Rainmen-Mill Rats Game Preview with Saint John GM and President, Ian McCarthy

by Romy Aquino

For the first time in the National Basketball League of Canada season, the Halifax Rainmen (2-2) face off against their old Maritime rivals, the Saint John Mill Rats (2-3).  Led by NBL leading scorer, Anthony Anderson (20.0 ppg), the Mill Rats have strung together a couple of wins after starting off the season with three straight losses. The Rainmen and Mill Rats have a history dating back to the ABA days and will now face off again in the National Basketball League of Canada on Friday night in Halifax.

Ian McCarthy is the GM and President of the Mill Rats and has been a member of the team since its inception in Manchester.  The Saint John Mill Rats had a successful season last year in their inaugural season in Saint John, bringing a professional basketball team to New Brunswick.  I had a chance to talk to Ian about the Mill Rats, the new league and all the internet buzz about Matt Bonner playing for Saint John.

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Romy (Sportstream.ca): First off, you have been with the Mill Rats organization throughout three basketball leagues: the ABA, the PBL and now the National Basketball League of Canada. We're a few weeks into the season, what has been your impression of this new league? 


Ian McCarthy: This league has been great so far. Very competitive and some really exciting games only two weeks in. I believe we already had two overtime games. The response from fans and first time viewers has been a resounding 'thumbs up' on the product.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): What types of improvements have you seen with this league in comparison to the leagues the Mill Rats have been with before? 


Ian McCarthy: As far as ownership and management of the teams and league, it has been no comparison. Its light years ahead. We are all treating this like a major league because that is its potential. We don't even want the word 'minor' to be used when mentioning this level of basketball because of the negative connotations that the U.S. based minor leagues have caused.

We are enjoying the faster pace of the FIBA rules for one. Secondly the officiating, for the most part, has been really sound. In the prior leagues teams were spread out so much that due to cost, you almost always had hometown officials. In this league they are rotated around pretty well. And teams in this league take our league mandates very seriously. Everyone handles their business whether it's being a great host to a visiting team, or keeping a website up to date, we are all doing it.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): This Friday will mark the first matchup between one of the Mill Rats' arch rivals, the Halifax Rainmen. Based on your knowledge of this year's Rainmen roster, what will be some of the biggest challenges the Mill Rats will face on Friday? 


Ian McCarthy: Despite all of the early season changes, the Rainmen have assembled a formidable roster. Coach Salerno from Summerside texted me after their last game that 'Orien Greene is the best player in the League.' And that was after seeing him play just once. I was a fan of Greene's the year he played with the Celtics. Joey Haywood has been impressive earning Player of the Week honours so quickly. So we definitely have our work cut out for us.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): Your Mill Rats had a rocky start going 0-3, but are now on a two-game win streak including a win over the tough London Lightning, who have been some of the highlight players on this year's roster? 


Ian McCarthy: We did have a rocky start but it really feels like there is so much parity in this League that any team can win on any given night. So just like in the games there a series of runs each team will make, so too with the wins and losses. We were still a confident team after starting 0-3. Antoine Tisby's ability to dominate has been the biggest surprise. Our lineups have evolved to give him room to operate. Steve Deluca has materialized from walk on, to bench player, to starter, and is now bordering on playing at an all-star type level. And of course our starting backcourt has been amazing with Will Blalock and Anthony Anderson. For Anthony to have fully recovered from the achilles injury he suffered at the Metro Centre on Mar 31 so quickly is great to see.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): There has been a lot of buzz this week about Matt Bonner exploring other playing opportunities, including the Saint John Mill Rats. Briefly explain Matt Bonner's connection to the Mill Rats. 


Ian McCarthy: Matt grew up near Manchester, NH with David Cooper. He is, in fact, the only player from the Granite State to ever make the NBA. His brother, Luke, played briefly for us in 2010 and Matt's foundation was a team sponsor when we were in Manchester.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): Having Matt Bonner play in the NBL would provide such a positive impact to the reputation and notoriety of the league. In your opinion, is this playing opportunity a realistic option for Matt Bonner? 


Ian McCarthy: I can't speculate accurately about whether he will play in the NBL Canada yet. Its something that's been discussed. Two barriers had been insurance for his contract and his role with the NBA Players Association. With the dissolution of the union those may or may not still be barriers. But the door is certainly open.

Romy (Sportstream.ca): Finally, with the NBA season looking bleak, do you anticipate more highly-skilled players with NBA/NBA D-League-type talent exploring playing opportunities with the NBL? 


Ian McCarthy: Like Andre, we are in talks with a number of current and former NBA players, to gauge their interest in playing. It has been surprising the number of really high-level players have reached out to our league already. Of course, Halifax seems to have the market cornered with former NBA players recently!

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Find out more about the Mill Rats at their official website. 


Thanks goes out to Ian McCarthy for taking part in our Rainmen-Mill Rats game preview, catch the Maritime rivals, Halifax Rainmen and Saint John Mill Rats at the Halifax Metro Centre on Friday night.  Catch the live feed here on Sportstream.ca!

