tapes! I didn't look up to anyone else who played ball..I just wanted to do and play just like HIM!

He's 4 or 5 years older than me and he's a great guy too. So I looked up to him the most! He taught me everything I know about basketball, crossover dribble, spin moves, how to do this move, how to read screens, come off a pick and roll, etc., you get the picture.. Everything!! He's the reason I'm the bball player I am now! Thanks Big cuz! Oh and Ty, you can't beat me one on one anymore! LOL, he used to beat me all the time, I could never win..but he knows what it is now!! Love you cuz!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's say they create a video game with you as one of the players, what's your signature move?

Eric Gilchrese: If they made a video game and created me..my signature move would most likely be a LEFT to RIGHT crossover!! That's my go to move!!
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 A huge thanks goes out to Eric for taking his time to answer our questions, be sure to catch more about Eric at the Rainmen's official website, Rainmenbasketball.ca

Check out previous Rainmen-related Q and A's:

• Larry Turner
• Marc "Maze" Mazur
• Jevohn Shepherd
• Garry Gallimore
• The voice of the Halifax Rainmen, Shaun "Mavs" Gillis
• Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson
• Devon "Chuck" Norris
• Adris "2 Hard 2 Guard" DeLeon
• Halifax Rainmen DJ, RS Smooth

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Backs Against the Wall - CAVALRY 108, RAINMEN 104

CAVALRY 108, RAINMEN 104
Playoff Series:  CAVS lead the series 1-0
An 11-2 run by the Cavs in the second quarter proved to be the difference maker in the Halifax Rainmen's first-ever playoff game. 

The first round playoff series between the Rainmen and the Lawton Fort-Sill Cavs was played in Halifax on Thursday night, where the Rainmen have played well all season with their 8-1 home record.  But the Rainmen struggled to protect their home court when the Cavalry capitalized on the Rainmen's struggles in the second quarter. 

Tim Ellis of the Lawton Fort-Sill Cavs got hot in the second when he scored 13 of his 29 points and the Cavs outscored the Rainmen 31-14. Halifax went shot poorly in the second quarter when Gary Ervin, who has been a integral part to the Rainmen's offense, went 0-6 from the field.  Things also got physical towards the end of the half when Ervin got into the face of Cavs' guard Tim Ellis after an Ellis foul.  This sparked a bit of a shoving match between both teams which ultimately led to double technicals on both Ervin and Ellis along with Tony Bennett.  The Cavs capped off the half with a 14-point lead.

But the Rainmen bounced back.  Gary Ervin took control in the second half, as the Rainmen pushed their way back into the contest.  A Rainmen run in the final four minutes got this Rainmen team as close as three points.  Unfortunately, this was as close as it got.  The Rainmen defense struggled to make key stops down the stretch and made a couple of pivotal turnovers to give the strong LFS Cavs a 1-0 series lead.

The Cavs were led by 6'5" forward, Tim Ellis, who scored 29 points.  The Rainmen had no answer for the forward who played 44 minutes.  Jamaal Davis chipped in with 20 points and guard, Eddie Smith, scored 21 points.

For the Rainmen, even though Gary Ervin struggled in the second quarter, he was also the driving force to get the Rainmen back into the game in the second half.  Ervin had 26 pts, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.  He was also 14/15 from the free throw line.  The face of the Rainmen franchise, Eric Crookshank, struggled in his playoff debut, finishing with just 7 points.  Desmond Ferguson nailed 5 triples throughout the night and had 25 points.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Bill McLean's Player of the Game
Jamaal Davis 20 pts, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game
Tim Ellis 29 pts, 9 rebounds, 4 assist, 2 steals

Hat-tip to the Rainmen
Gary Ervin 26 pts, 7 rebounds, 9 assists

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  20 turnovers for Halifax to the Cavs' 9
• Points in the Paint:  58-40 for the Cavs
• Battle of the Boards:  Halifax had the edge, rebounding-wise, outrebounding the Cavs 47-44, LFS had the edge on the offensive boards 13-7
• No MVP?  DeAnthony Bowden, the LFS Cavs' leading scorer with 17.2 ppg (and also a PBL MVP candidate), was not on the Cavs' roster due to passport issues
• Matchup of the Night:  The most entertaining matchup of the night had to be Strick and Oliver Miller, there's nothing like watching two almost-40 year-olds battle it out in the paint.  The matchup alone is worth the price of admission.
• Canadian Content:  Garry Gallimore sat this game out with an injury, while Jevohn Shepherd played only 23 seconds in the closing minutes.
• Did you miss the game?  Watch a full replay of the game here

Post Game Links:
Metro Halifax
"The Rainmen put up a season-low 14 points in the second quarter and — despite holding the edge in three other stanzas — were unable to recover in a 108-104 loss to the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry in the opener of the Premier Basketball League best-of-three semifinals before a crowd of 1,925 at the Metro Centre on Thursday."