Photo courtesy of the Saint John Mill Rats

Romy Aquino covers the pro basketball game (the National Basketball League of Canada including the Halifax Rainmen, the NBA/Toronto Raptors) from a fan's perspective.  He also can be found at NBA hoops blog, Hip Hoop Junkies and writing about the NBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast (guests Leigh Ellis and Ryan McNeill)

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors/NBA and Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. It's straight hoops talk out of Halifax.


Episode 15 of RAPS TALK - This week, the Raps Talk crew are joined by their first Australian guest, Leigh Ellis, Online Producer/Editor/Writer/Shooter for theScore.com and regular co-host on the Hardcore Hoops Show on Sirius Radio 98.

Leigh was also a special correspondent on The Basketball Jones recently and his latest TBJ video made its internet debut a couple of weeks ago.  Leigh talks to the Raps Talk crew about NBA basketball back in the day, his NBA MVP thoughts and what actor he thinks would play himself in a movie.

Ryan McNeill of HoopsAddict.com also joins this week's podcast.  Ryan is the man behind HoopsAddict.com, a site that covers the basketball game at all levels.  Romy, Sean and U-E talk to Ryan about Canada Basketball, the NCAA Tournament, the Toronto Raptors and ask Ryan his opinion on the San Antonio Spurs.  

Times:
Leigh Ellis [8:45]
Ryan McNeill [33:15]

The new Raps Talk intro courtesy of DJ Plaeboi (@plaeboi on Twitter), check out his website: plaeboi.com  Make sure you subscribe to the Raps Talk podcast on iTunes.

Click below to listen:

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 15
Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast (guest Tas Melas of the Basketball Jones)

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors/NBA and Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. It's straight hoops talk out of Halifax.


Episode 14 of RAPS TALK (03.14.11) -  It's the Tas Melas episode, folks.

Tas Melas of The Basketball Jones (Thursday nights on the Score and the daily show on the web) joins this week's podcast.  He talks NBA, Toronto Raptors, Greek basketball players, NBA's Most Improved Player, his favourite Vancouver Grizzly of all-time and the most intimidating players he has had to approach for an interview.  A huge thanks goes out to Tas Melas for taking the time to come on the podcast.

And who's Tas Melas' favourite Boyz II Men member?  Sit back and take a listen.

The new Raps Talk intro courtesy of DJ Plaeboi (@plaeboi on Twitter), check out his website: plaeboi.com  Make sure you subscribe to the Raps Talk podcast on iTunes.

Click below to listen:

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 14 (03.14.2011)
Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast (guests David Amber and Ray Bala)

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors/NBA and Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. It's straight hoops talk out of Halifax.


Episode 13 of RAPS TALK (03.13.11) - This is episode #13, it's the Steve Nash episode.

In this week's installment of the RAPS TALK podcast, the RAPS TALK crew welcomes David Amber to the podcast. He is the host of the Toronto Raptors post-game show "Raptors Post Up" on NBA TV Canada as well as an anchor on the NHL Network. Amber talks to Romy, Sean and U-E about the Canadians in the NCAA tourney, the future of the Toronto Raptors and his thoughts on NBA MVP.


Ray Bala (@canballreport on Twitter), a Canadian basketball enthusiast of RaptorsHQ.com, joins the podcast as well.  Ray breaks down the Canadian content of this year's NCAA tournament, Halifax Windjammers throwback night and this past weekend's CIS Tournament here in Halifax.


Times:

David Amber [4:22]
Ray Bala [22:55]

Click below to listen:

Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 13 (03.13.2011)
Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast (guests James Borbath and Jay Satur)

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors/NBA and Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. It's straight hoops talk out of Halifax.


Episode 12 of RAPS TALK (03.08.11) - It's a Raptors-packed show
in episode 12 of the RAPS TALK podcast.

First off, we had James Borbath (@dinonationblog) of the Dino Nation Blog on the show.  James made his rap debut in this week's podcast, which is definitely a must-listen on its own.   The RAPS TALK crew talked DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson and more Toronto Raptors with James including why he he hasn't been to a Raptors Dance Pak practice.

For our second guest, we were pleased to have Jay Satur (@jaysatur), Online Producer for Raptors.com on the podcast.  Jay is a jack-of-all trades with the Raptors where he works on a lot of the web production with the Raptors.com website.  Romy, Sean and U-E spoke with Jay about the impact of social media on the Toronto Raptors, the whole #RTZ Twitter phenomenon, as well as his stint as the chicken in DeMar's Dunk Contest viral video.

Make sure you subscribe to the Raps Talk podcast on iTunes.

Click below to listen:

Hip Hoop Junkies & Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 12 (03.08.2011)
Click here for the MP3 (right click "Save As...")