The Chronicle Herald
"Four times in the final 2½ minutes, Ervin drew the Rainmen to within three points but each time the Cavs answered with a basket of their own. After he shaved the deficit to 105-104 by making a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left, the Cavs closed things out by knocking down three foul shots and forcing a turnover on Halifax’s final possession."

Game two of this first-round series is on Sunday in Lawton, Oklahoma. It's make it or break it time for the Rainmen!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Triple Double Trouble - RAINMEN 109, KEBS 86

RAINMEN 109, KEBS 86
Rainmen Record: 13W-7L
The Rainmen came out with the 109-86 win over the Quebec Kebs but they also came out with a few injured bodies at the end of it.  The Quebec Kebs appeared out of sync at the Halifax Metro Centre as the shorthanded Rainmen squad had no problems with the 4-14 Kebs.  Gary Ervin played the full 48-minutes and posted his second triple double of the season.  Ervin led the Rainmen with 22 pts-12 reb-15assists in the Rainmen's regular season finale.

The Rainmen were without Eric Gilchrese who had been dealing with a groin injury and Tony Bennett played just two minutes as he dealt with an Achilles injury.  Both Garry Gallimore and Jevohn Shepherd hobbled off the court in last night's game as well.  Gallimore limped off the court after being called for a charge in the second quarter and did not return to the game.

The highlight of the night had to be the Jevohn Shepherd slam from the weakside where Shepherd threw it down on  Quebec's Louis-Patrick Levros aka "Rat-tail" (as named by the Rainmen fans).

For the Kebs, Brandon Morris led the Kebs with 25 points while PBL Player of the Week from March, Samuel Audet-Sow, finished with 12 points.

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis, Bill McLean and Ryan Dickison's Player of the Game
Gary Ervin - 22 pts, 12 rebounds and 15 assists (second triple double of the season)

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game
Jevohn Shepherd - Just for that nasty dunk alone!

Hat-tip to the Kebs
Brandon Morris 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 threes

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  0 points for Tony Bennett (Achilles). It was the first game that the Rainmen's leading scorer put up his first scoreless game of the season. 
• Da Bench:  Rainmen bench outscored the Kebs' bench 50-20.
• Double Figures:  Halifax had six players in double figures:  Ervin 22, Turner 18, Ferguson 17, Plummer 17, Mazur 14, Strickland 13.
• Sleeveless!  Strick went with bare arms last night and not his usual long sleeves.  Strick finished with a season-high 13 points.
• The Final Standings:  The Rainmen finished the regular season with a 13-7 record with a 9-1 home record.
• Did you miss the game?  Did you miss that Jevohn Shepherd jam?  Watch the full replay of Wednesday's night's game here.
• Playoffs?  The Rainmen play their first ever playoff game this upcoming Thursday night, watch it live here on Haligonia.ca!

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald
"The Rainmen open a best-of-three semifinal playoff series at home on April 15 against either the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry or Rochester RazorSharks, depending upon the outcome of their battle with the Vermont Frost Heaves for third place in the Premier Basketball League."

Metro Halifax
"In what was a little more than a tuneup for the Premier Basketball League playoffs, the Rainmen rested injured top scorer Tony Bennett and veteran double-double machine Eric Crookshank and hammered the Kebs 109-86 last night to wrap up the regular season before a crowd of 1,847 at the Metro Centre."

The Rainmen make their PBL post-season debut this coming Thursday when they face off against either the Rochester Razorsharks or the Lawton Fort-Sill Cavalry...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen centre, Larry Turner

When Larry Turner made his debut in Halifax, he made quite an impression against the Puerto Rico Capitanes.  He got the start at centre and finished with 10 points and 7 boards.  But most importantly, the Rainmen got the win against one of the toughest teams in the PBL.  Now, the former Los Angeles Laker will be an integral part of the Rainmen's quest to make noise in this season's playoffs.  I had the chance to ask Larry a little about his game, his impressions on the city of Halifax and his thoughts on his Lakers experience.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): The Rainmen signed you to be a tough, strong inside presence, how have you adjusted to the new team?

Larry Turner: I'm adjusting fine, I came in knowing what the team needed from me; I take pride in my defense and my presence in the middle. I look forward to contributing to the team as much as possible. The chemistry is getting stronger everyday between me and my teammates.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): First impressions of the city of Halifax?