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast (guests Aaron Bronsteter and Brendon Lynch)

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors/NBA and Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. It's straight hoops talk out of Halifax.


On the latest episode of RAPS TALK:
Episode 11 of RAPS TALK (03.07.11) - It's the Isiah Thomas episode y'all. Episode #11.

This week's episode we have two very special guests joining the Raps Talk podcast, we have Brendon Lynch (aka Mr. Court Cuts, the man behind the Score Television Network's Court Cuts highlight reels) and Aaron Bronsteter (aka Orville, producer of the Tim and Sid Uncut Podcast).

Both guys are hosts of the always entertaining Hardcore Hoops Show on Sirius 98 and The Score.com Radio. Romy, Sean and U-E talk hoops with Brendon and Aaron covering topics that include: the CBA, the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat and most importantly, the Toronto Raptors. Check it out.

Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and visit Hip Hoop Junkies for more Raps Talk podcasts.

Take a listen here: Raps Talk Episode 11 (or save the file, right click "Save As...")

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen forward, Josh Dollard

One of the top offensive weapons on this Halifax Rainmen squad this season has been forward, Josh Dollard.  The Auburn alumni has been the leading scorer for the Halifax Rainmen at 16.9 ppg but his scoring has been blowing up even more over this past week.  Dollard put up a season-high 38 points against the Saint John Mill Rats last Friday and then followed up that performance with 31 points against the Quebec Kebs.  His impressive week was enough to earn Josh PBL Player of the Week honours.  Even Rainmen CEO and President, Andre Levingston, praised Josh's game in the Rainmen's latest press release. 

"He’s been working very hard and is extremely focused on becoming a better player. I believe he will one day have the opportunity to play in the NBA – he’s that good.” said Levingston.

Dollard and the Rainmen are back in Halifax this weekend after a month-long road trip and will face off against the Quebec Kebs on Saturday.  I got the chance to catch up with Josh Dollard and talked a little about his playing style, his thoughts on this season's Rainmen team, the use of social media for basketball players and his TV-watching habits.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): So Josh, how happy were you when your Auburn Tigers won the BCS title earlier this year? Did Tajuan Porter eat his bowl of snow? (Note: Josh and Oregon alum, Tajuan Porter had  a friendly bet on the BCS Championship) 


Josh Dollard:  No he didn't... (laughs) but I was very excited that we won. I went to that school and I have a lot of friends on that football team. I was very happy for them.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  This is your first year playing with the Halifax Rainmen, how have you adjusted to living in Canada? Was it a big change for you (being from South Carolina)? 


Josh Dollard: It wasn't too too much of a big change because I'm used to traveling so much as a basketball player - I am still adjusting to the cold weather though, but that's about it.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  For those Rainmen fans who aren't familiar with your playing style, what kind of game do you bring to the Rainmen? Let's hear the scouting report on what type of player you are.


Josh Dollard:  I'm a very verasitile player, I like to mix it up. I can play inside, outside, I can run the floor, and I can score from the free throw line, rebound and block shots. With those versatilities in my game, I'd say I can bring a lot of different things to the Rainmen team.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): What NBA player do you try to model your game after? 


Josh Dollard: I wouldn't say I model my game after one player in particular, but I do try to take something from each of the greats. I model various parts of my game after a lot of the top players, such as Lebron, Carmelo, Kobe and Dwyane Wade. I think to be a great player you should try and take something from everyone - that's how I make my game versatile.


Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Being a player that's trying to break into the NBA, how much does the internet (Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, etc.) help a player's marketing in this day and age? 


Josh Dollard: At my stage (in the minors) I don't think it helps me too much. I think that's reserved for the guys in the NBA, to really have a strong marketing or social media plan. For me, my focus is just on grinding and getting better, and hopefully getting people at the NBA level to look at me so I can have the chance to prove myself... I'd say internet marketing definitely helps the superstars more than it would help someone at my stage.


Romy (Haligonia.ca):  I did a little research, you're from a small town named Hemingway, South Carolina. Tell us little bit about the famous Barbecue Shag Festival that's held in Hemingway every year. 


Josh Dollard: It's all about the barbecue! They have a lot of different things at the festival. Different groups of people will bring different things to the barbecue, such as recipes. They have rides for the kids and all types of different entertainment. It's just like a big fair.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): When you played ball at Auburn, how often did Auburn alumni, Charles Barkley, come by the school when you were there?


Josh Dollard:  He was there two or three times when I was there. I've only ever talked to him myself maybe once... he came to a game when we played Kentucky but that was it, really.


Romy (Haligonia.ca):  Lastly, when it comes to TV, what is your taste in television? Are you a sitcom kind of guy....reality TV...Jersey Shore...Real Housewives...what kind of TV shows are you into? 


Josh Dollard:  The only thing I watch is ESPN, NBA TV and BET!
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Shoutouts goes out to Josh Dollard for taking part in our Q and A, be sure to check him out at the Metro Centre on Saturday when the Halifax Rainmen take on the Quebec Kebs, tip off at 1pm!  Also, be sure to check Josh on Twitter (@Josh_Dollard3).  


Check out previous Rainmen-related Q and A's from this season:
Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson

Photos courtesy of the Halifax 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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

RAPS TALK - The Weekly Audio Podcast

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, RAPS TALK presented by Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North  is a weekly audio podcast with Romy Aquino, Sean Francois and U-E Sampang that breaks down the Toronto Raptors and the rest of the NBA along with Canadian Basketball from a fan's perspective. 


On the latest episode of RAPS TALK:


Episode 10 of RAPS TALK (03.01.11) - In this episode, the Raps Talk crew welcome another guest to the podcast, Raptors blogger/vlogger, Payal Doshi of insidethepurpleroom.com.  The guys of Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North talk to Payal about her trip to LA and her NBA All-Star weekend experience, her thoughts on the Raptors and what went down with this year's NBA trade deadline.

Also, joining the podcast, was Ray Bala (@canballreport on Twitter) Canadian basketball enthusiast of RaptorsHQ.com. Ray talked about a few Canadian ballers to watch out for this week, the best high school players in the country and who he thought would be the face of Canada Basketball. Romy, Sean and U-E talked to Ray about former Halifax Rainmen player, Jevohn Shepherd; Pictou, Nova Scotia native, Bucknell's Bryson Johnson and the other top Canadian basketball players from across the country.


Click the link below to listen:
Hip Hoop Junkies and Hoop Heads North present RAPS TALK Ep. 10 (03.01.2011)

Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

The Halifax Rainmen Community's Serious and Not So Serious Superbowl Picks

written by Romy Aquino

Well, it's that time of the season with Superbowl XLV around the corner.  Big Ben and his Pittsburgh Steelers roll into Dallas, Texas to face off against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers this Sunday evening.  The Packers are the favourites to take the trophy, but I asked some of the Rainmen players, front office staff and Sportstream.ca's Rainmen crew, who they thought would take Sunday's game.  I gotta tell ya, I got a mixed bag of serious and not-so-serious picks, but definitely entertaining predictions to say the least.

Boo Jackson, Halifax Rainmen Centre: "Black and Yellow Baby....That's all it's gonna be, a blowout.  I'm going 31 to about 16.  A real a**-whoopin'.  Excuse my language."

Marshall Brown, Halifax Rainmen Forward: "The Cowboys"

Kavon Jones, Halifax Rainmen Forward:  "Packers."

Mike Evans Jr., Halifax Rainmen Assistant Coach: "Steelers, all day."

Jad Crnogorac, Rainmen VP Player and Community Relations: "I think the Miami Dolphins are going to win."

Shaun "Mavs" Gillis, Sportstream.ca's voice of the Halifax Rainmen: "I like the Steelers to beat Green Bay by 4 and I give a lot of the credit to that Pittsburgh has been there and done that and just have that experince edge."

Nicole Moore, Rainmen Team Lead of Sales: "Green Bay?  I don't know..."

Romy Aquino, Rainmen Blogger for Sportstream.ca and Northpolehoops.com: "Indirectly the Steelers are the better team....beating the Jets, who were responsible for the beatdown of both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.  Pittsburgh with the win 27-21."

Ryan Chute, Halifax Rainmen Director of Sales: "The Dayton Triangles ....look it up, google it....the Dayton Triangles...they were the very first team in the league.....ever....in the National Football League.  Dayton Traingles.  They get my vote" 

Jillian Blackman, Halifax Rainmen Director of Marketing and PR:  "I pick Green Bay because I think Ben Roethlisberger is creepy."

Ryan Dickison, Sportstream.ca Rainmen Colour Analyst: "Steelers 23-20, Pitt's been there, done that. Pack looked real stale in the second half against da Bears. Big Ben needs everyone to forget about him goin' around rapin' people so he needs this more than anybody (just like Kobe).."

John Bowe, Halifax Rainmen Communications and Marketing Assistant: "I think the Steelers and not the Packers because they suck!"

Dereck Hubley, Halifax Rainmen Team Lead of Sales: "Definitely Pittsburgh.  It's going to be 24-20, Pittsburgh over Green Bay."

Vince Williams, Sportstream.ca Rainmen Colour Analyst:  "The Falcons 45-24, I wish! The Pack will get it done 24-21, the Rodgers and D-drive show.  The Pack defense will get to Big Ben! But don't forget the Falcons, go MATTY ICE - 2011.  YES!"


Dewey, Halifax Rainmen In-Game Intern: "Green Bay!"


Bill McLean, Sportstream.ca Rainmen Colour Analyst: "Packers 28 Steelers 24. Big Ben makes his first Super Bowl mistake that leads to a Packers touchdown in the final minutes. Aaron Rodgers is named MVP, finally completely distancing himself from the shadow of Brett Favre."

Frankie Hollywood, 101.3 The Bounce and Rainmen In-Game Entertainment: "Green Bay, all the way!"