Larry Turner: My first impression of Halifax was that it is a very cold city. I am a southern guy and am used to the warm weather. I like the city and I think it's energetic and welcoming. The people here are very friendly and humble and I love our fans here.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You've been with the team a few games now, what has impressed you so far about this team?

Larry Turner: What has impressed me about the team the most is that we have all the parts that make up a great team. We have a good outside attack as well as a good inside game. All the guys get along well and we have the same focus and goals to win the championship. This is a hard-working team and I look forward to going into the playoffs and battle with my teammates for the championship.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): For those that don't know much about your game, what type of player is Larry Turner? Who do you compare yourself to?

Larry Turner: I am a hard-working and physical player dedicated to my craft. I am one of the players that you would consider to do the dirty work on the court like set great picks, rebounding, blocking shots, and defending the best post-player on the opposing team. I bring a physical presence in the inside with my offense and I like to bring a lot of energy to the game and give 110% everytime I step on the court. I would compare myself to Tim Duncan who is my favorite player.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): You signed with the Lakers back in '07, what was it like working out with some of the best talent in the NBA?

Larry Turner: It was the best experience in my basketball career so far to be able to play with the best player in my era, Kobe Bryant and to be coached by the greatest coach, Phil Jackson. I worked out with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar everyday before practice on my post-moves and that was a rewarding experience for me to gain basketball knowledge from the best centre to ever play the game, in my opinion. Working with these individuals really allowed me to see a new level of hard work and how dedicated you must be to increase your game in order to play with the best on a nightly basis in the NBA. It was amazing to see how hard Kobe came in the gym and worked everyday and that inspired me to push myself so that I can be the best player that I can be.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): I read that you trained in the Philippines a few years back, how was that experience?

Larry Turner: That was a wonderful experience for me as a young player still in college trying to prepare myself for the next level. I worked out with a trainer name Kirk Collier and we did two workouts a day for a month and a half and I came back to college for my senior year in the best shape that I have ever been in. Being in that good of shape increased my game so that I could play longer and make better decisions in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Are you superstitious guy, do you have any weird pre-game rituals?

Larry Turner: I listen to music, say a prayer and make sure to eat some chocolate for energy.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's hear a bit about your musical tastes, what's on your iPod these days?

Larry Turner: I'm a fan of Gospel, Rap and RnB and on my iPod you will find Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and for Gospel, Kirk Franklin.
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A huge thanks goes out to Larry Turner for taking part in our Q and A, be sure to check him out at the Metro Centre on Wednesday night when the Halifax Rainmen take on the Quebec Kebs! 

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - WEEKEND EDITION

Rainmen Record: 12W-7L
FROST HEAVES 107, RAINMEN 98
If Puerto Rico still had a team in the league, this would have been the game to decide whether Halifax held a playoff position.  But with both Vermont and Halifax locked into playoff spots, this game will play a part in this year's playoff seeding.  The Rainmen had a 12-point with 4:46 to play in regulation and then the Frost Heaves went off.  Vermont scored 18 straight points to take a 6-point lead with just 58 seconds to play.  Dwuan Rice scored 11 of his 20 points in that span as the Rainmen could not close out the Frost Heaves. 

2010 PBL All-Star, Dwuan Rice, led all scorers with 20 points.  Two Frost Heaves finished with double doubles, Jawan Bailey had 17 points and 16 rebounds, Ross DeMasi finished with 12 ponts, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks and three steals.

On the Halifax side, Desmond Ferguson had 19 points while Eric Crookshank finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

RAINMEN 124, STAMPEDE 105
In the Rainmen's second road game in two nights, the Rainmen faced off one of the worst teams in the PBL, the Buffalo Stampede.  After a terrible loss from the previous night, the Rainmen had a chance to bounce back against the Stampede.  The Rainmen put out a balanced attack to defeat the Stampede 124-104 with seven Rainmen players in double figures.  Tony Bennett scored 20 points and dished out 13 assists.  Gregory Plummer had his best game of the season, dropping 19 points on the Stampede.

Buffalo had two players with 30+ points in the loss, Corey Herring scored 34 points while Mike Norwood finished with 33 points.