Let's tally up the scores:


Pittsburgh: 7
Green Bay: 7
Other Ridiculous Answers: 3

There you have it...we're split down the middle between the Packers and Steelers with the Dayton Triangles, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins with the slim chance to pull out a miracle.  We'll see after Sunday night, which one of these hoop heads know their football.  A huge thanks to Jillian Blackman for compiling the Rainmen player/front office responses.

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Rainmen-Mill Rats Game Preview with Saint John President and GM, Ian McCarthy

by Romy Aquino

Saturday night will mark the beginning of a professional basketball rivalry here in the Maritimes.  The Mill Rats PBL franchise moved from Manchester, New Hampshire to Saint John, New Brunswick during this past offseason and by location alone, the team is an ideal rival for the Halifax Rainmen.

The start of this rivalry will begin on Saturday evening when the Halifax Rainmen (4-2) take on the Saint John Mill Rats (2-3) at the Halifax Metro Centre (7:00 PM AST) and will be the first regular season matchup between the two Maritime teams.  A few notable players on the Mill Rats roster include former Halifax Rainmen guard, Eric Gilchrese, and Canadian talents: UNB alumni, Mike Anderson and Toronto native, Jeff Ferguson.

Ian McCarthy is the President and General Manager of the Saint John Mill Rats and has been with the team since its inception in 2007.  I had the chance to preview Saturday night's Rainmen-Mill Rats matchup with Ian, discussed the new additions to the Mill Rats roster and got his thoughts on the now defunct PBL franchise, the Vermont Frost Heaves.

* * *

Romy (Haligonia.ca): First off, how has the move of the Mill Rats from Manchester to Saint John been so far? 


Ian McCarthy: The move has been an incredible experience. Harbour Station is an amazing venue, so the presentation to the fans, and the experience for the players is first class.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  What has the response been like in the Saint John community?

Ian McCarthy:  The fan response and the community response has been great. We have over 2,000 season tickets and have averaged 4,000 fans per game thus far, compared with 500 or less last season in Manchester.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): The weekend will be the beginning of a new rivalry between the Halifax Rainmen and the Saint John Mill Rats, what is the scoop with this new “Rogers Fan Cup” and also the friendly wager between the mayors of the two cities?


Ian McCarthy: The Fan Cup Challenge is basically a competition that Andre (Levingston) and I discussed doing and it has grown into a friendly wager between the Mayors. It's a way to allow the fans of each team to compete directly with each other, in addition to the teams playing each other.

We're looking forward to the Mayor Kelly wearing a Mill Rats jersey to a Council Meeting this spring!


Romy (Haligonia.ca): In your opinion, what will be the biggest challenge for the Mill Rats when they face off against Halifax on Saturday?


Ian McCarthy: The biggest challenge we will have Saturday is playing together with our roster changes. (Tyrelle) Blair is a new addition and (Marc) Egerson is probably not going to play due to a lower leg strain. If we can play our brand of basketball and get contributions from our new guys, we should be fine.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let’s hear the scouting report on some on the newest guys on the Mill Rats roster: Rob Diggs, Ross Demasi and Tyrelle Blair. What do they bring to the Mill Rats?


Ian McCarthy: Diggs had a great first game (23 points, 9 rebounds). He's athletic, runs the court, and has good post moves. Blair is a shot blocker and inside presence. We acquired the rights to Demasi but we have not signed him yet and he will not be in uniform on Saturday.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): In other PBL news, the Mill Rats former arch rivals (when they were back in Manchester), the Vermont Frost Heaves, folded this week. What was your initial reaction when you heard the news? 


Ian McCarthy: We were all aware as a league that Vermont was in a fragile condition financially and we decided to give them a chance to play this year due to their history and their value as a rival and as a travel partner. So it wasn't a huge surprise. I think in hindsight we could have provided them with more guidance as to how to manage the budget they did have and the pitfalls of minor league sports. They were fans after all and really wanted to win badly as well.

Romy (Haligonia.ca):  How does this affect your team going forward?


Ian McCarthy:  It really hasn't affected us other than rescheduling one home and one road game, and we get to play Quebec and Halifax in the additional games.


Romy (Haligonia.ca): Will there be a friendly wager between you and Andre Levingston in this new Maritime rivalry?


Ian McCarthy: Good question! Its not something we've discussed because we've both been tending to our team's business everyday, but perhaps we can think of something!

* * *

Thanks goes out to Ian McCarthy for taking part in the Rainmen-Mill Rats game preview, catch the Maritime rivals, Halifax Rainmen and Saint John Mill Rats at the Halifax Metro Centre on Saturday night.  Catch it live online here on Haligonia.ca!

Photo courtesy of the Saint John Mill Rats

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - BLUEGRASS STALLIONS 99, RAINMEN 89

BLUEGRASS STALLIONS 99, RAINMEN 89
Rainmen Record:  4W-2L
After blowing out the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions 115-83 last Friday, the Rainmen were looking to repeat that performance when they made the road trip to Kentucky.  But on Sunday afternoon, that wasn't the case.  Going in shorthanded without head coach Les Berry, Eric Crookshank and an injured Desmond Ferguson, the Stallions proved that they were a better team than they were a week ago in Halifax.  Led by their leading scorer, Kenny Jones, the Stallions' forward scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.  The Stallions were active on the glass, outrebounding Halifax 58-51 which included 25 offensive boards.

For Halifax, Mike Mercer was moved out of the starting lineup in favour of Tommy Mitchell in Sunday's game.  Mercer, who was the Rainmen leading scorer going into Sunday's game struggled for Halifax, scoring just 4 points (2-10).  Halifax had problems handling the ball, turning the basketball over 26 times.

Kentucky had a 76-74 lead with seven minutes to play in the fourth but it was the second half play of Jason McLeish that was an integral part of the Stallions strong finish.  McLeish, scored all of his 18 points in the second half for the Stallions.  The game was still in reach for Halifax until 1:26 to play, when Jason McLeish stole a Rainmen pass that led to an Aubrey White basket and a foul, to put the Stallions up ten to seal the game.

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Rainmen could have really used Eric Crookshank on Sunday, Kentucky had 25 offensive boards and outrebounded Halifax 58-51
• Stallions Player of the Game (based on the boxscore):  Kenny Jones 20 points (8-14), 14 rebounds (8 offensive)
• Shoutouts to the Rainmen: Kavon Jones 20 points (9-11), 13 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals
• The New Guy:  Former NBA player, Kirk Snyder, made his Rainmen debut and scored 0 points (0-3) and grabbed 2 rebounds in 10 minutes of play
• The Standings: The Rainmen move to a 4-2 record while the Stallions move to 4-3 

Post Game Links:

Halifax Chronicle-Herald

""We made a push and took the lead in the third quarter but we had some bad foul calls against us and the guys let their heads down," said assistant Jeff Paris, who coached the team during its road trip."

Metro Halifax
"Ex-NBA guard/small forward Kirk Snyder played 10 minutes but didn’t score in his Rainmen debut after signing on Saturday. Snyder was convicted of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault in April 2009 and was sentenced to three years in prison in May 2010. He is now looking to return to the NBA."

BluegrassStallions.com
"Kenny Jones scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Bluegrass Stallions to a 99-89 victory against the Halifax Rainmen in a Premier Basketball League game at Georgetown College."

Next up, the Rainmen face off against their Maritime rivals, Saint John Mill Rats, on January 29th here in Halifax...

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Halifax Rainmen add NBA experience with guard-forward, Kirk Snyder

The Halifax Rainmen have made a huge addition to the roster, having signed former NBA player, Kirk Snyder.  Snyder, who attended the University of Nevada, has four seasons of NBA experience playing with the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.  The guard-forward declared for the NBA draft after his junior year at the University of Nevada and was a first-round pick in the 2004 NBA draft, drafted 16th overall by the Utah Jazz (after Al Jefferson and before Josh Smith).  This was also the year the Dwight Howard was drafted first overall.  He also appeared in the 2007 NBA playoffs with the Houston Rockets when the Rockets lost in a seven game series against the Utah Jazz.  The 6-6 guard has played in 211 NBA games and will be bringing a lot of talent and experience to the Rainmen roster.  He also has other pro experience, playing in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Zhejiang Horses in 2008.

Snyder has been more recently in the news due to unfortunate circumstances, having been charged with aggravated burglary in 2009.  According to KSL.com, after being convicted of "aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault", he was sentenced to three years in prison.  He was diagnosed with a mental disorder as reported in Dayton Daily News but will look to begin his comeback with the Rainmen.

According to the latest Halifax Rainmen press release, Rainmen President and CEO, Andre Levingston, is looking to give Snyder a second chance: “I’m excited to give Kirk a second chance at having a professional basketball career and providing for his beautiful family,” said Levingston. “We’re happy that he has received the help he needed and look forward to having him join us in Halifax.” Snyder will be joining the team this Sunday as they face the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions in Kentucky.

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Breaking Down The Boxscore - RAINMEN 112, AIR STRIKERS 106

RAINMEN 112, AIR STRIKERS 106
Rainmen Record:  4W-1L

The Halifax Rainmen were in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday night, facing off against the expansion Dayton Air Strikers.  The last place Air Strikers were on a four-game losing streak heading into this matchup and were looking to secure their first home win of the season.  The Rainmen on other hand, were fresh off of a blowout win against the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions (winning three of their first four games) and were looking to continue their strong play on the road.  The Rainmen went into Dayton shorthanded, and were without the PBL's leading rebounder, Eric Crookshank, and head coach, Les Berry.  Assistant coach, Jeff Paris, took the coaching reigns on Wednesday night.