Next up, the Rainmen are back home to face off against the Quebec Kebs in their last regular season home game on Wednesday night, watch it live here on Haligonia.ca!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Rainmen-Frost Heaves Game Preview with Vermont Head Coach, Joe Salerno

When the Vermont Frost Heaves started the season off with the PBL season with a 0-3 record, the Frost Heaves organization decided to go with a new voice in the locker room and assigned assistant coach, Joe Salerno, into the head coach role.  Salerno, who is a Vermont native, was recently named the PBL's Coach of the Month.  Joe led the team to a winning record and now his Frost Heaves, along with the Halifax Rainmen, are locked into this season's playoffs.  The Vermont Frost Heaves currently hold a 10-7 record and are just on the tail of the 11-6 Halifax Rainmen.  The two teams face off in Vermont on Friday night and will now jockey for a position in this year's playoffs.  I had the chance to ask Joe about his team, Vermont's matchup with the Rainmen and how well his NCAA bracket did this year.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca):  The Frost Heaves had a rough opening schedule with a few road games to start the season but the second half of the schedule looked to be a bit more favourable and you guys are now gunning for a playoff spot. What has been the biggest improvement with this team?

Joe Salerno:  Having 8 of our first 9 games on the road was without question a challenge. I think we were the only team in the league that did not have a single home game in the month of January. So we knew coming in it was going to be difficult. I think we were able to use the schedule as motivation to prove to the league we were still capable of being competitive and making a run at a playoff spot. After going through some turmoil early on in the season, our greatest improvement has been coming together as a team, and buying in to playing "team basketball". As soon as we achieved this, the wins started coming.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  The season series between the Frost Heaves and the Halifax Rainmen is tied at one game a piece, what will you guys need to do to prepare for this upcoming matchup?

Joe Salerno:  Obviously, when you play a team for a third time in a season, both teams are pretty familiar with each other. Understanding their strengths, and weaknesses is crucial. Halifax in my mind has the most talented back court in the league. You could have a month to prepare, and I still wouldn't feel completely comfortable facing the Ervin, Bennett, Ferguson, and Gilchrese. But we will be ready to go. We will spend a lot of time in the film room this week, as well as putting in a couple of offensive wrinkles of our own.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):   What's the attitude like in the locker room? Are they prepared to finish the season off strong and nab a playoff spot?

Joe Salerno:  I think our attitude as a team is right about where it should be. We are playing loose, and playing with confidence. Coming into this game with Halifax on a six-game winning streak is a great thing for us, yet at the same time we have been on the other end of the stick earlier in the season. We understand we still have our work cut out for us, and this will be a war on Friday night.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  You came in to take over the head coaching duties partway through the season, how has your previous coaching background helped you to take on the Frost Heaves' head coach role?

Joe Salerno:  Being promoted from first assistant to head coach three games into the season can be a challenge anywhere, and at any level. Being put in this position with the majority of my previous experience being at the high school varsity level, it was important for me to gain the confidence, and respect from the players immediately. I think I was able to do this, by just being myself, coaching with confidence, and backing it up with hard work. It is vital for players to see that their coach is working as hard, if not harder then they are. These are the same guidelines I tried to live by as a high school coach, and has carried over to be successful at this level as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Vermont has two players headed to this year's 2010 all-star game (which will be played here in Halifax), Dwuan Rice and Ross DeMasi. For those who don't know much about these guys, let's hear your breakdown on the two guys' games.

Joe Salerno:   I couldn't be happier with the selections. I think our fans hit the nail right on the head when voting for Ross and Dwuan. They are great players, with even better attitudes, and work ethics you wish all your players had.

Dwuan is a one of those PG's with sneaky quickness. He has great court awareness, and always seems to make the right decisions. He is a true "pass first" PG, who is always making players around him better. I believe he is second or third in the league in assists right now, a guy who will make some of the high flyers in the all-star game look pretty good!

Ross is the hardest working player I have seen in this league. From day one of this season he has been in the top 5 in the league in rebounding. Standing only 6'8" and 215lbs, he fights for every rebound he gets. He is a tough defender in the post, with a nose for the basketball. He is one of those blue collar players, that has become a fan favorite. He is also the only native Vermonter who has ever started for the Frost Heaves in our 4 year history.

I am happy for both those guys, and think they are great selections.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Will you be making the trip to Halifax to watch the festivities?

Joe Salerno:  You know I was hoping to get an invite from Coach Berry to join his staff for the weekend... but the date does fall on my wife's birthday, and we are actually expecting our first born the week before, so I may be a little busy. I'm not planning on making the trip....but I am still keeping my eye out for an invitation.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):   Last question, did you fill out a NCAA bracket this year? How does it look? Is it busted or is it still alive and well?

Joe Salerno:  I'm a Carolina guy, so it was tough for me to even look at a bracket with the Heels playing in the NIT. I did fill one out though, but believe me like many others this year, there's not much to talk about! I'm rooting for Michigan State now, I'm a HUGE Izzo fan....Go Sparty!
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Thanks again to Joe for participating in our game preview, be sure to find out more about his Vermont Frost Heaves at their official website: VermontFrostHeaves.com 

The Rainmen face off against the Vermont Frost Heaves on Friday night in Vermont (Gametime 8pm AST, 7pm EST).  Congrats to Joe and his Coach of the Month honours!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Rainmen-Cavs Battle it out in OT - LFS CAVS 104, RAINMEN 98 (OT)

LFS CAVS 104, RAINMEN 98 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  11W-6L
Another overtime game and another overtime loss. 

The Halifax Rainmen are now winless in their overtime matchups this season, losing their first home game to the Lawton Fort-Sill Cavalry 104-98 in a hard fought battle last night.  Halifax quickly built a 9-point lead late in the fourth quarter with three consecutive three balls from Desmond Ferguson, Tony Bennett and Gary Ervin that brought the Halifax Metro Centre to their feet.  But Halifax's 9-point lead at the 3:31 mark quickly turned into a one-point lead in a matter of 90 seconds.  Lawton Fort-Sill made a couple of quick steals and baskets to get back into the contest.  Eddie Smith's basket with 11 seconds to play forced the overtime period.

In overtime, the Cavs' Eddie Smith and Brandon Dean made a couple of key baskets to keep Halifax at bay.  Smith led the Cavs with 25 points and proved to be one of the difference makers in the matchup.  Halifax went 4 for 10 from the field in the overtime period.

For the Rainmen, 2010 PBL All-Star, Gary Ervin, continues to impress leading the Halifax Rainmen with 26 pts, 11 rebounds and 6 dimes.  Eric Crookshank had a huge double double with his 17 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Bill McLean and Ryan Dickison's Player of the Game
Eddie Smith 25 pts, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game
Elvin Mims 20 pts, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals

Hat-tip to the Rainmen
Gary Ervin 26 pts, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  LFS bench outscored Halifax's bench 45-9
• Rebounds:  The Cavs won the rebound battle 64-52, LFS worked it on the offensive glass, outrebounding Halifax 26-15
• Points in the Paint:  The LFS bigs got it done down low, scoring 50 points in the paint

• Remember Oliver Miller from back in the day?  Oliver Miller, the former NBA baller who played with the Phoenix Suns back in the 90's was in attendance as a member of the LFS Cavs, "The Big O" finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocks
• Canada Watch:  Garry Gallimore 2 pts
• PBL All-Stars:  The game was full of 2010 PBL all-stars which included the two 2010 All-Star coaches (Berry, Richardson), two LFS players (Dean, Mims), four Halifax players (Ervin, Ferguson, Crookshank, Bennett)
• Watch the full replay of last night's game here

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald
"It was the fourth time in six games that they’ve lost in overtime, putting in peril a playoff berth that seemed secure only a month ago, before the Rainmen, 9-2 at the time, embarked on a three-game road trip in which they lost all three in extra time."

ThePBL.com
"Unfortunately, in spite of a valiant effort, the Halifax Rainmen couldn’t overcome the Cavalry. The Rainmen trailed by various margins throughout the game, including 13-spread when the Cavalry went on a 19-4 tear to start the second quarter, that built up a 40-27 midway through the quarter."

Next up, the Rainmen head back on the road in an important matchup against the Vermont Frost Heaves on April 2nd...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAINMEN 132, GREENHAWKS 118

RAZORSHARKS 132, GREENHAWKS 118
Rainmen Record:  11W-5L
The Halifax Rainmen maintained control for the full 48 minutes right from the opening Larry Turner basket, to roll over the GreenHawks 132-118 in Friday night's road win.

Halifax opened with an impressive 43-point opening quarter and just poured on the offense the rest of the way, putting up over 130 points for the second time this season.  The last time Halifax scored over 130 points was back in February when Halifax defeated Maryland 147-105 for the first time. 

Desmond Ferguson led the way for the Rainmen scoring 28 points including 6 triples.  Eric Crookshank had a near triple double with his remarkable stat line:  22 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.  A couple of the newest Rainmen played well on Friday, Eric Gilchrese had 22 points off of the Rainmen bench and starting centre, Larry Turner, finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds.

For the GreenHawks, Terrance Mouton finished with 27 pts, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.  Sean McKeon had a stellar performance with a near triple double having 17 points, 10 rebounds and a whopping 8 swats.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Even though the GreenHawks lost, they had an incredible 26 blocks on the night.  Two GreenHawks players had 8 blocks each.
• Free Throw Watch:  Halifax did well at the FT line, going 76% from the charity stripe.  Eric Gilchrese got to the line 13 times last night and made 10 of 13.
• The Boards Battle:  Maryland outrebounded the Rainmen 56-48
• Season Low:  Halifax's leading scorer on the season, Tony Bennett, had a season low 9 points
• The Joys of Minor League Hoops:  According to Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson's Twitter, this game was played in a high school gym in front of about 100 fans.
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore 3 pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal
• 11-5:  The Rainmen are two games up on the fifth place Vermont Frost  Heaves and a game and a half behind the third place Rochester Razorsharks
• Check out photos from the game here (via the Maryland GreenHawks Facebook page)  

Post Game Links:
The Chronicle Herald
""It was just an overall good road win (to) get the monkey off our back on the road after losing three in a row in overtime," said Berry, whose team led 43-31 after the first period, exploiting the Premier Basketball League’s worst defensive squad to tie their season high for points in a quarter."