The Air Strikers got an early jump on the Rainmen in the first quarter of the game, putting together a 31-24 first quarter lead.  But the Rainmen wasted no time closing the gap.  Halifax narrowed down Dayton's lead to just one point at the half.  Taliek Brown and the recently-acquired centre, James "Boo" Jackson, both had 9 points at the mid point.

Dayton kept pace with the Rainmen in the second half, keeping the game close in the third and fourth quarters.  With just over a minute remaining in the final quarter, Dayton had got the game to within three points.  But with a few key free throws made by both Josh Dollard and James "Boo" Jackson in the closing seconds, the Rainmen were able to hold off the Air Strikers with a 112-106 Rainmen win.

Mike Mercer had a strong night, scoring 18 points in just 23 minutes for the Rainmen.    Mercer scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half.   Rainmen point guard, Taliek Brown, was perfect from the field, making 7 for 7 from the floor.  He finished with 17 points and 5 rebounds.  Tajuan Porter had a season-high 12 points, making four threes from behind the arc.

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  Halifax had 20 turnovers in this game compared to Dayton's four turnovers.  How did Halifax win the game with all those turnovers?  Well, they also made 10 threes (out of 23 attempted.....23 attempted threes!)
• Rainmen Player of the Game (based on the boxscore):  It had to be James "Boo" Jackson with his 16 points (7-12)  and 17 boards
• Shoutouts to the Air Strikers: Quade Milum - 23 points (10-14), 5 rebounds
• The Rebound Battle:  Halifax won the battle on the boards 59-36
• Three Point Struggles:  Dayton's Nathaniel Miles was horrible from behind the three point line, making only 1 of 10 
• Rainmen DNP-CD: Kavon Jones was a DNP-CD for Wednesday night's matchup, he should be ready to play for Sunday's game
• The Standings: The Rainmen move to 4-1 and sit at the top of the PBL East Division

Next up, the Rainmen are still on the road and have a rematch against the Kentucky Bluegrass Stallions on Sunday!

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 blog, Hip Hoop Junkies (A Member of TheScore.com's Sports Federation) and writing about the PBL/Rainmen at NorthPoleHoops.com.  Follow him on Twitter: @romyaquino

Talkin' Hoops with Halifax Rainmen guard, Desmond "Moneyball" Ferguson

When Desmond Ferguson dropped seven threes on the Vermont Frost Heaves in the Rainmen home opener, Rainmen fans understood why they call Desmond Ferguson - "Moneyball".   The dude has a knack for nailing down a three-ball from anywhere on the court....and when he gets hot, watch out.

The three-point specialist out of Lansing, Michigan is back with the Halifax Rainmen for another season to help Halifax's quest for a PBL Championship.  Ferguson is currently the leading scorer for the Halifax Rainmen at 19 points/game and is only one of two returning players to this season's Rainmen roster.  Aside from being a professional ball player, he also has a business on the side named "Moneyball Sportwear" that is the uniform provider to not only the Halifax Rainmen but also the Saint John Mill Rats.  I had the chance to talk with Desmond about this new PBL season, his best memories of John Strickland and his opinion on his favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time.

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Romy (Haligonia.ca): You're back with the Rainmen for another season. How are you liking this year's team so far?


Desmond Ferguson: I really like our team this year. I think we have a good mix of veterans and young players, as well as some athletic guys that will help us towards our quest for a championship.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): A lot of the guys from last year's Rainmen roster have moved onto other playing opportunities with you and Crook as the only returnees. For the Rainmen fans who aren't familiar with some of the new guys on the team, who are the ones we should be most looking forward to watching this season?


Desmond Ferguson: All of them! Ha! Taliek Brown is a true pass first point guard and a proven winner, Tajuan Porter is fast and quick and he is also a good shooter, he changes the pace of the game. Tommy Mitchell is a guy that I previously played with in Manchester and he is a proven scorer with experience in this league. Mike Mercer is one of our rookies that brings great intensity on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, an athletic scorer that can defend. Marshall Brown is a strong, athletic wing player that will definitely help improve our team and help us be more versatile. Josh Dollard gives us a scoring presence at the power foward position that creates matchup problems for other teams. Kavon Jones is another one of our rookies that has a great upside and also creates mismatches when he is in at the 4 or 5 position....

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Rainmen fans were shocked to hear about the passing of streetball legend and Rainmen veteran, John Strickland over this past summer. Where were you when you heard the news?


Desmond Ferguson: I was sitting on my bed getting dressed so I could get ready to go work out when Andre called me with the devastating news about Strick. It's definitely still a hard pill to swallow.

Ferguson and Strick (just a few weeks before he passed away) at Jay-Z's 40/40
club, Ferguson said "they treated Strick like he was Jay-Z himself"

Romy (Haligonia.ca): What will you miss most about Strick?


Desmond Ferguson: What I will miss most about Strick was his passion for life and the game of basketball. You only have one opportunity in life to meet a person as unique and special as Strick. The way that he played the game and his undoubtedly love for basketball is what I will always remember him for.