RainmenBasketball.ca
"The win puts the Rainmen, 11-5, two full games up on the idle fifth place Vermont Frost Heaves, 9-7, with just four regular season games left to play for each team."

GoGreenHawks.com
"The GreenHawks outscored the Rainmen 39-29 and made a run in the fourth quarter connecting on seven three-pointers, but closest the GreenHawks would get was 14 points."

Next up, the Rainmen are back home to face off against the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry tonight, watch it live here on Haligonia.ca!

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Halifax Bounces Back - RAINMEN 104, CAPITANES 96

RAINMEN 104, CAPITANES 96
Rainmen Record:  10W-5L
Well, this wasn't the battle for first place as it was originally dubbed, but the Puerto Rico Capitanes-Halifax Rainmen matchup still lived up to the hype.  The Rainmen snapped their three-game slump and defeated one of the best teams in the PBL, the Puerto Rico Capitanes 104-96.  Puerto Rico arrived late to the Metro Centre with just about 20 minutes to tip off but still came prepared to play.  The Capitanes had an eight man roster fully equipped with their top guns Elias Ayuso, Angelo Reyes and David Cortes along with newly acquired, Courtney Sims.  For Halifax, the newest face to the team, Larry Turner, got the start at centre.

It was definitely a chippy and physical game which stayed tight until the closing minutes.  Even Eric Gilchrese and Puerto Rico's Rafael Cruz got into a confrontation towards the end of the third quarter causing both benches to run out to the floor.  However, Halifax didn't let Puerto Rico intimidate them and didn't let up for the full 48 minutes.  Halifax pulled away in the final three minutes going on a 12-3 run.

Gary Ervin put on an impressive showing as the quick guard led the Rainmen with 23 points.   Larry Turner looked good in his home debut, hustling down low, finishing with 10 pts, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.

For Puerto Rico, Elias Ayuso was unstoppable, scoring 25 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.  The newest Capitane, Courtney Sims had 22 points and the big man, Jeffrion Aubry, finished with the double double (10 points, 13 rebounds)

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis and Ryan Dickison's Player of the Game:
Gary Ervin 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

Romy Aquino's Player of the Game:
Desmond Ferguson 15 pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

Hat-tip to the Capitanes:
Elias Ayuso 25 pts, 6 rebounds and 2 assists

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Day:  It was definitely a heated matchup between the two teams, I don't know the official numbers but the refs handed out at least 6-7 techs in this one
• Free Throw Improvements:  Another impressive FT shooting performance from Halifax, shooting 81.4% from the charity stripe
• Rebound Battle:  Halifax outrebounded P.R. 59-43
• Double-Double Machine:  Eric Crookshank had his ninth double double of the season with 11 pts and 13 rebounds
• The Home Dominance continues:  Halifax is now 8-0 at home
• Capitanes Sinking:  With Lawton Fort-Sill's win and Puerto Rico's loss on Sunday, Puerto Rico now sits in 2nd place in the PBL 
• In case you missed the game, watch the replay here
• Canadian Watch:  Jevohn Shepherd 1:45 minutes, 1 assist, Garry Gallimore 8 minutes, 1 turnover
• Hecklers Row: The Row was on hand in their Rainmen blue unitards

Next up, the Rainmen go on the road to take on the Maryland Greenhawks on Friday night and come back to Halifax to take on the top team in the league, the Lawton Fort-Sill Cavalry...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAZORSHARKS 115, RAINMEN 113 (OT)

RAZORSHARKS 115, RAINMEN 113 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  9W-5L
The Rainmen continued their slide Saturday as they dropped their third straight overtime game on the road.  A three from Rochester's Derik Hollyfield in OT proved to be the game winner as Desmond Ferguson missed the potential game-winning three for Halifax in the closing seconds.  Halifax had a 59-47 halftime lead but Rochester erased the lead quickly when the Razorsharks went on a 9-0 run midway through the third.

In the fourth quarter, Hollyfield nailed a huge three with under one minute to play that forced the overtime period.  Hollyfield finished with 16 points, which surpassed his season high of 4 points.  Former PBL MVP, Keith Friel, scored 6 of his 24 points in the overtime period to help the Razorsharks improve to 11-3 on the season.

Rochester's Jerice Crouch finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals.  Former Rainmen players, Glen Dandridge and David Bailey had 8 pts and 5 pts respectively.

Tony Bennett led the way for Halifax with 33 points.  Eric Crookshank had an impressive double double with his 19 points, 20 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals.  Both Bennett and Ferguson struggled from three point land with a combined 8 for 23.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  21 turnovers for Halifax
• Huge Improvement:  Halifax had their best performance from the free throw line, making 22 of 25 (88%)
• Rebound Battle:  Crook and the rest of the Rainmen outrebounded Rochester 62-53
• Road Woes:  The Rainmen are now 2-5 on the road 
• New Kids on the Block:  Newly acquired Larry Turner had 4 pts and 6 fouls in 12 minutes, Eric Gilchrese had his best game as a Rainmen, scoring 14 points
• Canadian Watch:  Garry Gallimore - 3 pts, 2 rebounds, Jevohn Shepherd - DNP

Post Game Links:
DemocratandChronicle.com
"Consider the stroke located after Hollyfield hit the winning 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in overtime to lift the Rochester RazorSharks to a 115-113 win over the Halifax Rainmen in a Premier Basketball League game at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial Saturday."

The Chronicle Herald
"We had a couple good opportunities to stay in it and win and unfortunately that’s life on the road," said Berry, whose squad is a perfect 7-0 at home but only 2-5 away from the friendly confines of the Metro Centre after Saturday’s setback, which comes on the heels of overtime losses to Vermont on Feb. 28 and Quebec on March 5."

OurSportsCentral.com
"After being down by as many as 17 points, the RazorSharks tied the game at 77-77 on a three pointer from Derik Hollyfield. Keith Friel scored 10 third quarter points including two three-pointers as the quarter ended tied 79-79. Hollyfield scored seven fourth quarter points including the game tying three-pointer with 36 seconds left that sent the game into overtime."
 
Next up, the Rainmen are back home to face off against the Puerto Rico Capitanes on March 21st...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Rainmen-Razorsharks Game Preview with Rochester Assistant Coach, Chris Iversen

(Photo credit: Christian Ramirez)

The Halifax Rainmen (9-4) continue their road trek this Saturday when they face off against the PBL two-time champs, Rochester Razorsharks (10-3).  The two teams have already played  against each other earlier in the season when the Rainmen pulled out the 102-99 win in Halifax.  The Razorsharks will seek revenge against Halifax when the Rainmen roll into Rochester this weekend.

Behind Rochester's head coach Rod Baker is Chris Iversen, who is the Assistant Coach and Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Razorsharks.  I had the chance to ask Chris a little about the upcoming matchup with the Rainmen, who has surprised him the most on the Razorsharks roster and a little about his history as a member of the Razorsharks staff.
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Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Rochester started off the season hot on a five-game win streak, had a bump in the road with a few losses but are now back on a five game winning streak including the 33-point romp over the GreenHawks this past Saturday. What will the Razorsharks have to do to continue the hot streak this Saturday against Halifax?

Chris Iversen:  We'll have to continue to do a good job executing offensively and playing defense with a high intensity. Even though we have had some recent success, there's always room for improvement, so we've got to push ourselves to get better each day.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): When Rochester and Halifax played earlier this season, it was a close and exciting matchup with Halifax coming out on top. In your opinion, where did the Razorsharks come up short in that game?

Chris Iversen:  Anytime you go on the road in the this league, you have to be prepared for a tough game, especially when you go to play in a place like Halifax. Give the fans in Halifax credit for providing a great atmosphere for their team, but we have got to play smarter basketball this time around.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Who on this year's Razorsharks roster has impressed you so far this season?

Chris Iversen:  Without question, Melvin Council. Here is a guy who didn't see a lot of playing time last year, put the extra time during the off-season, and it's paid off, because he's able to fill multiple roles for us if needed. My high school coach once told me, "If you work hard, good things will happen," and Melvin is a prime example of that.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): The Razorsharks have had the chance to play against every team in the league at this point, who has been the toughest matchup so far?

Chris Iversen:  In the PBL you have to have the mind set that every game you play you're going to be in for a fight, and that you can't take anyone for granted, no matter what a team's record is. Each team in this league has their strengths and weaknesses, but like I said, you have to look at each game as a tough match up and not overlook anyone.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): How did you first get involved with the Razorsharks organization?