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Let's hear your best Strick story during your time with the Rainmen.


Desmond Ferguson: I have so many stories about Strick, but the one that best sums him up on the basketball court is the one I wrote in my blog the day I heard about his passing.....

http://moneyball.Myshopify.Com/blogs/news/2079802-moneyball-blog-rip-john-strickland

Romy (Haligonia.ca): How's the Moneyball Sportswear business? What's the latest with the company?


Desmond Ferguson: Moneyball Sportswear is doing good. It's keeping me busy. We are currently preparing for a busy 2011. We are looking to expand into a couple other sports outside of just basketball such as football and soccer. We have a lot of different events that we will be a part of this spring and summer, so we are getting ready for that. So, in a nutshell, we are just trying to stay busy and grow as a company.

Website - www.moneyballsportswear.com
Facebook - moneyball sportswear
Twitter - @iammoneyball

Romy (Haligonia.ca): Aside from running the Moneyball Sportswear company, what does the offseason for Desmond Ferguson consist of?


Desmond Ferguson: I travel a lot during the offseason, both for business and pleasure. In the month of June, I do a free basketball clinic for all the kids in my city (Lansing,MI) and I also run a pro-am basketball league with college and pro players from June to August, the Moneyball Pro-am. So, I manage to stay busy one way or another. It keeps me out of trouble. Ha!

Romy (Haligonia.ca): I read that Steven Seagal is from Lansing, Michigan. What's your favourite Steven Seagal movie of all-time?...I know you have one!


Desmond Ferguson: I would have to go with Under Siege.
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A huge thanks goes out to Desmond Ferguson for taking part in our Q and A, be sure to check him out at the Metro Centre on Tuesday night when the undefeated Halifax Rainmen take on the undefeated LFS Cavs!  Also, be sure to check out his Moneyball Sportswear website.  

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 106, KEBS 98

RAINMEN 106, KEBS 98
Rainmen Record:  2W-0L

Last night the Rainmen went on their first road trip of the regular season to face off against the Quebec Kebs.  The Kebs, who were fresh off an opening night win against the Saint John Mill Rats, were ready for the Halifax Rainmen to come to town.  But the Rainmen put out a well-balanced attack, having seven players in double figures to defeat the Quebec Kebs 106-98 in Quebec City last night. When you're a minor league basketball fan and your team goes on the road, you can't always watch your Halifax Rainmen online or on live television.  Sometimes, you just have to rely on boxscores to see how the team did.  Thankfully for the internet, we can at least break down the boxscore: 

Some Key Stats:

• Glaring Stat of the Night:  The Rainmen shot the ball well, going 38-70 (54%)
• Free Throw Watch:  Now, the Rainmen were known last season for being one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the PBL, losing a few games due to poor free throw shooting.  Last night, the Rainmen were 24-38 (63%) from the charity stripe, which isn't bad, but definitely will be an area for improvement.  Marshall Brown made his regular season debut and got to the line 12 times, which is a good sign from the former Frost Heave.
• Third Quarter Goodness: They say good teams win basketball games in the third quarter, and the Rainmen did just that, outscoring the Kebs 34-22.
• Leading Scorer for the Rainmen: Kavon Jones with 19 points.
• Double-Double Master:  Eric Crookshank continued his dominance on the boards with his 13 points and 16 rebounds.
• Quebec's Leading Scorer: Quinell Brown followed up his 28-point performance against the Mill Rats with 16 points against Halifax last night.
• Former Rainmen Watch: Cordell Jeanty - 10 pts, 8 rebounds, Aaron Spears - 12 points, 6 boards.
• Under 100 points: Halifax kept their opponent under 100 points for the second straight game
• Big Man Alert:  The recently signed big man, Torraye Braggs, will make his Rainmen debut this Sunday against the LFS Cavs.

Post Game Links:
Kebs De Quebec Official Home Page
" “We did not take advantage of the rebounds we took around the opponent’s hoop, and we gave up too many around our own. We also had a low field goal percentage, not to mention our poor three-point percentage. Our 43% from the field and 36% from the three point line speak for themselves”, commented coach Robert Spon. “The Rainmen dominated us due to their 54% field-goal shooting, ultimately I take the blame for this loss”, mentioned Coach Spon."

Halifax Chronicle-Herald
"Kavon Jones topped the Rainmen with 19 points, going 7-for-9 from the field, all in the first half. The rookie power forward, who started at centre with Halifax still awaiting the arrival of the recently signed Torraye Braggs, was used sparingly in the second half after picking up his fifth foul early in the third quarter."

Metro Halifax
"The Rainmen improved to 2-0 early in the Premier Basketball League season with a 106-98 triumph over the Kebs, riding a balanced attack that featured seven players hitting double figures."


Next up, the Rainmen are at the Metro Centre on Sunday to face off against the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, 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