Chris Iversen:  I became involved with the team in 2005 as an intern working in the front office. Once I finished my school requirements, I was hired as Director of Game Day Operations, promoted the following season to Vice President of Operations, and before the 2009 season was again promoted to the role of Assistant Coach and VP of Basketball Operations. It has been a privilege for me to be able to have the opportunity to work with Coach Baker for the past five seasons as well as to be involved in the front office aspect of the team basically since its inception. I feel blessed that I can be around the game of basketball each day, and it's a special feeling to actually be doing something that I appreciate, respect, and genuinely enjoy.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): If you could choose your opponent for the first round of this year's playoffs and it had to be between Lawton Fort-Sill, Puerto Rico or Halifax, who would you want you to face?

Chris Iversen:  Sorry, but I can't choose who we play, so we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
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Thanks again to Chris for taking part in our game preview.  The Razorsharks and Rainmen face off this Saturday in Rochester, be sure to check out more about the Rochester Razorsharks at their official website, Razorsharks.com

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - KEBS 100, RAINMEN 97 (OT)

KEBS 100, RAINMEN 97 (OT)
Rainmen Record:  9W-4L
No one in the NBA wants to lose to the New Jersey Nets and no team in the PBL wants to lose to the Quebec Kebs.  Unfortunately, the Rainmen were the unlucky ones to be the league's last place team's second win of the season.  But this wasn't the same Kebs team that held the 1-10 record in the first half of the season.  Quebec had just recently signed three new players this week.  Quebec added Brandon Morris, Brandon Cotton and Marlon Pompey before the game against the Rainmen in an effort to salvage the second half of the Kebs' season.

The Rainmen were outscored 29-20 in the fourth as the Kebs forced the Rainmen to OT.  This was Halifax's second straight overtime game on the road.  Quebec's Brandon Morris buried a three pointer in the closing seconds of overtime to put away Halifax.  Desmond Ferguson had an opportunity to tie the game at the last second but missed the three ball.

Samuel Audet-Sow led the Kebs with 23 points and eight rebounds.  Power forward, Jamaal Wise scored 22 points and also pulled down 8 rebounds while John Ruffus had a double double, scoring 11 and grabbing 12 boards.   Newly-acquired Brandon Morris, who had the winning three in overtime, scored 17 points in his Quebec debut.

For the Rainmen, Desmond Ferguson scored a team-high 22 points.   Point guard, Gary Ervin, who had the franchise's first triple double a couple weeks back, had another impressive line with 18 pts, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.  Ervin has been logging heavy minutes after the departure of Adris DeLeon and had 44 minutes of PT last night.

Key Notes:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Halifax got outworked on the glass as they lost the rebound battle to Quebec 58-39.  22 of Quebec's boards were offensive rebounds.
• Those Darn Free Throws:  The Rainmen still struggled with their free throws, only making 11 of 21 free throws
• Points in the Paint: 64-56 for the Kebs
• Road Trend:  Halifax is 0-4 on the road when they let the opposing team score 100+ points
• New Kid on the Block:  Newly acquired Eric Gilchrese had 2 pts, 2 rebounds in 9 minutes
• Canadian Watch:  Jevohn Shepherd - 14 pts, 4 rebounds, Garry Gallimore - 1 assist, 4 fouls
• 4th Place:  The 9-4 record puts the Rainmen at fourth place in the PBL, and would face off against Puerto Rico if the playoffs started today

Post-game Links:
Metro Halifax

"The Kebs rallied from a nine-point in the fourth quarter and sent the game to extra time with a put-back from Jamaal Wise with six seconds to go. Berry called overtime “competitive,” but said an Eric Crookshank outlet pass off a rebound was stolen with the game tied in the dying seconds and Brandon Morris of the Kebs nailed a three-pointer to win it with 1.9 seconds left."

The Chronicle Herald

"The last-place Kebs (2-10) outscored the fourth-place Rainmen (9-4) 29-20 in the final quarter to pull off a 100-97 shocker. The Rainmen led by two points with less than two minutes remaining but it was Brandon Morris’s three-pointer at the buzzer that sealed the shocking win."

For all you Francophones, Le Soleil

"(Québec) Les Kebs auraient rêvé le scénario de leur deuxième victoire qu'ils n'auraient pas fait mieux. Devant plus de 1500 partisans survoltés, les basketteurs de Québec ont vaincu les Rainmen de Halifax 100-97 en prolongation, hier soir. Un spectaculaire tir de trois points de leur nouveau meneur de jeu, Brandon Morris, a scellé ce premier gain en plus de deux mois."

Next up, the Rainmen face off against the Rochester Razorsharks on March 13th...

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the Canadian Flavour of the NBA, the PBL's Halifax Rainmen) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blogs, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and Hoop Heads North.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino